Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-43167
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization AFRITHRIVE INC
Project Director Otienoh, Lydiah
Project Start Date 09/15/2024
Project End Date 09/14/2027
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $314,407.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $314,407.00
Latest Award Type New
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Silver Spring
Recipient State MARYLAND
Recipient Postal Code 209065904
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 08
Recipient Region [NE] Northeast
Methods
The AfriThrive Project employs a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to address food insecurity, health disparities, and economic challenges faced by the Black immigrant community in Essex/Middle River, Baltimore County. This approach includes various methods, activities, and strategies across three main program areas: the Community Garden, Community Kitchen, and Food Pantry. Below are detailed descriptions of the methods used throughout the project.1. Community Garden ProgramObjective: Increase self-sufficiency and access to fresh produce by empowering community members to grow their own culturally appropriate healthy foods (CAHFs).Methods:Site Selection and Preparation:Identify and secure suitable land within Essex/Middle River for community garden plots.Conduct soil testing and prepare the land by clearing debris, tilling the soil, and adding necessary amendments to ensure optimal growing conditions.Plot Allocation:Subdivide the garden into individual plots, with 50 new plots allocated to community members.Prioritize low-income Black immigrant families and individuals with limited access to fresh produce.Training and Support:Offer comprehensive gardening training sessions covering topics such as soil health, pest management, crop rotation, and organic farming practices.Provide ongoing mentorship and support through master gardeners and experienced volunteers.Develop and distribute gardening manuals and instructional materials in multiple languages to accommodate diverse linguistic needs.Resource Provision:Supply essential gardening tools, seeds, seedlings, and organic fertilizers to participants at no cost.Set up a tool lending library to ensure continuous access to necessary equipment.Community Engagement:Host regular gardening workshops, field visits, and community events to foster a sense of community and encourage knowledge sharing.Establish a garden advisory committee composed of community members to oversee operations and make decisions collectively.2. Community Kitchen ProgramObjective: Support local food entrepreneurs and provide a space for community members to prepare and distribute CAHFs.Methods:Kitchen Setup:Identify a centrally located facility within Essex/Middle River to house the community kitchen.Renovate and equip the kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, cooking utensils, and storage facilities.Ensure the kitchen meets all health and safety regulations.Training and Certification:Offer food safety and culinary skills training to community members interested in using the kitchen.Provide certification programs for food handlers to ensure compliance with local health department regulations.Entrepreneur Support:Create a program to support local food entrepreneurs, including training in business management, marketing, and financial planning.Provide access to the kitchen at subsidized rates to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their food businesses.Community Meals and Events:Organize community meals and cooking demonstrations to promote CAHFs and healthy eating habits.Collaborate with local chefs and nutritionists to offer workshops on preparing culturally appropriate and nutritious meals.3. Food Pantry ProgramObjective: Provide immediate food relief and ensure access to culturally appropriate healthy foods for food-insecure families.Methods:Food Sourcing:Partner with local farms, food banks, and grocery stores to source fresh CAHFs.
Non-Technical Summary The Pathways to Sustainability: Alliance for Community Food Access (ACFA) project is an innovative initiative aimed at creating a sustainable, community-centric food system within the Essex/Middle River region, particularly serving low-income, immigrant populations. Through the promotion of regenerative agriculture, the establishment of a communal kitchen and cultural food hub, and the provision of wrap-around services targeting the social determinants of health, ACFA seeks to enhance food security, economic self-reliance, and cultural preservation among the diverse communities we serve.The project will introduce urban farming plots employing regenerative techniques to increase local food production, reduce environmental impact, and serve as educational grounds for sustainable practices. The communal kitchen will operate as a culinary incubator, providing resources and education to aspiring food entrepreneurs, which, in turn, will stimulate local economic growth and create job opportunities. The cultural food hub will act as a marketplace and gathering place, celebrating the diverse culinary traditions of the immigrant community, and providing access to affordable, nutritious, culturally relevant foods.Moreover, ACFA will offer wrap-around services, including nutrition education, health screenings, and financial literacy workshops, to holistically address barriers to food access and health. The project's design integrates community feedback and is built on partnerships with local farmers, businesses, and non-profit organizations, ensuring relevance and responsiveness to community needs. Financial sustainability is a cornerstone of ACFA's strategy, with revenue generated through the sale of produce, rental of kitchen space, and educational programming. The business plan outlines a trajectory towards self-sufficiency within five years, post initial funding. The ACFA Project is more than a food access initiative; it's a commitment to nurturing a vibrant, self-sustaining community where everyone can thrive.
Objectives
The Pathways to Stability project objectives include; 1 Increase Community Gardens and Regenerative Farming Practices; 2: Establish a Communal Kitchen Space That Serves as a Culinary Incubator for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs and a Venue for Community Education; 3: Expand Food Distribution Channels Through a Central Cultural Food Hub Where the Community Can Access, Learn About, and Celebrate Culturally Significant Foods; and 4: Offer Wrap-Around Services That Address the Social Determinants of Health, From Health and Nutrition Education to Economic Development. The AfriThrive Project is structured to achieve these comprehensive goals through interconnected programs and initiatives. The outcomes will not only improve individual lives but also contribute to a more sustainable and equitable local food system.
Proposal Number 2024-02069
Latest Award Date 09/12/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42778
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization WEST VIRGINIA FOOD & FARM COALITION INC
Project Director Martin, Melissa
Project Start Date 09/15/2024
Project End Date 09/14/2028
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $385,765.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $385,765.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Charleston
Recipient State WEST VIRGINIA
Recipient Postal Code 253041528
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 01
Recipient Region [NE] Northeast
Methods
Evaluation for this Community Food Project will include a hybrid of standard evaluation tools along with implementing the Whole Measures Methodology to gather feedback and assess project outcomes on the community and food system levels.West Virginia University Family Nutrition Program (WVUFNP) who will lead community-based evaluation efforts and the Whole Measures for Community Food Systems Evaluation. Melissa Martin will oversee the implementation of the project work plan and check in with project partners on a quarterly basis to collect and evaluate data, monitor activity progress and begin collecting information needed to produce a Case Study which will be published at the end of the grant period to showcase best practices, successes, challenges, and valuable lessons learned in developing a Food Hub angled toward community food access. Quarterly evaluation efforts will be driven by the project's logic model, workplan, and check-ins, to assess project progress toward goals and impact, engage community members, and revise project activities as needed. The quarterly evaluations will include:Formative Assessments:Process: What is working well and not so well? Is there a need for refinement of the project? Outcome: What does the data say in relation to progress toward meeting objectives and outcomes? How can we improve our results? How can we improve the food access model?Summative Assessments:Process: What parts of the food access model are critical to replicate?Outcome: Based on objective and outcome metrics, is the model worth scaling?Data Monitoring:Process: Are inputs, activities and outputs flowing smoothly and in alignment with the logic model? Are any changes needed?Partner Accountability:Process: Are all members of the partnership implementing the activities in the work plan? Are revisions needed to the work plan timeline? Are resources being utilized efficiently?Outcome: What does the data that partners provide suggest concerning progress toward objectives and outcomes?Knowledge Development:Process: What lessons are we learning from this project? What principles can be extracted across similar food access programs to inform future practices?Outcome: What metrics were met, not met, and exceeded? What was the impact of the project on participants' overall diets or health status? What was the economic impact?The West Virginia University Family Nutrition Program will conduct annual community-based evaluation efforts to evaluate the impact of the Summer Feeding Program, and Nutrition Education offered onsite at Blue52 Market and Post 49 Market, and will conduct SNAP participant surveys.WVU FNP will also lead the annual Whole Measures for Community Food Systems Evaluation. At the beginning of the grant period, an evaluation team will be established (including staff, stakeholders, and community members) and trained on the Whole Measures Methodology. The team will define Whole Measures Outcomes and will become familiarized with and modify rubrics in alignment with this project. Annually, partners and stakeholders will analyze the program through the Whole Measures CFS Evaluation tool lens, including using rubrics to evaluate the impact of the project on Justice and Fairness, Strong Communities, Vibrant Farms, Healthy People, Sustainable Ecosystems, Thriving Local Economies. These conversations and results, will inform and be included in the final Case Study Report.
