The Newton Farm Commission met Thursday evening to address potential updates to its founding ordinance, ongoing financial progress, and the close of the farming season.

The meeting began with a review of the Newton Community Farm’s efforts to combat food insecurity, particularly as many families have lost access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Allyson MacKenna, the director of administration and programs at the farm, explained to the committee how the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) benefits can be used to buy fresh food from the farm.

“So HIP is the healthy incentives program, and it’s used for recipients to receive healthy foods,” said MacKenna. “So it benefits both farms and it benefits the recipients. So, depending on the size of their households, they may get anywhere from $20 to $80 worth of benefits per month, and they can only use that on produce and healthy things.”

MacKenna also presented the farm’s recent efforts to educate the public on redeeming farm benefits and their cooperation with Project Bread, a Massachusetts nonprofit that helps direct people to locations where they can use their SNAP benefits.

“So I made sure the farm’s information was up to date, so that when Project Bread looks at where people can utilize their HIP benefits, they don’t come at incorrect times,” said MacKenna.

MacKenna then presented the recent success of their fundraiser for the Strengthen the Farm Fund. The farm board had set a goal of $50,000, which was exceeded, and the money was used for repair projects and future renovations.

“We did exceed our goal, so we actually raised about $53,000 from that campaign,” MacKenna said. “We have completed the deck project, so that’s the major one.”

The committee then turned its attention to increasing awareness of the farm, and Committee Chair Michael Goldman proposed erecting a sign along the street.

“Why isn’t there a big sign that says what this thing is on the corner of Winchester and Nahanton?” Goldman asked. “As incredible as it seems, there’s like so many people in Newton that don’t know what Newton Community Farm is.”

Commission member Nancy Grissom supported the idea, but reminded the commission that it must be approved.

“I believe that signs have to be approved by the planning department, but I think it shouldn’t be a problem,” said Grissom. “I think you should have a good sign.”

The commission then discussed reorganizing committee seats, as they have been operating below the required number of members.

“The ordinance is nine, but we’re shy of that by two or three,” said committee member Patrick Costello.

Several members proposed decreasing the required number of committee members from nine to seven, as well as eliminating the previous requirements for individuals interested in joining the board.

The committee concluded the meeting with plans to email an updated list of suggestions to the public to gather input on commission member requirements.