Barnstable County Awarded $248,084 to Strengthen Food Rescue and Food Access on Cape Cod
State grant will expand food storage, refrigerated transportation, and coordination among community partners.
BARNSTABLE, Mass. (October 26, 2026) – Barnstable County has been awarded a $248,084 state grant to help get more food to Cape Cod residents. Led by Cape Cod Cooperative Extension with community partners, the project will expand the storage and transportation needed to keep usable food from going to waste.
When a business has surplus food to donate, a community organization needs somewhere to store it and a way to pick it up while it’s still safe to eat. Without enough refrigeration or reliable transportation, even a welcome donation can be difficult to accept.
The grant will help close those gaps by funding a refrigerated van, freezer and storage equipment, and tools to track donations. It also includes outreach and training to help food donors and recipient organizations work together.
The funding comes through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program. The project is titled “Cape Cod Regional Organics Capacity and Infrastructure Expansion.”
“There are people working every day to get food to their neighbors, and businesses willing to donate it,” said Andrea Scarpellini, food access coordinator for Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. “Having a reliable vehicle, enough freezer space, and a way to coordinate donations can make a real difference in what those partnerships can accomplish.”
Food rescue connects surplus food that is still safe to eat with organizations that distribute it to people. The new equipment and technology will help partners safely handle donations, track available food, and coordinate its movement across participating sites. Scales will help organizations measure and report the amount of food collected.
Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners Chair Mark Forest announced the award at the Cape Cod Hunger Summit on Monday, Oct. 26. The working session convened representatives from food assistance organizations, health care, government, schools, agriculture, and other community groups to review regional data, identify gaps in food access, and explore practical solutions.
The investment supports that regional approach by giving community partners more of the tools they need to turn food donations into food people can bring home.
“Food insecurity is a serious challenge on Cape Cod, and addressing it requires more than good intentions,” said Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners Chair Mark Forest. “This investment will help build the infrastructure needed to get more food where it belongs, into the hands of people who need it. It’s a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together as a region.”
The project builds on the County’s ongoing work with community organizations to strengthen food access across Cape Cod while reducing food waste.
ABOUT BARNSTABLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CAPE COD COOPERATIVE EXTENSION: Cape Cod Cooperative Extension is the education department for Barnstable County. Educational programs focus on agriculture, marine resources, horticulture, aquaculture, natural resources, water quality, recycling, household hazardous waste, nutrition, food safety, youth development, and environmental education issues facing the county. Extension programs are conducted in Barnstable County in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts and The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution–Sea Grant program. Learn more at www.capecod.gov/extension.
MEDIA CONTACT
Andrea Scarpellini, Extension Food Access Coordinator; [email protected] ; (508) 375-6944