Non-Technical Summary The planto revitalize the food landscape of Mingo County, WV, aligns seamlessly with USDA/NIFA's mission to foster food security and promote sustainable agriculture. This project will seek to do so by achieving the following:1) Development of a Food Hub: Central to our initiative is the creation of a food hub within the existing infrastructure of Facing Hunger Food Bank's warehouse. By dedicating 40% of the warehouse space to this cause, we will facilitate the aggregation, storage, and distribution oflocally grown produce. Equipped with cold storage capabilities, the hub will serve as an essential resource for local farmers, allowing them to preserve their harvest's integrity and extend its marketability. This arrangement also includes the unique opportunity for farmers to sell theirproduce directly to the food bank, thus reinforcing the charitable food system within our community. Furthermore, the food hub will serve as a centralized location for large distributors, thereby attracting them into the region and providing smaller markets with unprecedented access to a wider variety of goods.2) Commercial Processing Kitchen: The establishment of a commercial processing kitchen will act as a catalyst for value addition. This facility will be pivotal in transforming raw agricultural commodities into frozen and shelf-stable products. Our partnership with Project HealthyKids/Healthy Kids Inc. will ensure that these products not only support our charitable food system but also contribute to creating medically tailored meals for vulnerable populations, addressing both food insecurity and nutritional deficits in one stride.3) Expanding Blue Acre Aquaponics: Our collaboration with Blue Acre Aquaponics aims to double their production capacity, which will have a ripple effect on local food availability. By increasing the output of fish, greens, and strawberries, we anticipate that this non-profit social enterprise will substantially augment the supply of fresh produce to local markets such as Blue 52 and Post 49. Furthermore, the surge in production will bolster the food bank's distribution network and Project Healthy Kids/Healthy Kids Inc.'s capacity to deliver medically tailored meals to those in need.In Mingo County, where economic disparities and geographic isolation present unique challenges to food access, this project is not merely an enhancement of the current food system--it is a necessary evolution. The "Mingo County Food Forward Foursome: Sow to Store" project willserve as a model of community resilience and innovation in food systems.
Objectives
Goal: Create a sustainable food system that is inclusive of farmers, charitable food systems, and food enterprises that work together to make healthy and nutritious food available in Mingo, Co. WV, while bringing nutrition incentive programs, such as Summer Feeding, SNAP Stretch, Medically Tailored Meals, and Kids Market @ the Store, to more regions in the county that make the food culturally appropriate and affordable.Objective 1. Enhance local food security and reduce food waste through processing and preserving fresh, locally grown produce. (CFP aligned goal: Increase self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the community)Outcome 1: Establish a processing kitchen within the Facing Hunger Food Bank Warehouse in Mingo County, to process and freeze 20,000 pounds of overabundant, local produce available for purchase at local markets, for use in school breakfast and lunch programs, and for distribution through food bank programs to improve food access in Mingo County during years 3-4 of the project. (CFP aligned goal: Promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues)The Processing Kitchen will:Create 6 quality jobs.Source produce from 10 local farms.Process 10,000 pounds of produce per year.Distribute produce through multiple streams.Processed produce distributed through the charitable food system.Processed produce distributed to local retail stores such as Blue52.Processed produce distributed to Healthy Kids Inc. to be made into from scratch, locally sourced meals for child care centers, Summer Feeding Programs, substance abuse recovery centers.Objective 2: Strengthen food infrastructure and support local agriculture by developing a sustainable food hub, including community-use cold storage and an aggregation/distribution model to increase food access. (CFP aligned goal: Promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues)Outcome 2: Launch food hub and provide access to a cold storage facility at FHFC warehouse in Mingo County to be used by 10 farmers and local food enterprises in an effort to improve the local food aggregation and distribution network. See Mingo County Food Hub Business Plan in Appendix A.The Cold Storage Facility will:Engage the agriculture and food entrepreneurship community by conducting 3 facility tours.Partner with 10 local farmers to utilize the cold storage facility.Facilitate 5 buyers agreements between Blue52 and local farmers.Facilitate 10 buyers agreements with FHFB and local farmers.Facility 3 buyers agreements between Healthy Kids Inc local farmers.Objective 3: Promote healthy eating in Mingo County through Blue52 and Post 49 Market sourcing a variety of nutritious food options, providing nutrition education, conducting outreach for community members who meet SNAP eligibility guidelines, and being a Summer Feeding Site. (CFP aligned goal: Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in federally assisted nutrition programs, or to improve access to food as part of a comprehensive service) Outcome 3a: Increase the produce variety access at the newly opened Blue52 Market in Kermit WV and provide nutrition education to 200 families to promote healthy food choices.Outcome 3b: Provide access to five breakfasts and two lunches for five days per child to families in Mingo County through the Summer Feeding Program.Blue52 Market will:Offer 7 varieties of fruits and 9 varieties of vegetables.Host nutrition for 200 families, providing $12,000 of produce vouchers, and improving nutritious food choice in participating households.Pilot the Summer Feeding Program with prepared meals from Healthy Kids Inc.Objective 4. Foster economic development and sustainable practices by supporting Blue Acre Appalachian Aquaponics in implementing sustainable food production and increasing growing capacity. (CFP aligned goal: Meet local agricultural needs related to equipment necessary for efficient operation and planning for long-term solutions. Additional CFP aligned goal: create innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agriculture producers and low-income consumers.)Outcome 4: Double the growing capacity of Blue Acre Appalachian Aquaponics (BAA), allowing BAA to increase the amount of produce supplied to local food banks, food enterprises, and the Blue52 Market.Blue Acre Appalachian Aquaponics will:Undergo consulting and create a facility expansion plan with Regan Consulting (prior to the beginning of the award).These recommendations and plans include maximizing unused floor and vertical space, which will allow the facility to double the number of beds and area for growing. In adding additional plants to the system, close system monitoring will be required as it may take six to twelve months to fully balance the pH of the system.Engage community members by providing educational tours, showcasing the facility, and providing science-focused experiential learning opportunities to students.Implement recommendations from Regan Consulting.
Proposal Number 2024-02076
Latest Award Date 09/13/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42744
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization THE GROWHAUS
Project Director Diaz Campagna, Giselle
Project Start Date 09/01/2024
Project End Date 08/31/2026
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $238,397.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $238,397.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Denver
Recipient State COLORADO
Recipient Postal Code 802053536
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 01
Recipient Region [W] Western
Methods
Professional development and leadership coaching for community staff members.Emotional intelligence training for leadersDEIA in the workplace trainingsMighty Markets boot camp for community food access organizationsEnglish literacy classesExcel workshopsLearning excursions to other community marketsMarket Operations StrategiesCreation of multi-lingual standard operating procedures and training modules for staffCommunity members purchase locally sourced produce at 50% of the market value and leverage SNAP and Double Up Food BucksCommunity staff members source food products from local farms and food purveyorsCommunity staff members steward the market's DEIA policy to create an inclusive environment for shoppersNutrition and Local Food System EducationCommunity members connect with The GrowHaus' Promotora team to learn about and enroll in health and wellness programming for youth and adults.Community members visit the market websiteThe GrowHaus is creating an advisory council of stakeholders representative of the diverse communities and perspectives the project benefits, to provide strategic oversight and help The GrowHaus interpret evaluation data. Evaluation activities measure outcomes, including long-term food access, individual wealth building, and connection to the local food system. To gain insight into these areas, The GrowHaus collects qualitative and quantitative information in convenient and non-burdensome ways to understand community members' changes in knowledge, behavior, and attitudes through anonymous surveys and community listening sessions. Additionally, The GrowHaus is using Whole Measures to understand the project's impact on various layers of the local food system at the community level by measuring the project's impact on the following six fields: justice and fairness, strong communities, vibrant farms, healthy people, sustainable ecosystems, and thriving local economies. Throughout the project, The GrowHaus evaluation team also works to understand what aspects of the project planning and implementation process are beneficial and which are not via questions embedded in the community survey and one-on-one interviews.
