Four months after Island Grown Initiative closed the Vineyard’s only community composting center, the nonprofit has unveiled a new plan that uses advanced technology to process food waste from homes and schools.
Island Grown Initiative announced Friday that co-executive director Michelle Gittlen will leave the food and agriculture nonprofit in April, 2025, one year after she stepped into the shared leadership position.
Astrid Tilton, the gleaning manager for Island Grown Initiative, said that last year the organization helped provide 600 pounds of venison to Vineyarders.
The Vineyard’s long-running food waste program is set to end Sept. 1, when it loses its pilot composting location at the Island Grown Initiative farm in Vineyard Haven.
In addition to providing meals at various camps, summer schools, libraries and the YMCA as it has done for eight years, Island Grown Initiative has added a “meal kit” initiative this summer to combat food insecurity.
School vacation has emptied the Island of many families this week, but you’d hardly know it at the West Tisbury library when lunchtime rolls around.
“At one point [Monday], there were probably 40 or 50 people hanging out in the community room, getting soup or getting soup to go,” said library director Alexandra Pratt.
Every weekday through March 1, the library is serving a free soup and bread lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for schoolchildren on break and anyone else who needs a hot, wholesome midday meal.
The Island Grown board of directors this week announced that senior director of programs Noli Taylor will become executive director of programs and outreach, with managing director Michelle Gittlen the executive director of operations.
