Food Justice
The mission of the Mayor's Office of Food Justice (OFJ) is to build a food system that is equitable, resilient, sustainable, and just.
Food access is inequitably distributed for Boston residents and the food system is largely destructive to the planet. Addressing the injustices and environmental harm within our food production and distribution systems calls for significant changes. While we aim to create a fairer, more resilient, and sustainable food system for the future, OFJ is also committed to the immediate steps necessary to continue creating more equitable food access. We work to improve the accessibility and affordability of nutritious and culturally-relevant foods in Boston.
Strategic Goals
As new offices within the City of Boston, the Office of Food Justice (OFJ) and GrowBoston: Office of Urban Agriculture want to ensure that we have the biggest impact we can on building food justice in Boston--in partnership with residents, community groups, food producers, and other governmental agencies. We have identified four major goals that will allow our work to have a bigger collective impact on the food system.
- Build equitable access and distribution systems for fresh, culturally relevant, and/or regionally grown food citywide for food insecure communities
- Leverage City food procurement to increase City department food purchases from regional producers and BIPOC producers
- Increase food recovery from public and private institutions and strengthen pathways to connect food insecure residents with fresh, healthy recovered food
- Increase food production in neighborhoods including in public spaces like parks, housing developments, schools, and community centers
Food Resources for Residents
ResourcesGRANT OPPORTUNITY
Our office is accepting applications for funding to enable the storage and distribution of perishable food, including recovered and donated food. Funding will be allocated for cold storage, refrigeration, other cold chain equipment and associated capital and operational expenses. Check out the grant details.
Meet the staff
Our teamWork with us
Interested in working with us to make healthy food more accessible and affordable in the City of Boston? Check out our current open positions.
Learn more
Learn more about food justice in Boston, as well as our past and ongoing work.
In 2019, Boston passed a Good Food Purchasing Program Ordinance, and we are working to implement it.
OFJ--formerly the Office of Food Access (OFA)--believes food is a right, not a privilege.
Overview of community recommendations during listening sessions on gaps in the food access system that have been exacerbated...
Data presented from the Boston Food Access Assessment conducted by the Boston Mayor's Office of Food Access, 2019
A visual representation of different organizations' roles in the food access network in Boston