Non-Technical Summary ?The GrowHaus is enhancing the career pathways of community staff members through a comprehensive fellowship program that provides the training to launch a pilot community-choice market. This project aims to build long-term infrastructure to promote food security and economic resilience in our community.In Denver, Colorado, nearly half (47%) of Latinos with incomes under $50,000 are worried about not being able to afford enough food, compared to 30% of their white counterparts. The GrowHaus, a Latina-led nonprofit organization, proposes advancing community leadership to pioneer a low-cost, community-choice, fresh food market. Emerging leaders of The GrowHaus' food access team will undergo a robust three-month training program to develop their business acumen and leadership skills further so they are equipped to launch the pilot community market. At the market and via the market website, community members can learn about additional community resources, such as the availability of healthy school meals, SNAP, and sign up for community-led classes for youth, adults, and families that build healthy habits and share lessons about the local food system and environmental sustainability. Ultimately, the project will decrease food and nutrition insecurity rates throughout Denver and disrupt food insecurity cycles through wealth-building opportunities.
Objectives
Goal 1: Community staff members access career pathways that provide wealth-building opportunities.Objective 1: Two community staff members become fellows and feel equipped to create a standard operating procedure for the pilot community market program. After participating in six months of training and professional development, they are confident in their leadership skills to onboard and train food access associates.Measured by anonymous staff surveyObjective 2: Two community staff members become food access associates and report increased confidence as a leader and the ability to carry out core workplace proficiencies after working at The GrowHaus for a year and a half and participating in training and professional development.Measured by an anonymous staff surveyGoal 2: Community members can access affordable fresh produce to meet their household's preferences and nutritional needs.Objective 1: 75% of participants say the pilot community market has made fresh, culturally relevant produce more convenient, accessible, and affordable.Measured by community member surveys and in-person listening sessionsObjective 2: 75% of market participants say that the availability of the client choice community market has increased the amount of fresh produce they purchase for their household.Measured by community member surveys and in-person listening sessionsObjective 3: 75% of participants say that shopping at the client choice community market increases the diversity of fresh foods available to them.Measured by community member surveys and in-person listening sessionsObjective 4: 95% of participants reported feeling comfortable shopping at the client choice community market.Measured by community member surveys and in-person listening sessionsObjective 5: 75% of market participants say that food purchased from the client choice community market comprises over 50% of their households' fresh produceMeasured by community member surveys and in-person listening sessions Objective 6: In year one, 200 community members visit the client choice community market every month, and in year two, 250 community members visit the market every month.Measured by store records/transaction reportsGoal 3: Community members are more curious, connected, and knowledgeable about their local food system and their diets' impact on their overall health.Objective 1: 30% of market participants sign up for a nutrition class with The GrowHaus' Promotora Team.Measured by Promotora class sign-up tracking sheetObjective 2: 50% of market participants report having a greater understanding of the connection between their diet and health outcomes.Measured by community member surveys and in-person listening sessions?
Proposal Number 2024-02077
Latest Award Date 08/09/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42747
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ACTION
Project Director Grove, Alisha
Project Start Date 09/01/2024
Project End Date 08/31/2025
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $21,354.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $21,354.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.B] Community Foods Project Planning
Recipient City Name Everett
Recipient State PENNSYLVANIA
Recipient Postal Code 155376368
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 13
Recipient Region [NE] Northeast
Methods
We intend to use multiple methods to ensure that the result of a five-year strategic plan to address feeding needs in Huntingdon County is thorough and comprehensive. These methods will be used throughout the planning, training, data collection, data analyzation, outreach, and strategic plan process.The Project Director is very knowledgeable about human service agencies, low-income individuals, and the existing food resources within the county. This knowledge will be used to aid in the selection of the Huntingdon County Food Council membership. The Project Director will ensure that each of the following areas will be represented on the Council by knowledgeable representatives to ensure that input is accessible from all aspects that relate to feeding needs: low income, human service agencies, local food pantries, local retail grocers, school districts, healthcare professionals, agriculture, middle class population, and local industries. A membership list along with the area of expertise each member brings to the Council will be kept by the Program Director.Selections for training will be determined based upon the comprised membership during the first meeting. Important topics relating to feeding needs will be discussed to determine what areas are lacking the most knowledge by Council members. These topics that will be made available to the council via a topic discussion list include, but are not limited to poverty, strategic planning, data collection, marketing, data analysis, local feeding resources, and nutrition. Careful consideration will be given to determining where lacking areas can be strengthened within the Council and what training will need to be outsourced to provide comprehensive, adequate training to all members within the proposed budget.The data collection process will be executed using a wide variety of methods to reach a broad audience and to capture as much data as possible. Information on income, transportation, available resources, current food access methods, barriers, health information, etc. will be collected to obtain a comprehensive understanding of current food access in the county and the barriers and gaps in accessibility. This process will be conducted using paper surveys, online surveys, in-person conversations, and data reports from the State, County, and local food pantries. Coordination will be established with healthcare professionals, food pantries, and other organizations to help aid in the data collection process. The success of the data collection process will be determined by the percentage of surveys completed compared to the population of the County.An outreach plan will be developed by the Council to ensure public awareness and encourage participation in the process. Flyers and brochures will be created to inform the public of the process. Surveys and data collection efforts will be developed. Effective outreach will be accomplished when multiple methods for data collection are established along with a wide distribution of marketing materials throughout the County.Data will be analyzed by the Council. The results from each survey will be compiled into a final report. The report will then be converted to a visual representation of the results for a simplified snapshot of the county data to be used for marketing distribution. The results of the County survey will then be compared to the State, County, and Local data that is currently available to establish trends. This will allow for determination of where there are gaps and berries in specific areas of the County, or the County compared to the State.The areas of concern as shown through the data collection process will be identified based upon the most critical needs. These areas of concern will become the focal point of the strategic plan. Research will be conducted to determine how other areas are implementing changes to address the identified concerns. Potential solutions will be established by the council with specific action steps and possible funding sources to be included in the five-year plan for the County.
Non-Technical Summary Center for Community Action will create a five-year strategic plan addressing feeding needs in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. This will be obtained through the establishment of the Huntingdon County Food Council. The Food Council will be composed of members with various expertise surrounding food access and needs within the County. The Council will be tasked with participating in training exercises, data collection activities, and data analysis sessions to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the barriers that residents face and the gaps in resources to accessing nutritious and affordable foods.Data will be collected through surveys and in-person conversations with residents. The results of surveys will be used to learn what the most prominent issues are that Huntingdon County residents face when accessing food. Possible solutions to those issues will be identified by the Council. The Huntingdon County Food Council will use the data to create a five-year strategic plan. The strategic plan will identify food gaps within the County along with possible solutions and action steps to achieve the suggested solutions. Solutions to identified issues will be focused on collaboration with local agencies, food retailers, and agriculture producers. The result will create a strong foundation for improving access to healthy, nutritious food for all Huntingdon County residents that will directly impact the overall health and economy of Huntingdon County while strengthening communities within.
