Boston teens earn while fighting hunger
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In Massachusetts, The Food Project employs teenagers from Boston and surrounding suburbs to grow food for people facing hunger.
Since 1991, the program has connected youth employment with community food security. Workers ages 14 to 18 earn $15 an hour while gaining skills in farming, including harvesting, weeding, and equipment maintenance, across 70 acres of land.
A recent study by the Greater Boston Food Bank revealed that 34% of Massachusetts households struggle to afford enough food each month, with Black, Hispanic, Alaska Native, LGBTQ, and college student communities experiencing especially high rates of food insecurity. The Food Project addresses this by selling affordable produce at markets in Boston’s Dudley neighborhood and Lynn, and by accepting SNAP benefits.
Beyond the summer jobs, The Food Project expands access to fresh food by installing 100 raised bed gardens for households and organizations each year. Program leaders believe the primary barrier to healthy eating is cost, not desire, and that increased exposure to agricultural work could inspire more young people to pursue careers in the field. Nox Southard, a 17-year-old peer leader, noted that hands-on experience helps young people envision themselves working in agriculture.
