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MassDEP awards $90,000 to expand county food‑rescue operations and a regional portal

Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners · November 19, 2025

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Summary

Barnstable County received a $90,000 MassDEP Sustainable Materials Recovery grant to build a regional food recovery portal, hire a food‑rescue program manager, coordinate operations through Cape Cod Council of Churches, and train businesses and volunteers to divert edible food to people in need.

At the Nov. 19 meeting Michael Maguire, Cooperative Extension Director, announced a $90,000 award from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to expand county food‑rescue work.

Maguire said the grant will fund three components: a regional food‑recovery portal to match distributors and pantries, a coordinated food‑rescue operations program led by the Cape Cod Council of Churches, and a paid program manager plus outreach and training for businesses and volunteers. He noted MassDEP’s interest in reducing food sent to landfill and emphasized the benefit of rapid redistribution to people in need.

Commissioners and staff discussed connecting the portal with existing food‑access coordination and suggested a future update from the county food access coordinator to the board. Maguire said the county and partner organizations will continue to seek efficiencies and additional resources to scale operations and support small pantries with limited staffing.