- Holyoke, MA has a population of 40,124 located between the Connecticut River and Mount Tom Range. The population is 49% Hispanic, 46% white, 4% black, and 1% Asian. - The city has high unemployment and poverty rates and many economic challenges including high school dropout rates and teen pregnancy. However, innovative solutions include farmers markets that double SNAP benefits and organizations growing local food. - Global innovations in water transportation, urban farming, and aquaponics provide models for improving food access and security. Energy efficiency projects in Holyoke also aim to reduce costs and energy usage.

2. • Located in Western
Massachusetts
• Lies between the
Connecticut River
and the Mount Tom
Range
• Population: 40,124

3. ETHNICITY
49
46
4
1
HISPANIC- 49% WHITE- 46% BLACK- 4% ASIAN- 1%

4. OUR ECONOMY
• Unemployment Rate: 8.5%
• Median Household Income:
$34,961
• Main Economic Engine: The
Holyoke Mall (7 million in taxes)
-The interior of the Holyoke Mall-

5. ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
1. High school drop-out rate:
48%
2. Highest teen pregnancy rate
in the state
3. Poverty level is 4 times the
statewide level
4. Highest poverty levels in
families led by single women-
66% of Holyoke families
5. Food Inequity– the lack of
access to healthy foods by
low income families; this is a
multifactorial problem
-Trash outside an apartment complex in Holy
MA-

6. FOOD INEQUITY
Contributing factors:
1. Poverty: healthy food is more
expensive than junk food
2. Low availability of healthy
foods:
 local markets sell mostly
processed food
98% of restaurants offer
unhealthy food and fast
foods
 Capitalization on
poverty

7. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS: #1 FARMER’S MARKETS
The Holyoke Farmer’s Market- every
Thursday from May 20th to October 31st
 Sells local farmers’ products
 SNAP + SAVE program:
Customers that use their EBT card
(food stamps) receive two products for the
cost of one

8. SNAP & SAVE EXPLAINED..
For example: If you swipe your EBT card for $10 at a local
farmers’ market, you’ll get $20 worth of tokens to spend on fresh
fruits and vegetables. It’s a great deal!
$10 in SNAP= $20 in tokens

9. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS: #2 NUESTRAS RAÍCES
Nuestras Raices: a non-profit
organization started by Puerto
Rican migrant farmers
 Mission: To create healthy
environments, celebrate agriculture,
and advance their vision of a just
and sustainable future”
 Own a 30 acre farm called “La Finca”
(The Farm)
The farm promotes the health and
emotional well-being of residents
through the cultivation of culturally
appropriate and locally grown food.
 Produced 15 community gardens
within the city of Holyoke, Ma.
 Launched a Youth Apprenticeship
program

10. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS: #3 OUR FOOD PROJECT
• Engages
Holyoke families
in community
food
• Pilot Program
with high school
• Offers nutritional
cooking classes
to high school
students
• Created first high
school
community
garden
“This project is teaching
students how to cultivate
their own food and
encouraging them to
consume healthier food.”
– Project Manager, Neftali
Duran

11. GLOBAL INNOVATIONS
1. Africa: The Hippo water roller-
a drum that can be rolled on
the ground, making it easier
for those without access to
water haul larger amounts of
water faster
2. Tokyo: Pasona O2- an urban
farm in Tokyo that grows over
100 types of produce indoors,
underground, and on the
exterior walls of the nine-story
office-style building
3. Berlin, Germany: Frisch vom
Dach- (Fresh from the Roof)
An aquaponics project started
on the rooftop of a former malt
factory
1.
2.
3.

12. GREEN PROJECTS: ENERGIA
Energy Efficiency in Pioneer
Valley:
Energía, LLC is a socially responsible
energy services company that
provides energy efficiency upgrades
for residential and commercial
properties. Energia, aims to reduce
utility costs and energy use
throughout western Massachusetts.
Mission:
To create efficient and healthy
buildings in the Pioneer Valley.

13. MGHPCC
• Massachusetts Green High
Performance Computing
Center- An energy-efficient,
high-performance
computing center, in
Holyoke that opened in
2012.
• Built by a coalition of
universities and tech
companies
• Computers at the MGHPCC
run millions of virtual
experiments every month!

14. Director of Planning and
Economic Development at City
of Holyoke, Ma.
Developed a $6.6 million
Compact Fluorescent Light-bulb
residential subsidy program,
aimed at working-class and low-
income citizens in Puerto Rico.
Supervised progress of energy
projects under PlaNYC, New York
City’s long-term sustainability plan,
and managed the Public Utility
Service, a business incentive
program with transactions of up to
$5 million every month.