Holyoke Community

Holyoke Food & Fitness Policy Council Vision

Comprehensive, community-driven change that creates access for families and children to healthy foods and fitness opportunities

About Holyoke

Located along the banks of the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts, Holyoke is an urban village surrounded by some of the richest loam in the nation. Its community is a culturally and ethnically diverse mix of Irish, Polish and French Canadian immigrants who first settled the city. Proportionally, it also has one of the largest Puerto Rican populations in the United States. Once a booming, industrial paper-mill town, Holyoke is now one of the poorest cities in the state. Challenged by a post-industrial shifting economy and encroaching development on its fertile agricultural land, Holyoke is still proud and vibrant but struggling to find its economic future.

The city's poorest neighborhoods have few grocery stores with healthy and affordable food options. With 60 percent of residents qualifying for food stamps and 70 percent of public school students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, food security is critical. Further, although there are opportunities for indoor and outdoor activities, Holyoke's urban residents have limited access to them.

Despite these difficulties, Holyoke's many community-based organizations are making strides. From a downtown health center with a teaching kitchen to a community farm to mayor-led neighborhood walks, Holyoke is committed to advancing systemic change that builds on existing community assets and networks. The Holyoke Food & Fitness Policy Council is working to align many disparate components, informed and led by residents to create a unified initiative that can effect real change.