Food First

Food First is an online referral tool that allows social service organizations to connect food-insecure individuals with on-island food programs that meet their needs.

Why Start With Food Security?

We have identified food security as one of the most pressing social service needs on Nantucket.

According to Nantucket Public Schools, over 45% of their student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch. That program is based on federal guidelines and doesn’t account for the local cost of living – meaning the true number of food-insecure kids is far higher. Food insecurity has a demonstrated negative impact on the performance and behavior of children and teens. School-age children experiencing food insecurity were more likely to miss school and display atypical or borderline emotional symptoms, even if the exposure to food insecurity was intermittent. What this boils down to is that children on Nantucket will not be able to thrive until we ensure that every family has the food they need to be full and healthy.

The high cost of housing on Nantucket is a major contributor to food insecurity. State and federal guidelines suggest that housing costs (rent/mortgage + basic utilities) should not exceed 30% of a household’s gross income. On Nantucket, however, families routinely spend much more than that – some up to 70% of their income – leaving very little or none to pay for food. While addressing the housing cost burden will take time, we can address food insecurity more immediately and effectively.