State Representative John Zlotnick and Gardner City Mayor Mike Nicholson joined Growing Places staff and regional partners at a ribbon-cutting ceremony announcing that the nonprofit's local food center at the former Waterford Street School is fully built out and operational.

"The processing center for Growing Places is fully built out and fully operational and we're so proud to be here celebrating another milestone," State Representative John Zlotnick said, describing the project as a multi-year effort that began with an earlier announcement about repurposing the school and a city lease signed last year.

The center is the result of roughly $2,300,000 in regional investment, the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts said at the event. "This regional food center is the beating heart of a $2,300,000 investment made by the Community Foundation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in an ambitious effort to make a lasting impact on the food system in our region," Steve Abrams, of the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts, said.

Anne Yeagle, executive director of Growing Places, described the center as a "mid-tier" operation that connects small farms with consumers and institutions by lightly processing seasonal produce so it can be used year-round. She said the center has the local Board of Health permit (received in January or February) and a Massachusetts Department of Public Health wholesale license (received in July), enabling sales to schools, hospitals, colleges and grocery buyers.

"We have our Board of Health permit ... and then we received our Mass DPH wholesale license in July," Yeagle said. She listed potential customers as Gardner Public Schools, Mount Wachusett Community College, Haywood Hospital, local restaurants and grocery stores such as Hannaford and larger retailers if desired.

Farmers and Growing Places' board members said the facility will reduce on-farm losses and turn surplus product into shelf-stable or value-added items. "Places like this where I can submit an order to Growing Places and say I have a 100 pounds of basil ... for the processing center to then turn into pesto and herb and dried herbs and things like that to then feed the community throughout the season and throughout the winter," said farmer and board member John Gove.

Speakers emphasized the center's role in addressing food insecurity and making healthy local food more accessible. Yeagle highlighted programming that connects the center with after-school programming and with older adults who may need pre-cut or portioned items. She described sample products prepared at the facility, including freeze-dehydrated apples, sour blueberries, mushrooms prepared with garlic and ginger, and freeze-dehydrated watermelon.

Yeagle also raised a policy concern tied to program financing. She said the local Healthy Incentive Program (HIP) that provides dollar-for-dollar incentives for SNAP purchases could be affected if SNAP benefits are not preserved or if matching funds are not available. "SNAP is a lifeline for our community ... Please, please, please do not sit around today when you're done. Do something about this," she said, urging attendees to contact state and federal policymakers.

Organizers and funders asked the public and partner agencies to continue support as the center moves from opening to full operations and to help sustain demand from institutions and incentive programs that support low-income shoppers.

The event included public acknowledgements of regional partners such as Central Mass Grown, Legal Foodworks and more than 30 local farms that tested the model; at the ceremony the Community Foundation credited staff member Megan Masiko for grant management work. Mayor Nicholson and other local officials were on hand to celebrate the opening and invited attendees to view the food preparation happening behind the event room windows.

The local food center will begin distribution to partner sites immediately, organizers said, while staff continue to expand programming and product lines.