CISA strengthens farms and engages the community to build the local food economy.

CISA is a non-profit organization. Its work began more than 20 years ago, and thousands of people in our region have contributed to its success and impact. More than 250 farms participate in CISA’s programs, and the number of residents who are committed to supporting local agriculture grows every day. Its Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown® program, the longest-running agricultural buy-local campaign in the country, connects farmers and the community, improving farm business viability and enhancing the quality of life for residents across the region.

Additional programs include Senior FarmShare, technical assistance for farms and food businesses, and research and support for local food and farm businesses of all kinds, including processors, distributors, and producers of value-added products like jams, cheeses, and pickles.  Recent initiatives include CISA’s Emergency Farm Fund, significant expansion of work in Hampden County, and support for the creation of the PVGrows Community Investment Fund, a project of the collaborative PVGrows Network.

Dedicated Offerings provide a way for our Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst community to recognize and financially support worthy organizations engaged in projects that reflect our guiding Unitarian-Universalist principles. We hope you will give generously on May 21.