The air was rich with the scent of rain and fresh produce as market shoppers filled their bags at the Brookline Farmer’s Market on Centre Street West Parking lot in Coolidge Corner, on Thursday, Oct. 30. However, the shoppers were not only there for themselves. They wanted to buy one for themselves and one for someone else.
The Farm to Family Food Drive is a partnership event between the Brookline Public Health Department, the Friends of Brookline Public Health, the Brookline Farmers’ Market and the Brookline Food Pantry.
Here’s how it works: When a customer purchases a fruit or vegetable from the market vendors, they buy one for themselves and donate one to the food drive. Donors bring their purchases to the information booth marked by a big green tent and place them in the bins. Then, the bins are carried to the Brookline Food Pantry, which distributes the fresh vegetables and fruits to families in need.
Farmers market manager Isabelle Levy said the food drive is beneficial for all who participate.
“It’s an opportunity for community members to buy for themselves but also support their neighbors,” Levy said. “That way, everyone has access to healthy food.”
Levy is in her second year of managing the market, and she said the event reflects the market’s mission to support the local community. But this year, she said, it’s also happening at a time when food scarcity is increasing.
According to Levy, the federal government won’t be issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to 40 million people next month. SNAP is a federal program that provides monthly food stamps to families in need so they can buy food. The Trump administration recently enacted a policy that changes and cuts funds to the program, per the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.
“We’re hoping that this program today will also raise awareness about that and hopefully get people to call their representatives and demand that the government continues to fund these programs that millions of people really benefit from,” Levy said.
At the donation tent, Barbara Hebert, a member of the Friends of Brookline Public Health, helped organize bins of fresh produce, inncluding apples, green onions, small gourds, celery, cilantro and broccoli. It was a big arrangement of colorful, healthy produce that she said helps feed those in need.
“People have been very generous,” Herbert said. “We are collecting fruits and vegetables that people are willing to donate when they’re doing their shopping [at the market]. We’re taking the food to the Brookline Food Pantry to distribute to the families who need food.”
Brookline resident Judith Clark donated a bag of apples. Clark said she is frustrated by the priorities of the government, highlighting the reports of support for the U.S. international agriculture trade, all while domestic hunger programs in the U.S. face less funding.
“The government is bailing out beef farmers in Argentina, but they’re not feeding the poor in this country,” Clark said. “That’s appalling.”
During the winter, which is their slow season, Clark said that some vendors are part of a gift card program. She fully funds the cards so the vendors can rebuild whatever they need over the winter, and the next year she receives the value back in produce.
“I like to support the farmers,” Clark said. “They get up at the crack of dawn to bring their produce here, and the least we can do is come and buy it.”
By the time market foot traffic and sales were slowing down, the collection bins were already full. Levy said their work is not done yet and urges the greater Brookline community to keep supporting the market.
“If you’re a resident of Brookline, continue to support the farmers market,” Levy said. “If you have extra income that you are willing to share with the community, donate some of your money directly to the food pantry.”
