As the pandemic descended on Rhode Island in March, events were canceled, food service channels collapsed, and there was widespread uncertainty about the fate of local food systems and businesses. Hope & Main created the hashtag #EatStrongRI to spotlight the imperative to buy local or risk losing some of our state’s most treasured food businesses, small farmers, and local restaurants forever. Five months later, food business start-ups are booming at Hope & Main and sales of local food for many member businesses have not only recovered, it is better than before.
 
Hope & Main founder Lisa Raiola said in a statement, “We created #EatStrongRI and established What’s Local Wednesdays within weeks of lockdown in Rhode Island. This was an unmistakable signal to Rhode Island consumers that they could access local food from Hope & Main as an alternative to mainstream channels (such as shuttered restaurants and risky supermarket runs). There are an impressive number of courageous entrepreneurs who launched food businesses at Hope & Main during the coronavirus outbreak. In addition, dozens of our makers pivoted quickly to online sales, especially through the popular app, WhatsGood. I am not surprised to see these businesses thriving through the pandemic, as so many consumers feel compelled not only to try new ways of accessing food, but also because they understand that local, small businesses are the heart of our local food economy; and if we don’t support them now, they may not weather this crisis.”
 
Whether it is bakers, prepared food companies or consumer packaged goods, all of them are surging in this pivotal moment for local food. Elizabeth Fradin is the owner and creator of Beth Bakes, an artisan and gluten-free cracker company that started at Hope & Main four years ago. Beth Bakes is just one of the vendors shoppers can find at Schoolyard Market on Wednesday evenings. She reports 40 percent growth over the past several months and has added staff to meet demand. “I never anticipated the uptick in orders that would come my way during COVID-19,” said Fradin, “and I’m delighted to see how the new ways of selling through online retailers have been so strong. Support from regular, local customers is also amazing, and has brought Beth Bakes to a new level.”
 
Beth Bakes is one among several Hope & Main companies who are hiring to keep up with consumers’ appetites. The Holistic Trick is a clean, prepared meals company that Chef-Owner Haley Pollock launched during the pandemic.  Her prepared meals are available for sale at the Schoolyard Market and home delivery within 30 miles of Hope & Main.  Last week, she too posted a help wanted ad as things are heating up in her kitchen. In six months, she has tripled her staff. Chef Pollock reports, “My customers want to eat healthy at home, but many don’t know how to cook or how to prepare nutritious food. Our service supplements their weekly routine, replacing simple healthy meals for takeout and less frequent grocery shopping.”
 
Another innovative, new Hope & Main member that is gaining statewide attention beginning with RI VegFest 2020 is Basil & Bunny, known for remarkably creative and delicious plant-based comfort food. Says Joanna Ray, Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Hope & Main, “With a growing interest in clean and plant-based foods, we are fielding more inquiries from entrepreneurs aiming to launch food businesses with this focus. We saw record numbers of entrepreneurs interested in launching a new food business at our August food start-up bootcamp, First Course, and many are targeting the new health-conscious food consumer.”
 
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted food access issues across the socioeconomic continuum. “Access to healthy food ought to be a right in 2020, but the pandemic has shown us this is not the case.” In response, HOPE & MAIN launched the Nourish Our Neighbors program in April, providing free, nutritious meals for food insecure families and other vulnerable populations affected by the pandemic. The free meals are provided to seniors who are shut-in, children and families eligible for free school lunch, women and children living in shelters, and others who cannot afford or access healthy food at this crucial time. More than 27,000 of these meals have been distributed to date, now continuing through the summer by incorporating a pickup site as a part of Schoolyard Market. The Nourish Our Neighbors meals are prepared by Hope & Main member companies and sourced as much as possible from local growers and suppliers.
 
The same freshly prepared meals that are distributed for free are also available through Hope & Main’s Buy One / Give One, Rhode Island’s first community-supported meal share, which enables of-means individuals to “eat well, do good”. Purchasing a Buy One / Give One meal once a week through Hope & Main’s website instantly provides another meal for a neighbor in need.
 
The centerpiece of What’s Local Wednesdays at Hope & Main is their neighborhood-facing farmers-makers market, Schoolyard Market. Formerly on Sundays, the marketplace hosts a lineup of vendors that includes some of the newest Hope & Main members direct access to whole foods and fresh produce. To serve the community more widely, Schoolyard Market also provides SNAP recipients the ability to double their dollars for fresh fruit and vegetables. In addition, prepared meals are available from food trucks and through Nourish Our Neighbors distribution (including Buy One / Give One features). The site also offers contactless pick up of WhatsGood app groceries, self-guided garden tours, kid-friendly activities and live music. Caitlin Mandel, Hope & Main’s Market Manager, says, “We planned for many months to create a safe, welcoming, and equitable environment at the Schoolyard Market. We believe we have one of the most unique and forward-thinking local food events in the region.”
 
“This model has been a win-win all the way around,” says Raiola. “When we think about food access through an equity lens, we can come up with innovative and sustainable solutions that promise permanent changes to our local food systems for the better.”