Objectives
The first major goal is to identify key community stakeholders to develop a Food Council for Huntingdon County and initiate the first meeting. The Food Council will be comprised of various members to ensure that all residents of the County are represented.1. Identify Stakeholders - Stakeholders will be identified with careful consideration to ensure that there is representation from all sectors of the food industries and population groups. This includes, but is not limited to, retail grocers, low-income representatives, farmers and local agriculture representatives, human service agencies, healthcare professionals, school districts, etc. Each stakeholder will be asked for commitment to participate in all meetings, training, and activities throughout the process.2. Schedule Initiation Meeting- The initial Council meeting will be scheduled by the program director based upon the best day, time, and location for the selected Council members. The meeting will be held both in-person and virtually to create a hybrid option for added convenience and an increased likelihood of attendance for Council members.3. Identify Chairperson and Secretary for the Council- The Council will nominate members for the positions of Chairperson and Secretary at the initial meeting. The positions will be filled by majority vote.4. Execute Initial Meeting- The initial meeting will be held. Present members will be documented using a sign-in sheet for record keeping. The Council member designated as the secretary of the Council will be responsible for recording the meeting content via written meeting minutes.5. Schedule future monthly meeting dates, times, and locations- A regular monthly meeting schedule will be set and determined based upon the schedule and convenience of each Council member. A list of meeting dates, times, and locations will be promptly distributed to each Council member along with electronic meeting invitations (where possible) by the Program Director to aid in establishing consistent attendance by all Council Members at meetings.Once the Food Council and its membership is established, members will participate in training and activities to increase and strengthen their knowledge and understanding of poverty, food insecurities, and the strategic planning process.1. Determine Training Topics - Council members will be asked about their level of understanding regarding various subjects surrounding food insecurities and strategic planning including, but not limited to, poverty, nutrition, strategic planning process, data collection and analyzation, etc. Training courses will be chosen based on topics that Council members feel that they lack the most knowledge and understanding about. A list of topics that the consensus of the Council feel would be most beneficial will be created.2. Identify Training Facilitators and Schedule Trainings/Activities- Program Director will research experts on the identified topics and identify the best facilitator based upon the knowledge gaps within the Council and will reach out to facilitators to determine cost and schedule training on dates, times, and locations that are most convenient for Council members.3. Determine if Adequate Training has Been Provided - the Program Director will follow up with each council member via phone and/or email to determine if each feels confident that they have received adequate training in each determined topic to have a strong concept of the information they received to aid in making decisions on the Food Council. Additional training will be scheduled for any areas of concern. A contact log that includes the results of each conversation will be completed by the Program Director.The Council will develop and implement a data collection plan in addition to marketing materials as the third major goal. The data collection plan will include a broad array of surveys and tools to collect data surrounding food insecurities from the community to be used for planning. Marketing materials will be developed to engage participation from the community in the data collection process.1. Identify and Develop Data Collection Tools- The Council will determine what information is necessary to obtain to get a full understanding of the food insecurities and gaps within the County. The Council will identify strategies for collecting the data insuring that the tools and methods created reach a vast audience that captures accurate results from a wide population of residents and communities within the County.2. Create Data Collection Plan- The Council will create a plan of best practices to distribute data collection tools. Methods will be focused on reaching as many people within the County as possible across all areas and age groups. The process will include innovative strategies using electronic data collection combined with in-person and paper collections to add convenience for residents to participate.3. Create Marketing Materials - The Council will develop marketing materials to distribute to the public. The marketing materials will include a mix of paper and electronic publishing to capture a larger audience. Marketing materials will aim at informing the public of the process and encouraging participation in the data collection process along with encouraging the public to submit their ideas and comments to the Council for consideration.4. Identify Realistic Timelines Along with Roles and Responsibilities- The Council will determine dates, times, and logistics for the data collection process with each method being assigned their own timeline and identified Council Member(s) to oversee the process. Timelines and role assignments will allow for adequate time to reach as many residents as possible with specific dates listed, including checkpoints, to ensure the process is being completed accurately, timely, and by a vast majority of the residents and communities.The final major goal is that the Council will thoroughly analyze data to implement strategies and objectives to create a five-year strategic plan for the County. The plan will identify specific weaknesses and gaps currently causing food insecurities within the County and will offer strategies with specific action steps to address those issues.1. Analyze Data- The collected data will be analyzed and compiled into a simplified results report for the Council to review.2. Identify Critical Needs - The Council will determine what the top factors are that create food insecurities in the County from the results of the data collected. These critical needs will become the top priorities listed within the strategic plan.3. Create Potential Solutions - Addressing the critical needs within the County will be discussed within the Council. The Council will determine potential solutions for the needs with a focus on utilizing community resources to offer remedy to the identified issues. These specific solutions will become the action steps for each identified top priority.4. Develop Strategic Plan - The five-year strategic plan to address feeding needs within Huntingdon County will be formally developed and compiled. The plan will be reviewed by the Council for editing. The plan will be finalized by Council vote at a regular monthly meeting and will be recorded in the meeting minutes.5. Publicize Plan and Initiate Formal Adoption - The finalized strategic plan will be presented to the Huntingdon County Commissioners. A request for adoption of the strategic plan as part of the County Comprehensive Plan will be made. The plan will also be made available to the public.
Proposal Number 2024-01942
Latest Award Date 07/12/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42742
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization SALAMATOF NATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC.
Project Director Monfor, Chris
Project Start Date 09/01/2024
Project End Date 08/31/2025
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $120,625.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $120,625.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Kenai
Recipient State ALASKA
Recipient Postal Code 996117724
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 00
Recipient Region [W] Western
Methods
Efforts:Project staff will purchase needed supplies and equipment and recruit, hire, and train personnel and volunteers to increase the capacity of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program by summer 2024. A vehicle and trailer will allow staff to launch boats, transport personnel, transport food, and allow staff and volunteers to participate in farmers markets or public events. A high-tunnel greenhouse will be purchased, delivered, and installed on Salamatof land by spring 2025 to lengthen the growing season and increase fresh food production. At least 20 wild food harvesting trips will be scheduled and completed within the Project period. Harvested food will be processed, prepared, and delivered to at least 50 households in need within the Salamatof service area. Educational public outreach materials and surveys will be developed and distributed to Project participants and at farmer's markets or other public event(s). The Tribe will work with local partners to expand access to food within the community and increasethe amount (pounds) of traditional and local food available to community members by at least 10%.Evaluation:Data and information will be collected throughout the Project to provide baseline data for operational planning to improve the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program and measure the success of the Project. Information collected will be organized into three main categories: Staff & Volunteers, Food Harvesting & Garden, and Outreach. Data will be collected and stored in paper and/or digital logbooks to be compiled and transferred to Excel spreadsheets by the Project Co-Director.Staff & Volunteersdata will include:number of internsinternship duties/accomplishmentsinternship hoursnumber of volunteersvolunteer duties/accomplishmentsvolunteer hoursnumber of staffstaff duties/accomplishmentsstaff hoursstaff and internship costs (salaries, fringe benefits, insurance, etc.)Food Harvesting & Gardendata will include:number of harvesting tripstype/method of harvesting tripslocation of harvesting tripsgarden planting/amendment scheduletype of plants plantednumber of plants plantednumber of species collectedtype of species collectedamount/weight of food collectedfood processing techniquesfood storage techniquesfood harvesting costs (fuel, supplies, equipment, etc.)food processing costs (space, supplies, equipment, etc.)Outreachdata will include:amount/weight of food distributedtype of food distributednumber of households impactedwhere and how the project is publicizednumber/type of public eventsnumber of interactions/people at public eventsnumber of new partnershipsassessment questionnaire/feedbackoutreach costs (marketing/publicity, supplies, fuel, etc.)To measure the success of Project goals, outputs, and outcomes, data will be collected, analyzed, and compared with 2023 Salamatof Traditional Foods Program data by Salamatof staff. Increased Project participant satisfaction and knowledge and community impact will be measured through the design, distribution, collection, and analysis of a participant feedback survey.Monthly staff and board meetings will be conducted to monitor the progress of the Project and ensure that milestones are met in alignment with the Project timeline. A final report will be completed to modify, improve, and expand the Program in the future and meet all grant award requirements.
