HELP US SAVE
THE WALTHAM FIELD STATION
Due to a decision by the University of Massachusetts to close the building December 31st, 2019, our tenancy at the Waltham Field Station is up in the air. This year we moved more than 818,000 pounds of produce that would have otherwise gone to waste through this facility and back out to food insecure families across Eastern Massachusetts. The Waltham Field Station has been our only home since our inception in 2004; it houses our offices & coolers, it's where we plug in our refrigerated trucks at the end of the day, where we wash our root veggies, and where we store the ever important banana boxes we use as packaging. While we are confident in our ability to creatively overcome challenges and ultimately continue to provide our services to the larger hunger relief community, we would be hard pressed to find a similar space to house our agricultural operations given a limited budget and short notice. Any alternative site would likely require serious fundraising over a number of years.
And its not just us…What the Waltham Field Station lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in community and utility. This understated building houses a dynamic mix of non-profit organizations committed to sustainability and agriculture, including Waltham's last working farm: Waltham Fields Community Farm, Waltham Land Trust, Grow Native Massachusetts, Massachusetts Federation of Farmers Markets and GROW Community Gardens. This unique community has drawn a great deal of attention over the years, once even receiving the designation as the site for a prospective state-funded Sustainability Education Center which was later defunded by the Baker administration.
We understand there is significant cost associated with maintaining aging infrastructure and ultimately feel confident that we could find an alternative site for our offices if the Field Station building were closed. At this time our main concern is that assurances be made for continued access to the outdoor space at 240 Beaver Street. This includes utilities and unrestricted access to grounds, two key factors in continuing to run our operations out of this hub. We feel it reasonable to ask the owner of the Field Station, whether it continues to be UMASS or ownership is transferred to the city of Waltham, to accommodate this request. We are hopeful there is a creative solution that can provide most of our organizational needs, including alternative on-site office space, upon closure of the main building. We are open to discussing sustainable solutions with both UMASS and the City of Waltham.
However, time is of the essence and with the facility scheduled to close December 31, 2019, we are in an extremely vulnerable position. If you believe in the work that Boston Area Gleaners does, please voice how valuable the outdoor space and access to utilities at the Waltham Field Station are to our operations.
To find out the current status of negotiations, other updates and how you can help, click the button below!
And its not just us…What the Waltham Field Station lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in community and utility. This understated building houses a dynamic mix of non-profit organizations committed to sustainability and agriculture, including Waltham's last working farm: Waltham Fields Community Farm, Waltham Land Trust, Grow Native Massachusetts, Massachusetts Federation of Farmers Markets and GROW Community Gardens. This unique community has drawn a great deal of attention over the years, once even receiving the designation as the site for a prospective state-funded Sustainability Education Center which was later defunded by the Baker administration.
We understand there is significant cost associated with maintaining aging infrastructure and ultimately feel confident that we could find an alternative site for our offices if the Field Station building were closed. At this time our main concern is that assurances be made for continued access to the outdoor space at 240 Beaver Street. This includes utilities and unrestricted access to grounds, two key factors in continuing to run our operations out of this hub. We feel it reasonable to ask the owner of the Field Station, whether it continues to be UMASS or ownership is transferred to the city of Waltham, to accommodate this request. We are hopeful there is a creative solution that can provide most of our organizational needs, including alternative on-site office space, upon closure of the main building. We are open to discussing sustainable solutions with both UMASS and the City of Waltham.
However, time is of the essence and with the facility scheduled to close December 31, 2019, we are in an extremely vulnerable position. If you believe in the work that Boston Area Gleaners does, please voice how valuable the outdoor space and access to utilities at the Waltham Field Station are to our operations.
To find out the current status of negotiations, other updates and how you can help, click the button below!