Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:The project area contains 73,706 households, 18.6% of whom report receiving food stamps/SNAP in the past 12 months (U.S. Census Bureau, FOOD STAMPS/SNAP, 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Retrieved from https://data.census.gov). Among 6,439 customers served by the People's Produce Mobile Farmers Market (PPMFM) during the grant period, 30.8% reported receiving SNAP. Even more strikingly, 68.1% of PPMFM customers reported experiencing food insecurity in the previous 12 months. Of these customers, 10.9% were age 17 or under, 46.5% were between 18 and 49, and 42.5% were age 50 or older. During the grant term, 43students from Morse High School participated in the project, and411 individuals and studentsvolunteered 1,602 hours. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We asked the coordinator to identify what type of training would be beneficial. She has engaged her former college instructor at SDSU nutrition education program to guide her in managing her relationship with the culinary instructor at Morse High School. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Our team has created a promotional flyer for Golden Groceries and made a weekly social media post for our network announcing the availability of produce and added-value products at the mobile farmers market. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Goals Add ten added value products and track # of students, surveys, and revenue. Engage 80 - 100 Golden Groceries club members, tracking the # of farmers and pounds of produce distributed. Conduct customer and volunteer survey. Create and circulate weekly messages on social media to encourage consumption of healthy, locally-grown, and prepared food. Create quarterly newsletters to encourage the consumption of healthy, locally grown food.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1: Expand The People's Produce Mobile Farmers Market (PPMFM) offerings to include locally-made, value-added products to increase food security and alleviate food shopping constraints. We decided that the focus for year one was to (1) build relationships with industry experts and consumers for input on the design and implementation, (2) research existing models to inform our project, and (3) adopt a clear understanding of the skills and team capacities needed to coordinate project activities. Objective 1. Plan production and packaging of value-added products at the beginning of each semester. Established a relationship with Dr. Cynthia Larkin, principal of Morse HS, to gain support and access to the campus. Establish relationships with culinary students at Morse to get acquainted with the school routine and the interests of students. Established relationship - Senior Environmental Health Specialist Food, Water, and Housing Division, County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality. ? Objective 2: Ninety (90) Culinary Arts students will prepare five (5) value-added/prepacked foods for sale each semester. Ten students catered the Fannie Lou Hamer Legacy Celebration on Dec 5, 2024 Twelve students participated in the creation of two types of seasoned popcorn for the Mobile Farmers Market in 2025 Objective 3: Survey Culinary Arts students at the end of each semester regarding their experience preparing value-added products and gaining entrepreneurial skills. Post-event conversations were had with students who made and served the food for the Fannie Lou Hamer Legacy Celebration Dec 5, 2024. Objective 4: Each semester, track the number of students, the number and type of value-added products made, and the revenue generated as a result of value-added products. Fannie Lou Hamer Legacy Celebration - Dec 5, 2024 -10 students prepaid small plates for 200 guests @ $8.00 per plate = $1,600 revenue Caramelized mushroom Tartlets Roasted heirloom carrots with whipped yogurt and harissa sauce Persimmon salad w/ pomegranate, feta & arugula Apple, Brie & caramelized onion tartlets Rice salad with cumin-roasted butternut squash Assorted mini desserts Lavender lemonade and iced tea. Eleven bags of seasoned popcorn for the Mobile Farmers Market - Net revenue generated for the VA popcorn was $5.50 for PNV; and $33 for Morse HS MFM Total revenue generated for the VA popcorn was $38.50. ?? Goal 2: Launch Hyper-Local Produce & Value-Added Products Packs (Hyper-Local Packs) to increase nutrition security and reduce shopping constraints amongst area residents, including seniors. Objective 1: Recruit, orient, hire & train New Hyper-Local Produce and Products Coordinator. The coordinator was hired on September 10, 2024. Objective 2: Develop an outreach plan to local senior centers and other prospective groups. Developed and circulated surveys for seniors, received seventeen completed surveys. Objective 3: Plan contents & costs of Hyper-Local Packs, incorporating customer feedback from surveys after initial distribution. We have named the Hyper-Local Packs Golden Groceries, and the initial distribution contained 6 - 8 seasonal products aggregated from local/hyper-local growers. Packages were assembled 10am - 12pm and available for pick-up or delivery 1pm - 4pm every Wednesday for 12 weeks. The cost is $25 / week and is payable in cash, credit, or SNAP/EBT. Objective 4: Organize and oversee biweekly volunteers to package Hyper-Local Packs. We have three volunteers signed up to help assemble produce packages. Objective 5: Distribute Hyper-Local Packs and survey customers regarding their satisfaction. N/A Objective 6: Track number of Hyper-Local Packs ordered and number of individuals/ households placing orders throughout the grant term. N/A Goal 3: Promote Hyper-Local Value-added Products and Hyper-Local Packs via attractive marketing materials to encourage consumption of healthy, locally-grown and prepared food. Objective 1: Develop Marketing Campaigns for Value-Added Products and Hyper-Local Packs each semester to increase awareness of, and demand for, locally-grown and locally-prepared foods. Created and circulated messages to increase awareness of, and demand for, locally-grown and locally-prepared foods via a weekly social media post and quarterly newsletter Objective 2: Collaborate with Morse High School to promote products to area families. We have attended the parent-teacher-student organization (PTSO) meetings to make announcements and engage the leadership team. Objective 3: Promote Hyper-Local Packs to seniors and other demographic groups. To date, our team has created a promotional flyer, made weekly social media posts, and distributed a quarterly e-newsletter. Objective 4: Analyze sales and customer response to marketing of products via social media posts, fliers, mailers, etc. N/A Objective 5: Work with SDSU nutrition students each semester to develop nutrition education materials specific to value-added products and to create recipes that reflect the contents of Hyper-Local Packs. N/A

Publications