Non-Technical Summary The current issue facing many Salamatof community members is a lack of food security. The cost of purchasing nutritious food is high due to transportation costs associated with bringing produce into remote areas. Food insecurity is a critical problem in rural Alaska, as it affects overall mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Many community elders and those who can no longer hunt, fish, or gather for themselves lack access to culturally appropriate food. Access to traditional foods can also be difficult due to lack of transportation, health, or financial burdens such as fuel prices. To address this issue, Salamatof Native Association, Inc. (SNAI) is expanding the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program to reach a greater number of community members in need of nutritious, traditional, and wild-harvested foods.Salamatof Native Association, Inc. (SNAI) is a Native Corporation formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 with headquarters located in Kenai, Alaska. SNAI serves the rural communities of Kenai, Soldotna, Kasilof, Nikiski, Sterling, and Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska. The Salamatof Tribe and SNAI work together to provide services and benefits to Tribal members and shareholders.SNAI is committed to preserving and strengthening Salamatof cultural heritage, traditions, subsistence practices, and intergenerational transfer of knowledge for a healthy and self-sufficient community.The purpose of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program Extension Project is to expand access to local food in an area where many people struggle with food security. The Project will develop new methods for harvesting, processing, and distributing food through access to fishing grounds, local partnerships, and the acquisition of necessary equipment.A vehicle and trailer will be purchased for boat launch, personnel transportation, supplies transportation, and food distribution. A high-tunnel greenhouse will be purchased and installed on Salamatof land in order to extend the short Alaskan growing season and distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to community members. The Project also aims to enhance local food system workforce development through internships and volunteer involvement. Knowledge, information, and skills gained from participation in the Project will be applied to the improvement of local food systems and future employment opportunities.Project personnel will acquire, process, package, and distribute locally sourced and harvested food to households in the Salamatof service area to create health and well-being for all community members. New partnerships and collaborative efforts will be pursued to expand the reach of the Program including the use of a shared kitchen to prepare food for distribution. Personnel will participate in public events and outreach activities and design and distribute publicity materials such as social media posts, flyers, and brochures to create a greater community awareness of the local food systems and available services.
Objectives
The vision of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program is to nourish our people with traditional foods and build sustainable relationships with the land and each other. The goals of the Salamatof Traditional Foods Program Extension Project are to:Increase the amount (pounds) of traditional and local food available to community members by at least 10%.Enhance local food system workforce development through ten paid summer internship opportunities annually.Access land and water resources on the west coast of Cook Inlet by boat to acquire seafood, game meat, and foraged food with at least 20 harvest trips annually.Acquire necessary equipment including a vehicle and trailer and install a high-tunnel greenhouse on Salamatof land.Reduce barriers to food access by providing a bi-weekly delivery service through the harvest season and distribute food to at least 50 shareholder and Tribal member households annually.Expand educational outreach opportunities by participating in at least one community event annually and creating and distributing publicity materials.Partner with at least one local organization each year to support distribution activities and educational outreach for the public.
Proposal Number 2024-02050
Latest Award Date 08/15/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42743
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization KIDS FOOD BASKET
Project Director Wilson, Christina
Project Start Date 09/01/2024
Project End Date 08/31/2028
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $386,000.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $386,000.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Grand Rapids
Recipient State MICHIGAN
Recipient Postal Code 495055604
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 03
Recipient Region [NC] North Central
Methods
The evaluation methods below provide a comprehensive framework for assessing the effectiveness of the project and ensuring its success in achieving its goals.1.Formative Evaluation: This involves ongoing feedback from collaborating teachers and program staff. They will provide input on activities and lesson materials. Families receiving produce boxes will also be surveyed for feedback and suggestions on program experiences. Formative evaluations will be conducted quarterly, and compiled bi-annually to inform project success and allow for improvements as needed.2.Summative Evaluation: This entails assessing project outcomes through various methods:Pre and Post Surveys: Given to students participating in agricultural and nutrition education activities to measure changes in knowledge, skills, and behaviors related to produce consumption, eating habits, cooking skills, and interest in gardening and sustainable practices like composting.Surveys with Families: Families receiving produce boxes will be invited to participate in surveys to assess the impact on their dietary patterns, cooking skills, and interests.Focus Groups or Interviews: Conducted with teachers or families of students to gauge the impact of educational activities. Data from these sessions will be transcribed and qualitatively analyzed.3. Data Analysis: All data types will be analyzed at least annually to determine necessary adjustments for increasing program impact. Comprehensive analysis will occur at the project's conclusion to assess overall outcomes.4. Data Sharing: Evaluation results will be shared with the Technical Assistance and Training (T&TA) provider throughout the project and via the NIFA REEport platform. Results may also be disseminated to collaborators, program participants, and through annual impact reports or other publications and presentations by Kids' Food Basket.
Non-Technical Summary This project seeks to build upon current efforts focused onimproving food security, nutrition education, and community well-being in Muskegon County, focusing particularly on youth residing within Federal Opportunity Zones. The initiative will involve the establishment of over 20 community garden spaces and greenhouses in underserved areas, with the goal of fostering greater access to fresh produce.Kids' Food Basket will play a central role in this endeavor, leading efforts in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore. Together, they will engage approximately 400 youth at the Boys and Girls Club's central location, as well as 600 youth at two middle schools serving as additional program sites.Participating youth will receive comprehensive nutrition and agriculture education, actively participating in planting, tending, and harvesting produce for use in community meals, school programs, and out-of-school activities. Additionally, they will gain hands-on experience in greenhouse growing, enabling continued access to healthy food during Michigan's winter months.A key component of the project involves empowering youth to lead a farm-to-plate experience, utilizing locally harvested ingredients in meals served at family events hosted by the Boys and Girls Club. Furthermore, Kids' Food Basket will distribute seasonal produce boxes to low-income families throughout the growing season, further enhancing access to nutritious foods within the community.By engaging youth in meaningful educational and hands-on activities centered around food production and nutrition, this project aims to foster healthier lifestyles, strengthen community ties, and mitigate food insecurity in Muskegon County.
Objectives
The project's primary objectives are to deliver agriculture and nutrition education through hands-on activities and project-based learning, establish raised bed garden areas for educational purposes, provide tools and supplies for year-round cultivation of greens and microgreens in classrooms, and revive dormant gardens at school sites to offer agricultural and nutrition education to vulnerable student populations in Muskegon County. In addition to increasing access to locally grown produce in low-income areas designated as food deserts, students will learn various planting and cultivation techniques, harvesting methods, and culinary skills through nutrition education and cooking demonstrations. Moreover, the vegetables grown in these new and revitalized garden beds will supplement salad bars and school lunch meals, facilitating a student-led farm-to-plate experience. Lastly, collaboration with schools possessing garden spaces will involve implementing composting practices to diminish food waste sent to landfills and bolster sustainability and soil health in these garden areas for the long term.
