Recipient Organization
ASIAN SERVICES IN ACTION, INC.
730 CARROLL ST
AKRON,OH 44304
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
In order to harness the potential for positive economic contributions of both food-based businesses and immigrant communities, the proposed project, Akron Food Works! (AFW!), will create a local food enterprise center focused on revitalizing Akron, Ohio''s economy by training, supporting, incubating, and connecting small food-based businesses, from farmers to canners to caterers. It will accomplish this in partnership with a variety of stakeholders (by facilitating agricultural, food safety and food preparation, and microenterprise training; microenterprise technical assistance; microloans; and access to land, commercial kitchen space, and markets). While the project will include targeted outreach to, and culturally and linguistically-appropriate programming for, Akron's immigrant communities, its services will not be limited to foreign-born populations.AWF!'s long-term vision is to harness Akron's unique assets - including a vibrant and growing immigrant community and robust local support for strengthening the local food system - to increase healthy food access while incubating local food-based businesses.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Akron Food Works! (AFW!) long-term vision is to harness Akron, Ohio's unique assets - including a vibrant and growing immigrant community and robust local support for strengthening the local food system - to increase healthy food access while incubating local food-based businesses. Overall, the AFW! project, when fully implemented, will improve conditions for the local food system and economy by increasing access to locally-sourced fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy foods for consumers; and expanding the farm and food-based business workforce by creating and incubating businesses and jobs, encompassing expanded opportunities for low-income and/or limited English proficient (LEP) individuals.
Project Methods
Akron Food Works! will encompass the following activities to support local food enterprises:Classroom and Hands-On Agricultural Training and Technical Assistance - Since 2008, ASIA has facilitated a series of farmer training courses, ranging from beginning courses to accommodate new participants to intermediate courses to ensure that previous participants are able to expand their growing skills. Beginning courses, offered weekly from October to December, include: Basic Botany, and Growing Vegetables in Ohio; Soil and Soil Preparation; Seed Starting; Pest, Disease, and Weed Management; Soil Management and Food Safety; Selling at Farmers' Market; Jobs at the Farm; Harvesting and Selling Produce; How to Build Raised Beds; and Season Extension for the Small Scale Grower. ASIA also facilitates monthly intermediate-level courses, which include topics such as financing your agricultural business, land leases and purchases, advanced crop planning, marketing, and basic financial management. When appropriate, ASIA connects underserved farmers to other training or educational resources.Food Preparation and Preservation Training - The Healthy Foods Preparation and Preservation Program promotes increased consumption of plant based foods and improved health and wellness through food production, healthy meal planning and preparation and the preservation of fresh garden produce. Let's Grow Akron will offer 4 classes and demonstrations to AWF! participants and microentrepreneurs annually. During this course, participants learn how to prepare and to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables through cooking classes and demonstrations and preservation classes that teach canning, freezing and dehydrating methods. Farm course participants will use produce from their gardens. The requested USDA CFP funds would support food preparation and preservation training.Microenterprise Training and Technical Assistance - In 2015, ASIA launched the Apex Fund for Economic Opportunity (AFEO), a microenterprise development program that encompasses training, technical assistance and microloans. Aspiring and existing entrepreneurs meet with ASIA staff for an in-person preliminary intake session, during which the client and staff member will work together to ascertain the entrepreneur's interests, the business stage, the both the entrepreneur's and business's needs and readiness for capital. The staff member can recommend any combination of training or technical assistance, make referrals to outside resources, or suggest that the business is ready for loan application, based on the initial conversation. Once the assessment is completed, training and technical assistance provided directly by ASIA include a 12-hour financial literacy education course, individualized credit counseling and/or business technical assistance, and a 10-hour entrepreneur training course. During this course, participating entrepreneurs complete a business plan.The majority of microenterprise-focused assistance is provided through one-on-one technical assistance (TA). During pre-loan TA, ASIA's Loan Officer will review client financial statements, ask questions designed to help the client improve record-keeping or financial performance, as well as identify other potential weaknesses. Post loan, the Loan Officer will conduct quarterly client site visits in order to provide insight into potential improvements in the clients' business operations, as well as to monitor the use of loan funds. ASIA has existing funding that would be leveraged with USDA CFP funding to support microenterprise training and technical assistance.Microloans - The Apex Fund, ASIA's mission-driven microloan fund, features underwriting guidelines, lending policies, and procedures designed to address the types of barriers that prevent low-income entrepreneurs from accessing conventional loan capital. ASIA's underwriting policies draw on industry best practices to create an affordable and accessible microloan product with underwriting standards that value the borrower's character and provide flexibility around credit scores, collateral, and security. The Apex Fund makes loans from $1,000 to $25,000 with interest rates ranging from 4% to 8% and terms up to 60 months. Apex loans can be used for a variety of business needs, including, but not limited to, initial start-up costs, working capital, equipment, or leasehold improvements. ASIA anticipates that at least 2 food-based businesses will receive $10,000 in microloans for each year of the project.Certified, Shared-Use Commercial Kitchen - The Well Akron CDC is housed in a former church building. Plans are developed for the church's 1,000 square foot kitchen to be renovated into a shared-use commercial kitchen, complete with baking, cooking, and food preparation stations; and cold and dry food storage facilities. The end goal is to create a certified commercial kitchen that a wide range of food-based entrepreneurs, from specialty food product makers to caterers, can rent in hourly or daily time blocks. This will provide an affordable way for food entrepreneurs to access a certified commercial kitchen without the high startup costs required to build their own. In addition to the shared kitchen/food storage space, the facility will offer office space, a shipping room, and conference room for kitchen clients, and a space to rent for events, classes, and cooking demonstrations. CFP funds will be used primarily for renovations of the existing kitchen and to purchase needed equipment to make the facility operational.Farmers Market - Since 2011, ASIA has ensured that beginning farmers in its program have the opportunity to sell their produce through local farmers markets. In 2014, the organization launched its own farmers market, which operates twice weekly from June through September (Wednesday from 3-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Through this market, farmers and other food-based businesses have the opportunity to sell their produce or other food products while gaining practical experience with customer service, marketing, and financing. ASIA partners with The Well CDC, which hosts and promotes the Farmers Markets on their property at 647 East Market Street. In previous years, the Farmers Market has been small, with around six vendors. In previous seasons, around half of the produce has been Western-style produce while the balance has been Asian produce that is not readily available in supermarkets or other farmers markets. In order to ensure access for low-income families, the market accepts SNAP, WIC, and Senior Farmers' Market vouchers; ASIA's staff are trained to assess families for food benefit eligibility and to assist them in application.With USDA CFP funding, ASIA and The Well will work together to expand the Farmers Market, thereby increasing access to healthy food for community members and increasing sales and revenue for farmers and other food-based businesses.Compass Coffee Test Market Cafe/Pantry - The Well is home to Compass Coffee, a cafe that sources its products from small businesses. Through this project, Compass Coffee will be transformed into a cafe and pantry that will function as a test market for local food entrepreneurs who produce baked goods and packaged foods. As a social enterprise, profits support The Well and its economic and community development mission.Marketing Campaign for Local Farmers and Food Entrepreneurs - As part of AFW! ASIA and The Well CDC will work together to develop and implement a marketing plan to promote local farmers and food entrepreneurs who sell at the farmers market and/or cafe and pantry.Culturally Appropriate Food Pantry - Since 2012, ASIA has met the emergency food needs of low-income immigrant families in Northeast Ohio through its culturally-appropriate food pantry.