Nantucket Resource Partnership is proud to partner with 8 island food-security programs and over 15 referral partners on our Food First online platform. This innovative technology is an online tool utilized by NRP and it’s referral partners to help islanders in need access food security programs quickly, directly, and with dignity. Read on to find out more about how NRP and Food First are helping address hunger on Nantucket.
Our referral partners – including the Family Resource Center, Nantucket Public Schools, Fairwinds, Health Imperatives, A Safe Place, and many more – access the online platform and answer a short set of questions to identify which Nantucket food programs the client may be eligible for. Food program partners include the Nantucket Food Pantry, Fresh Connect, Nourishing Nantucket food boxes, WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and WIC Breastfeeding support, Sustainable Nantucket Grow Boxes, The Warming Place and Meals on Wheels. The Food First platform sends out referral notifications to the identified food programs on behalf of the client with instructions on how to contact the client – which language they prefer, which communication method they prefer (email, text, WhatsApp, phone, etc), and what time of day is best. This is a key component of the Food First platform as it takes the burden of searching out programs and contact info off of the client in need. The process is confidential and free through the Food First platform. Referral partners are able to identify which programs the client was enrolled in and help with any additional follow up on behalf of the client. The Food First offers a network of support to individuals and families experiencing food-insecurity.
NRP will be presenting this tool to the nonprofit community at the Healthy Community Collaborative at the Community Foundation for Nantucket on October 15. Please reach out to Meg@thenrp.org with any questions on becoming a referral partner, food program partner, or for more info if you are experiencing food-insecurity or know someone who is.