Proposal Number 2024-02066
Latest Award Date 08/01/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42802
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization APPALACHIAN CENTER FOR ECONOMIC NETWORKS
Project Director Fisher, Larry
Project Start Date 09/15/2024
Project End Date 09/14/2026
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $241,134.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $241,134.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Athens
Recipient State OHIO
Recipient Postal Code 457011312
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 12
Recipient Region [NC] North Central
Methods
The Building Rural Hunger Free Communities with Accessible Market Models project will evaluate opportunities to use decentralized market programs (DMPs)--including mobile farm markets, pop-up farm markets, Buying Club programs that deliver locally grown produce to central locations, and local food distribution programs in partnership with healthcare providers--to connect local farmers with consumers throughout Athens, Meigs, Morgan and Washington counties. Community engagement has always been baked into the networks approach and process to define goals and the anticipated outcomes. Low-income representation in the AAFN occurs in a variety of processes and platforms: Nourishing Networks, Community Conversations about Food Access, and most recently a 2020-2022 multi-disciplinary partnership made up of four OSU colleges to study, survey, publish and disseminate findings from and to community stakeholders. Co-design work is also impacted by low-income board representation on the ACEnet, CFI and Rural Actions Boards. The Nourishing Networks process has the most longevity in creating the stakeholder community feedback loop.In the Nourishing Networks program, trained facilitators host workshops that provide data on food security, introduce food justice concepts, discuss barriers to and strategies for food access, and support community-led follow up projects. The workshops are built on curriculum from the West Virginia University Food Justice Lab and tailored to the specific context of our Ohio host communities. Nourishing Networks programs create powerful collaborative spaces that engage diverse stakeholders and build a strong community-based network of food justice advocates. Our first workshops in 2021 attracted 50 registrants and 100% of participants felt prepared to talk about hunger and food insecurity with fellow community members and planned to become more involved in actions to increase food security. In 2022-2023, Nourishing Networks workshops at four different community sites engaged 46 Athens County residents and 43 Washington County residents, with 90% reporting feeling more prepared and knowledgeable to address food security in their community following the workshop.Participating communities launched locally-led food access projects, including the continuation of a beekeeping project in Nelsonville, the distribution of 60 garden boxes to Glouster residents to grow their own produce, the establishment of new community garden areas at the Federal Valley Resource Center Community Food Pantry and Hope Drive Apartments, and a Coolville educational series on budgeting, preserving, and cooking with fresh, local ingredients. Inspired by the power of these conversations in our communities, CFI also partners with interested organizations to train others on how to host their own Nourishing Networks workshops and discuss food insecurity wherever they are. CFI has trained over 45 partner organization staff and community members through a series of Train the Trainer workshops since 2021, including state program staff from OSU Extension SNAP-Ed, farmers market managers, staff from local health departments, and team members from the Foodbank.Appalachian Ohio local food systems have become a driving force in the region's economic revitalization. We never underestimate the "word of mouth" that is part of our Appalachian culture. A recent example of how engagement occurs: StephanieKendrick a councilwoman in the Village ofAlbany shared "Like so many of the rural communities outside of the City of Athens,Albanyresidents must travel out of the village to have access to fresh produce. I am reaching out to see if there is a possibility that our community can benefit from the Veggie Van? I firmly believe that if you could set up near that coffee shop, you would sell enough produce to make the trip to our beautiful village worth your while."Through surveys, partnership development, and market pilots, the project team will establish a data-informed county-wide network of DMP sites through which to increase sales for participating farmers and food access for rural consumers. This project lowers the bar to vendor participation and reduces the financial risk for growers to experiment with selling at multiple community sites by coordinating opportunities through a central strategic group that can share transportation, coordination, and promotion responsibilities, and by offering accessible pathways for growers to participate in the network of community programs and sites. By building a collaborative network with opportunities for synergy and shared resources, this project will widen the ecosystem of selling opportunities for local farmers and encourage more growers to participate in the expanded DMP ecosystem. By focusing efforts on developing markets and delivery sites in small communities, this project also increases local food access for consumers who would otherwise be limited by lack of transportation.The data collection through AAFN has demonstrated that a collaborative strategy to increase mobile markets, pop-up markets, produce delivery, and healthcare partnerships offer expanded market opportunities for farmers. To make these opportunities accessible to more of our local farmers, however, we need to create a collaborative structure and effective support system. This will include documenting best practices and building community networks, to make it easy for local growers to participate even with limited time and staff capacity. This documentation also positions and empowers the region's farmer markets in Athens, Meigs, Perry and Washington counties to function as hubs and facilitators for these decentralized market program (DMP) distribution models.
Non-Technical Summary The Building Rural Hunger Free Communities with Accessible Market Models project is designed by the Appalachia Accessible Food Network (AAFN) to expand community access locations in five counties of Appalachia Ohio: Athens, Morgan, Meigs, Perry and Washington. AAFN is a collaboration of healthy food access non-profits, healthcare and educational institutions, and community stakeholders formed to accelerate the distribution of local foods into Appalachian Ohio communities by strengthening access, production, aggregations, distribution, and consumption for a fair food system in Appalachia Ohio. To create a fair food system in Appalachia Ohio the partnersfocus on market diven approached to increase local, healthy food access throughFarm to School initiatives, Country Fresh Stops in rural villages' convenience stores and gas stations, the Community Food Initiatives' Donation Station, Farmers Markets, our Veggie Van and multiple Buying Club models. Critical to our success are the linkages between the anchor organizations' facilities: The Chesterhill Produce Auction, The Rural Action Incubator Farm, The ACEnet Food Ventures Center and Food and Farm Enterprise Center. Using our critical infrastructure for food processing, product and produce aggregation and flexible delivery logistics, we can address our community food needs in nimble and resilient ways.
Objectives
The Building Rural Hunger Free Communities with Accessible Market Models project is designed by the Appalachia Accessible Food Network (AAFN) to expand community access locations in five counties of Appalachia Ohio: Athens, Morgan, Meigs, Perry and Washington. AAFN is a collaboration of healthy food access non-profits, healthcare and educational institutions, and community stakeholders formed to accelerate the distribution of local foods into Appalachian Ohio communities by strengthening access, production, aggregations, distribution, and consumption for a fair food system in Appalachia Ohio. The proposed CFP Project is submitted by lead partner, the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks that serves as the fiduciary agent and employer of record for the AAFN. The AAFN 10-year focus on market channels has included Farm to School initiatives, Country Fresh Stops in rural villages' convenience stores and gas stations, the Community Food Initiatives' Donation Station, Mobile and Farmers Markets, Veggie Van and multiple Buying Club models. Critical to our success are the linkages between the anchor organizations' facilities: The Chesterhill Produce Auction, The Rural Action Incubator Farm, The ACEnet Food Ventures Center and Food and Farm Enterprise Center. The two-year scope will:Goal 1: Identify current assets, needs, and potential for market expansion in five targeted counties to address food access to healthy food in rural townships and villages. Complete assessments using existing data, community focus groups, site visits, and past and present OSU surveys. Assessments will clearly indicate which communities lack consistent access to local food, preferences and estimated size of the potential expanded customer base, current capacity of farmers and vendors, and the scope of new food access points and market sites that could be developed through the project.Goal 2: Pilot and promote two years of mobile and pop-up markets and new distribution partnerships which link the non-profits, food hubs, farmers' markets, healthcare partners, community advocates and farmers to assess potential for growth and sustainability, and identify capacity needs including training and infrastructure. The project activities will expand locations and partnerships with healthcare institutions as the partners work to implement the lessons learned.Goal 3: Develop and integrate a strategic plan for a multi-system network utilizing data collected with the assistance of the OSU team, to accelerate access through mobile, pop-up, and distribution-based local produce access sites, including a map of the most promising pilot sites inventory of participating farms, opportunities for beginning farmers, and an on-going plan and funding strategy for capacity-building and training for AAFN partners and producers.
