Recipient Organization
KANSAS CITY GOOD FOOD HUB INC
1976 55TH ST
BRONSON,KS 66716
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
In order to improve the health and well-being of an inner-core population living within a food-desert neighborhood, they must have access to fresh foods that are both available and affordable. With funding from the Community Food Project Grant, there will be an immediate increase of 20%-30% of the supply of fresh food during the first year into Kansas City's most impoverished neighborhoods.The center of this project is Ivanhoe; the poorest neighborhood in the Lower East Side of Kansas City, Missouri. A statistical overview of the community targeted for this project; an inner-city community of ~10,000 in the neighborhood of Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe has a density of 5,186 people per square mile. Approximately 63.8% of Ivanhoe Southwest's population has an annual household income below $25,000 which means that most residents live in low-income households. The neighborhood is 90% African-American and most of the population has only attained a high school degree, which suggests that this is a poorly-educated neighborhood. Roughly 40% of the land in Ivanhoe is vacant or abandoned.This Community Food Project is to help Good Natured Market overcome obstacles in order to get as much healthy, local food as possible into homes in Kansas City's vulnerable communities through increased food inventory, site improvements, promotion, EBT incentives and memberships. This initiative will directly lead to significant, measurable sales increases. This program is vitally significant because it addresses a problem that is plaguing inner-cities throughout the United States.Inner-cities have very few grocery stores; what is still the only source of food is the local convenience store. The only thing convenient about it is the location. There are very few healthy items you can buy at such stores, usually a few loaves of white bread, milk, and eggs. Limited access to affordable quality fresh food in many urban areas all over American has increased the problem of childhood obesity and diabetes. There is a direct link to the startling numbers of childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes, as well as diabetes developed in adults years later, after growing up in food deserts. In 2004 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found, $1 could buy 1,200 calories of potato chips and 875 calories of soda, but only 250 calories of vegetables and 170 calories of fresh fruit. This is why we must look at accessibility and affordability if we want to change what people are eating in the urban areas.Good Natured Family Farms, the workhorse extention of the 501(c)(3) Kansas City Food Hub (AKA The Food Conservancy) is vastly experienced in providing healthy, local food to Kansas City residents, specifically minorities and low-income persons. Effective relationships, partnerships, and strategic use of federal and private foundation grant funds for worthy causes have led GNFF's small-farm, marketing alliance of over 150 farmer members to become a premier provider of local, healthy food to vulnerable populations.Additionally, GNFF has pioneered a nationally-recognized Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) pilot and many other food-related projects. GNFF' mission is to support local farmers and to provide access of wholesome, fresh food to needy populations. As such, GNFF has developed many strong, working relationships and linkages with community-focused organizations in the Kansas City region; a few examples: Bistro Kids and Treat America to bring fresh, wholesome foods to kids, University of Missouri, Beans&Greens, Menorah Legacy Society, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, United States Department of Agriculture, Ball's Food (Hen House and Price Chopper stores), Sysco Food Distribution, and many more.What will be interesting to note and track during this project's time period: "To what degree will making fresh food more available and affordable in inner-city communities change the food choices of this targeted population?" The year-end evaluation, which includes a customer survey, plus sales tracking from the upgraded scanning computer, will help to enlighten us in this query.The Final Report will include significant data collected throughout the year on how better eating habits are linked to fresh food availability and affordability - and the effectiveness of using a clergy coalition in promoting and encouraging its inner-city parishioners to use Good Natured Market's generous EBT incentives for fresh food.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Kansas City Good Food Hub, Inc. (KCGFHI), (AKA The Food Conservancy) is a 501c3 organization whose mission is to promote healthy foods through education and accessibility and is a charitable endeavor of Good Natured Family Farms.KCGFHI is committed to helping a faith-based, fresh-food market located in an inner-city to overcome obstacles in order to get healthier, local food into homes in Kansas City's most vulnerable communities. Good Natured Market is located in the impoverished neighborhood of Ivanhoe in Kansas City, Mo.KCGFHI has a three-part purpose; all three parts are related to providing a safe and abundant supply of good healthy food to the Kansas City area.The primary goal is to make healthy local food more available to vulnerable populations, especially children.The second goal is to help the sustainability of small, local, family farms that supply this food.The third goal is to provide education and educational activities to both farmers and consumers. This education will center on the importance of good nutrition, the benefits of sourcing food locally, and safe methods of growing, handling, and processing food.Objectives to Reach Goals:Expand Food Storage CapabilityExpand InventoryPromotion, Advertising, Direct Marketing, Outreach, Nutritional AwarenessCreate Positions To Support Market Expansion activitiesGet more local producers GAP Certified in order to increase GNM's inventoryUpgrade kitchen to pass inspection. Get permit/license
Project Methods
PURPOSEExpand food-storage capability and inventory of Good Natured Market in order to establish and support a wider membership into neighboring, underserved communities. This will be accomplished through strategic partnerships:Kansas City Kingdom Fellowship Clergy Coalition to build community-to-community linksGood Natured Family Farms to supply fresh, wholesome foodGood Natured Market to enhance with site improvements, expand its inventory, promote "Rebate-Back-To-Your-Group or Church" membership programs, promotion, education, and EBT "Double-Bucks" incentives...resulting in more food reaching the inner-core, where it is critically needed. This project will establish long-term programs that will encourage healthier food to be purchased and consumed in underserved communities.METHODSPurchase and install site ImprovementsBuild up inventory in phases in order to gauge future sales - Using 2 phases to begin the inventory increase and will adjust as sales are recorded each monthClergy Coalition and Good Natured Market to include events, seminars and meetings within the communities targeted. The funds will go for light, healthy refreshments. During the spring and summer they will have cookouts to provide sampling opportunities for the community to try new healthy products from the market.Neighborhood canvassingContribute to a periodic newsletter to advise the community of presence.Flyers will circulate in the community on a regular basisPaid advertising in newspapers and other printed materialsCreate Store Manager Position (TBH) (p/t) reporting to GNFFCreate Church Coalition Coordinator Position (Pastor) (p/t) reporting to GNFFKansas City Good Food Hub and GNFF Grant OversightEvaluator/Report Writer to conduct Customer SurveysGNFF will work with new producers of the new food products GNM will start sellingGNFF to certify new producers in GAP