2,400 city residents currently donate food to families in need through AFP’s Green Bag program, but the need is for assistance is great; consider signing up to give — and encourage others to join in

Ashland Food Project Board of Directors

In 2009, two local residents started Ashland Food Project as a way to address the need for food assistance in our community. In the past 16 years, thousands of Ashlanders have participated as AFP donors. Currently, 2,400 households donate one Green Bag of food six times per year, and all donated food items go directly to Ashland Community Food Bank. Since our inception, Ashland Food Project has collected over 2 million pounds of food.

Not only has Ashland Food Project had a positive impact locally, it has inspired an entire network of Neighborhood Food Projects, roughly 50 of which operate around the country.

By inviting people to collect an extra item or two of food each time they shop for groceries, Ashland Food Project allows individuals and families in Ashland to have a direct impact on alleviating the acute, ongoing burden of food insecurity in our community. Through the Green Bag giving program, our efforts are more impactful as a community than when we act on our own.

Despite AFP’s ongoing efforts, however, the need for food assistance in Ashland has never been greater. In spring 2023, many families saw substantial decreases to SNAP benefits with the end of COVID-era relief programs. According to Ashland.news, 44% of Ashland households fall into United Way’s classification of Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed (ALICE). Today, lingering effects of the recent federal shutdown, coupled with the annual strain that the holidays put on families in need of assistance, means that more of our neighbors than ever are struggling to put food on the table.

Approximately one quarter of Ashland households currently participate in Ashland Food Project as donors, and around 30% of the food distributed by Ashland Community Food Bank comes from AFP donations. Yet many Ashland residents are only vaguely familiar with AFP’s efforts or report to us that no one has ever asked them to participate in our Green Bag program.

How can you get involved?

1. If you are a current AFP donor, invite someone you know to become a donor. Our own efforts to recruit new donors demonstrate that people are more likely to become donors and remain donors over the long haul if they have a direct connection to the person who asks them to join. Our Ask a Friend campaign aims to expand our impact in the community. Current donors, who already give so much, can multiply their own giving impact each time they can persuade a colleague at work, another parent from their child’s extracurricular activities, a fellow churchgoer, neighbor, family member or friend to become an AFP donor. Tell them how easy it is to participate, take them to the AFP website or use the Ask a Friend card you received to walk them through the sign-up process.

2. If you don’t currently give to Ashland Food Project, please sign up to be a donor. We welcome your participation! Simply go to ashlandfoodproject.com and enroll yourself. Someone from AFP will be in touch to let you know how the rest of the system works.

In 2026, AFP will complete its 100th Green Bag Saturday. Although we feel proud of our efforts to date, we know that the hardest work still lies ahead. Our work is all about “Building Community. Sharing Food.” We invite you today to be part of our ongoing efforts.

Ashland Food Project Board of Directors: Linda Peterson Adams, Amy Blossom, Larry Chapman, Liz Cooper, Nathaniel Hardy, Frank Honts, Justin Humphreys, Eliza Kauder, Sally Kirkpatrick, Ingrid Laursen, Steve Russo, John Trivers.