Proposal Number 2024-02056
Latest Award Date 09/12/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42741
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization DC GREENS, INC.
Project Director Rominiyi, Charles
Project Start Date 09/01/2024
Project End Date 08/31/2025
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $33,775.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $33,775.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.B] Community Foods Project Planning
Recipient City Name Washington
Recipient State DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Recipient Postal Code 200023610
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 98
Recipient Region [NE] Northeast
Methods
Activities at The Well go from March to October every year. During the months of November through February our team is working on gathering feedback from community members and key partners to inform the programming for the following year.During the planning phase DC Greens works on establishing partnerships that are going to support us provide the programming planned for the season.During the season March-OctoberThe Well Manager oversees all activities related to the space and is the point of contact for other DC Greens teams and external partners.The Well Coordinator supports the day-to-day operations of the space, maintains calendar of events and supports with data management.Farm manager and farm assistant are in charge of all farm operations as well as the gardening workshops and composting collaborative.DC Greens collects primary data, including both digital and non-digital:Pounds of produce harvested from our farmPounds of produce distributed to community membersPounds of trash collected from The Well site and the surrounding Oxon Run Park and waterway.Number of events hosted and event typeNumber of program participants at each class and eventPre- and post- survey to assess the impact on health behaviors and self-reported food insecurityCommunity feedback sessions at the end of the seasonKey partner interviews at the end of the seasonMedia and communications collateral includig materials, photos, and filmed footage for use in traditional and social media.At the end of each season The Well Manager with support from Programs Director analyze the data and integrate lessons learned to the planning for the next season.
Non-Technical Summary DC Greens manages and operates The Well at Oxon Run, a one-acre educational farm and intergenerational outdoor gathering space that elevates health and wellness, and creates a community anchor that lifts up the culture and history of the place. The Well is located in zip code 20032, which covers a large portion of Ward 8 in the District of Columbia. The planning project to be funded by this grant comprises a slate of new activities and pilot programs designed to increase engagement with The Well's programs, offer education to our neighbors around regenerative agriculture and farming best practices, and open new distribution channels for getting more fresh produce from The Well into the hands of our neighbors.
Objectives
Goal 1: Increase understanding in our target population of how small-scale agriculture and gardening can help navigate food insecurity challenges and increase nutrition and healthy eating knowledge.Objective 1: By March 2025, DC Greens will have a refinedcurriculum for a 6 week gardening workshop that integratesagriculture, fruit and vegetable gardening, composting and nutrition and healthy eating concepts.Activities:Lead two 6-week workshop series during the 2024 season to engage at least 10 community members.Lead 1-2 feedback sessions with community members who completed the workshops to provide feedback on their experience, benefits, and recommendations to improve the curriculum.Refine curriculum integrating feedback from participants to ensure the final curriculum is effective and in alignment with what community members need and want.Objective 2: Engage 50 community members in the gardening workshops through the 5 series we plan to run during the grant period (plan to have2 series in 2024 and 3 series in 2025).Objective 3:Run a community composting cooperative pilot at The Well offering a neighborhood drop-off point for food scraps and providing composting techniques and education to our community members.Goal 2: Increase nutrition and physical activity resources in Wards 7 and 8 to support community residents making healthier nutrition choices and adopting healthy behaviors to improve disease management. We plan to do this through programming led by the DC Greens team in partnership with other partner organizations.Objective 1: Design programming and calendar of events for season 2025 integrating leasons learned and feedback from community members and partners to ensure The Well's programming is in alignment with community needs.Activities:Complete 2024 season on October 31.Gather feedback from community members and partners.Analyze data from the 2024 seasonIntegrate feedback and lessons learned from the 2024 season into the design of programming and calendar of events forseason 2025.Objective 2: Lead programming and calendar of events classes for the 2025 season and reach 5,000 community residents who end up having stronger connections to food landscape resources in D.C.Activities:Strong community outreach and marketing of events at The Well.Provide nutrition education, cooking, gardening and fitness classesFresh food distributions supported by our partners Capital Area Food Bank and FRESHFARM.Referrals to SNAP, WIC and other government nutrition benefit programs.Host commmunity wellness and resource fair eventsObjective 3: Have community ambassadors at The Well to establish specific accountability mechanisms for people experiencing food insecurity to share decision-making and program design about food access.Objective 4: Incorporate The Well programming into Produce Rx communications and engagement to provide nutrition and physical activity resources to all DC Greens' participants.Goal 3: Improved resilience and self-reliance for the Oxon Run Park Neighborhood, and a more secure food systemObjective 1: Design a distribution model for The Well at Oxon Run Park Neighborhood households that will include a CSA and a monthly produce distribution during the growing season (May-October)ActivitiesGrow 4,000 pounds of food at The Well farm every year for distribution at no cost to the communityDevelop partnerships with other food access organizations in DC that can support our food distrubution efforts. These include FRESHFARM, Capital Area Food Bank, andFoodRescue DC)Objective 2: Increase number of mobile markets by hosting Capital Area Food Bank and Arcadia Mobile markets at The Well. These are organizations that run mobile markets in DC and sell nutritious food in areas with limited access to grocery stores at reasonable cost. These organizations also take a SNAP, WIC, and other local nutrition benefit programs.
