Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Making local produce accessible and culturally relevant to influence the long-term shopping patterns of individual consumers and institutional purchasers will be Star Farm's position as the liaison between 1. making sure farmers have support to build capacity and deliver high-quality, food-safe products and 2. ensuring that partners and their clients are having their produce needs met and are incorporating the value of local produce into their programs and delivery of services. Building the public perception and the procurement capacity for local foods will help create a stable marketplace for existing and future sustainable farmers in the Chicagoland foodshed, and build equity in the food system by forging new sales channels that target low-income, food insecure populations.
Animal Health Component
30%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
30%
Developmental
40%
Goals / Objectives
Star Farm's pilot project, "Co-Creating a Culturally Relevant and Resilient Local Foods Initiative on the Southside of Chicago," will allow Star Farm to deepen the impact of our existing models for distributing fresh fruits and vegetables - our Mobile Market, CSA, and brick and mortar Fresh Market - to SNAP participants, especially those living in Chicago's South Side communities. Through offering incentives at the purchase of fruits and vegetables, we will increase the number of individuals and families who have regular and affordable access to healthy food, which will ultimately increase the amount of fresh produce that is consumed by such individuals.
Project Methods
Star Farm's primary methods of produce distribution include our Mobile Market, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and our new brick and mortar Fresh Market. Our Mobile Market increases our capacity to serve a greater range of communities in need of accessible and affordable produce, and we host regular pop-up markets throughout Chicagoland. Through our Shopify-powered CSA program we are able to receive online orders for weekly, biweekly, and monthly produce subscriptions that include two varieties of greens, two varieties of root vegetables, three varieties of fruits, and a bonus item - anything from honey to flowers - that are then delivered directly to CSA members' homes. Star Farm's brick and mortar Fresh Market is located in BOTY and features fresh produce from Star Farm and other local farms, in addition to bulk dry goods, local eggs, bread, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and a select inventory of household grocery staples that are relevant to the needs of our predominantly Latino and Black community.