GREENFIELD — The Interfaith Council of Franklin County’s Housing Assistance Committee recently gave $7,500 to support The Compost Cooperative’s initiative to house member/owners who were formerly incarcerated and find it difficult to find affordable housing.
“We have a shared belief in the right for all people to live in safe, stable, affordable housing,” the Rev. Kate Stevens, president of the Interfaith Council of Franklin County, said in a press release. “And we recognize the special difficulties faced by those who have recently been incarcerated.”
The Compost Cooperative, a worker-owned business based in Greenfield since 2018, collects food and other organic scraps from residents and businesses, and brings it to Martin’s Farm, where it is turned into soil-enriching compost.
“Along with living-wage jobs, we build opportunity among people coming out of jail and prison,” co-founder Revan Schendler said in the release. “Not only does this co-op help to be able to enrich the soil, it helps rebuild lives.”
However, of the 10 formerly incarcerated people who have found work with the co-op, nine ended up homeless or housing insecure, the release states. The Compost Cooperative bought a house in need of repair, and hopes to renovate it into affordable housing for member/owners.
“Apartments for rent are not easy for anyone to find in Franklin County right now,” Interfaith Council of Franklin County Housing Assistance Committee member Amy Clarke said in the release. “But the difficulty is compounded for those just coming out of jail. Our committee meets weekly to review applications from individuals or families who are in danger of eviction, or those who need help with start-up funding to move into stable housing. … We see support for The Compost Cooperative’s housing initiative as a proactive way to provide housing for hard-working members of our community far into the future.”
According to Stevens, this is not the council’s first involvement with The Compost Cooperative’s housing initiative. In February, member Sue Bowman and her book club donated $1,600 to The Compost Cooperative. The other members of the book club are Joan VanderVliet, Dotty Janke, Becca King, Mary Clare Powell and Cindy Pomeroy.
Those who would like to support the work of the Interfaith Council of Franklin County’s Housing Assistance Committee can send a check to P.O. Box 1171, Greenfield, MA 01302. Those wishing to support The Composting Cooperative’s housing initiative can send checks to P.O. Box 792, Greenfield, MA 01302.
Applications for assistance with rental arrears or start-up funding from the Housing Assistance Committee are available by contacting the Salvation Army in Greenfield, Montague Catholic Social Ministries in Turners Falls, or by emailing Amy Clarke at dclarke33@comcast.net. Distributed funds include those from the Salvation Army, United Way of Franklin County, individual and church donations, and a bequeath from the Church Street Home Fund of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.