Proposal Number 2024-01973
Latest Award Date 07/18/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42801
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization LITTLE VILLAGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CORP
Project Director Haro, Javier
Project Start Date 09/15/2024
Project End Date 09/14/2028
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $386,000.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $386,000.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name Chicago
Recipient State ILLINOIS
Recipient Postal Code 606233931
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 04
Recipient Region [NC] North Central
Methods
Our mission is to help individuals from low-income communitities in the South and West sides of Chicago build their culinary confidence by developing career paths in hospitality, starting a food business, and to provide solutions to impact the social detrminants of health.Core Strategies:Goal 1: Provide bilingual technical and programmatic assistance, including 1:1 coaching, virtual training courses and workshops, cohort-based peer learning, mentorships and consultation to individuals and small buinesses interested in culinary and food service career pathwaysIdentify and provide overall entrepreneurial support to small businesses in the culinary and food serviceIdentify and train individuals that are interested in culinary job opportunitiesCreate and deliver bilingual workshops in the following areas: access to capital, marketing, licensing, and other culinary topicsProvide cohort peer bilingual training coursesProvide 1-1 coaching and technical assistanceGoal 2: Create and provide "Food as Medicine" meals, nutritional education and to impact food secruity balanceCreate and provide personalized nutritional meals to aid in improving health outcomes over 8 week program in partnership with University of ChicagoProvide nutritional educationCreate partnership with delivry services UberEats and Grubhub to deliver medically tailored mealsMeasure impact of "Food as Medicine" program to see what are individual health performance on social determinants of healthGoal 3. Strengthen health food grocery store and shared retail spaceMaintain a grocery store that will erve as a testing platform for selling or showcasing locally sourced produce and local entrepreneurship talentPurchase staples and produce from local vendorsTrain staff on food safety and sanitation, labeling, and overall management of grocery storeGoal 4. Make two commericial kitchens available to small businesses and culinary start-upsOffer two shared, fully equipped kitchen spaces and spaces for 24 operationsGoal 5. Conduct ongoing evaluations of programs, meet all performance metrics and manage program dataSelect and establish a data management system to build and generate data reports to measure outcomes, areas for improvement, and areas to celebrateEvaluate each strategicgoal to ensure that performance metrics are met
Non-Technical Summary Current issues:Residents of the targeted zip codes are more likely to live before poverty level, not have health care coverage, tend not speak English well and tend to be younger.Lack of resources, bilingual training, and coaching to increase opportunties in culinary and food services career and enrepreneur pathwaysThe community has food insecurity and food deserts.Zip code 60623 has a large number of Mexican immigrants and migrants from other countries.Methods and ApproachesHero's Food Business and Wellnes Incubator Program aims to impact and support early-stage food businesses and individuals from Little Village )zip code- 60623) and surrounding communities in the South and West sides of Chicago. Food Hero's Food Business and Wellness Incubator will support the local food ecosystem by providing the following equity-based programmatic and facilities goals:Culinary Entreprenuer Programs: Bilingual technical assistance, including 1-1 coaching, virtual training courses and workshops, peer learning, mentorship, and consultation"Food as Medicine" - nutrition education, meals, and food delivery to impact social determinants of healthFood Security: A healthy food grocery store, food rescue programs, which receives donations of grocery items and converts into meals and shared retailed spaceFacilities: Two shared commercial kitchens to be used as co-working space by program participants and smart fridges, which showcase food products from local entrepreneurs and provides access to foods in local food desertsThrough an understanding of the needs of Little Village and surrounding communities, Food Hero will develop a community asset initiative that delivers the following outcomes:Impact local economy by creating new culinary career and business pathways for new businesses, increased jobs, and wealth creationImpact health disparities through culturally appropriate medically tailred meals, nutrition education, and pilot programs such as preventive "Food as Medicine" wellness programImprove local food insecurity by maintaining a food store with locally sourced healthy produce
Objectives
The Food Hero's Food Business and Wellness Incubator will support the local food ecosystem by providing the following programmatic and facilities goals:Culinary Entrepreneur Programs: Bilingual technical assistance, including 1:1 coaching, virtual training courses and workshops, cohort-based peer-learning, mentorship, and consultation.Food Equity: "Food as Medicine" - nutrition education, meals, and food delivery to impact social determinants of health.Food Secruity: A healthy food grocery store, food rescue programs, which recieves donations of grocery items and converts into meals and shared retail space.Facilities: Two shared commercial kitchens to be used as co-working space by program participants and smart fridges, which shoecase food products from local entrepreneurs and provides access to foods in local food deserts.
Proposal Number 2024-02016
Latest Award Date 09/12/2024
Sponsoring Agency National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Funding Mechanism NIFA Non Formula
Award Number 2024-33800-42777
Initial Award Fiscal Year 2024
Recipient Organization FARM TRAINING COLLECTIVE NYC, INC
Project Director Navas, Claudia
Project Start Date 09/15/2024
Project End Date 09/14/2027
Project Start Fiscal Year 2024
Project Status ACTIVE
Cumulative Award Amount $361,872.00
Latest Award Fiscal Year 2024
Latest Award Amount $361,872.00
Latest Award Type Revision
Program Area [CFP] Community Food Projects Program
Program Code [LN.C] Community Foods
Recipient City Name New York
Recipient State NEW YORK
Recipient Postal Code 100184523
Recipient Organization Type Independent
Recipient Congressional District 12
Recipient Region [NE] Northeast
Methods
The project will be conducted through a combination of community engagement, program provision and leadership development. Partners are committed to independent evaluation and participatory research for examining the impact its activities are having on participants, volunteers, communities, and partners. Project staff are involved in developing benchmarks and provide regular, data-driven feedback to identify successes and challenges that spark changes in practice. FSNYC has customized tracking systems and databases that adequately capture its work and dedicated staff that track and analyze data on communities served, outputs, and outcomes.To track performance measures and progress toward goals, FSNYC staff will develop and monitor databases in Google Workspace and Monday.com for collecting and monitoring community information, including demographic information, assessment information, engagement hours, length of participation, and partnership history. Google workspace and Monday.com have security features to project data and can be customized to meet the needs of specific programming. This system also allows FSNYC to generate reports, demonstrating program trends and overall program progress. Program Director, Connor Vaughn will hold regular meetings with partners to discuss outcomes and community engagement; perform quality control; and ensure that the system is tailored to the needs of the program and that program staff are trained to utilize the Google Workspace and Monday.com.FSNYC will evaluate the outcome of our project based on the following criteria:Impact-The extent to which the program has generated or is expected to generate significant positive or negative, intended or unintended, higher-level effects.Relevance-The extent to which our program's objectives and design respond to community needs, priorities, and continue to do so if circumstances change.Effectiveness-The extent to which the program achieved, or is expected to achieve, its objectives and its results, including any differential results across groups.Efficiency-The extent to which our program delivers, or is likely to deliver, results in an economic and timely waySustainability-The extent to which the net benefits of the program continue or are likely to continue.
Non-Technical Summary The project partners will tap into their existing robust networks to maximize access to resources and build collective community capacity to create a more resilient and equitable local food system that values co-design, lived experience, and prioritizes opportunities for low-income QT BIPOC. The proposed project ultimately seeks to create a community-based alternative that addresses racism, health disparities, food insecurity, and poverty by strengthening production, distribution, and marketing challenges within NYC's food system. Beneficiaries of the project include Queer and Trans (QT*) Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the Hudson Valley and New York City, with a focus on the Bronx and Brooklyn boroughs. *QT includes multitudes of identities - lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, intersex, transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, two-spirit, and more.The project goals include: 1) Expand alternative production and distribution models that create a more dignified experience to accessing nutritious, culturally relevant foods; 2) Strengthen the ecosystem of QT BIPOC farmers in NYC and the Hudson Valley; and 3) Build a more resilient and equitable food system that values co-design, lived experience, and prioritizes opportunities for low-income QT BIPOC. The project goals will be accomplished through the following activities: 1) CSA and Wholesale Distribution for Food Access, 2) Farmers Markets and Market Training, 3) Cooperative Farming Apprenticeships, 4) Community Gatherings, 5) Food System Stakeholder Networking and Grant Administration. As a result, the project intends to accomplish the following outcomes: #1: Low-Income QT BIPOC communities residing in the Bronx and Brooklyn access healthy and culturally relevant foods; #2: QT BIPOC farmers enhance their market operations and expand market access to consumers; #3: QT BIPOC farmers deepen their knowledge base and increase capacity to support their local farms and food projects; #4: Community empowerment and a vibrant network of QT BIPOC stakeholders across different sectors of the food system is strengthened; and #5: Distribution logistics for delivering food grown by QT BIPOC farmers improves.The project will develop cross-sector linkages-from farmers, to gardeners, to private and public agencies-and community engagement opportunities. The project will map distribution networks, collaborate, and share resources while providing technical assistance to help strengthen farm to community foodways. The project supports development of entrepreneurship as well as community-envisioning and capacity building activities, while continuing to foster design input. These activities will support the process of members, groups, and communities getting to know one another and organizing their collective strengths, histories, and visions for their communities.
Objectives
The project goals include: 1) Expand alternative production and distribution models that create a more dignified experience to accessing nutritious, culturally relevant foods; 2) Strengthen the ecosystem of QT BIPOC farmers in NYC and the Hudson Valley; and 3) Build a more resilient and equitable food system that values co-design, lived experience, and prioritizes opportunities for low-income QT BIPOC.
Proposal Number 2024-02134
Latest Award Date 09/03/2024