Progress 09/15/20 to 09/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Audience Emphasis African American Hispanic or Latino Limited resource producers Small farms Urban producers Participants Served Total Number of Participants: 558 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Started Farming: Target - 11, Actual - 27 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 144, Actual - 171 Improved farming success: Target - 405, Actual - 387 During the cumulative project period--from September 15, 2020 through September 14, 2023--the project targeted socially disadvantaged and limited resource farmers in sustainable urban agriculture training and entrepreneurship development, engaging a total of 558 individuals. Over the three-year project period: The Apprenticeship program enrolled 66 individuals, 54 (82%) of whom were socially disadvantaged. Twenty-nine (44%) identified as Black, 15 (23%) as Latinx/Hispanic, 10 (15%) as multiracial/other, 4 (6%) as Asian-American, and 8 (12%) as White. Fifty-four (82%) were considered limited resource farmers based on income. One hundred individuals participated in the Corps program; 80 (80%) identified as Black/African American, 8 (8%) as Latinx, 4 (4%) as multiracial/other, and 8 (8%) as White. Eighty-four (84%) had a history of justice involvement and 100% were considered limited resource based on income. Twenty-eight farmers participated in the Farm Incubator program, including 24 (86%) who were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). A total of 364 participants completed sustainable urban agriculture workshops. Demographics were not collected for these participants during the report period. Though not directly funded by the BFRDP grant, 5,793 individuals benefitted from the VeggieRx produce prescription program. Windy City Harvest (WCH) worked with a total of five healthcare partners during the reporting period--Lawndale Christian Health Center, Loyola University Health System, PCC Austin and Salud Family Health Centers, and Esperanza Health Center--to identify patients with diet-related disease and channel them into VeggieRx. Offered weekly from February through November, each participant received a free box of produce, culturally-appropriate recipes to prepare it, and nutrition and cooking education. WCH began partnering during the reporting period with farmers in its Incubator program to run farm stands at clinic partner VeggieRx sites, in part using produce purchased from other incubators. Through this and by enabling incubator sales directly to the program for inclusion in produce boxes, WCH is providing a consistent weekly market for incubators' produce and an opportunity to diversify their revenue streams. Changes/Problems:WCH staff, programs, and participants faced significant obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the grant period. However, by identifying challenges and understanding their root causes, WCH was able to successfully pivot and meet or exceed nearly all program goals. Recruitment for Corps and Apprenticeship was particularly challenging in the first two years of the grant, when the public health emergency was most acute. Recruitment partners were often working with clients virtually and had far less contact with constituents and with WCH. WCH staff focused in 2022 and 2023 on rebuilding relationships with referral partners to ensure a steady stream of good-fit candidates. Those partners included social service providers that work with formerly incarcerated populations such as UCAN, Lawndale Legal Aid, Safer Foundation, Enlace, and others. In 2022, WCH began working to re-engage these partners, hosting Corps information sessions and meeting with partners individually. Enrollment returned to target in 2023, and WCH exceeded its goal for the project. Corps and Apprenticeship also faced retention challenges during this time, with the pandemic sometimes causing disruptions in trainees' personal lives that led them to leave the programs early. To ensure enrollment of best-fit candidates for each program, in 2023 staff reinstated in-person interviews paused during the pandemic. This helped staff develop a thorough understanding of prospective participants and their potential needs. In 2023, 100% of apprentices and 82% of Corps participants completed the programs. WCH is also continuing to address pandemic-related challenges with job placements, a goal that fell short of the project target by 20%. This was primarily the result of the retention challenges described above, as well as the need to revive relationships and in-person work opportunities with employment partners. To help address this, WCH added a new Corps Coordinator position in 2021, hiring a former Corps participant and crew leader. This additional position enabled the Workforce Development Manager to put increased focus on supporting Corps and Apprenticeship participants and graduates in their job searches, as well as cultivate existing and new employment partner relationships. These efforts succeeded in forming new partnerships in 2023. For example, Garfield Produce (GP)--an indoor grower of herbs and greens launched in 2016 with Corps graduate Darius Jones as its VP & General Manager--expressed an interest in partnering. GP has demonstrated a strong commitment to hiring adults with barriers to employment, making it an ideal employment partner. GP staff toured the Farm on Ogden and invited Corps staff and participants to tour the GP growing facility. This year, one Corps graduate was hired as a farm hand, and GP began sending open positions directly to the Corps program manager. The company also provides input on preparing program graduates for interviews and feedback to staff on graduates' performance during the interview process. COVID REPORTING During the project period, supplemental COVID-19 funding was used primarily to partially support key staff positions, including the Project Director, Co Project Director, Small Farm Business Manager, Apprenticeship Instructor, and Farm Business Consultant. A small portion of funds was expended on farm training materials and supplies, as well as 10% indirect costs. Spenddown of the supplemental funds occurred between 9/6/21 and 9/14/2023. Numbers below correspond to COVID-19 proposal objectives: 1. A full-time data strategist was hired in 2022 to continue implementing a new data management system (DMS), introduced in 2021, for all WCH programs. Among many enhancements to the DMS during the project period, highlights include: Apprenticeship and Corps modules were launched and historical data were imported, enabling year-on-year tracking and historical data analysis; Integration of online application and survey data directly into participant records; Program staff received basic DMS training and used it to track participation and other data; Corps crew leaders trained to use the DMS to streamline and automate tracking of participant progress. 2. A key lesson was recognizing the barriers online learning can present for program participants, many of whom lack experience with it. Post-pandemic, WCH sees ongoing benefits to supplementing in-person learning with virtual resources; student feedback also indicates a preference for this. Efforts to address this are described in Objective 4. At the same time, operating through the pandemic reinforced the importance of in-person learning. Staff felt that the need to rely on virtual learning in 2021 diminished the community of practice and support structure at the heart of WCH programs. With a return to in-person programming in 2022, WCH saw signs of higher engagement such as strong Corps graduate interest in Apprenticeship and increased apprentice enrollment in the community business academy. WCH saw this continue in 2023 as referral partners re-established in-person relations with their constituents. Students with this additional partner organization support often have the most potential to progress through WCH's continuum of opportunity. 3. Two incubator businesses successfully achieved Group GAP certification in 2021, and both successfully renewed during their last incubation year in 2022. WCH was, however, short of its target of six businesses participating in the GAP certification process. A primary factor was the impact of COVID-19, which vastly reduced incubators' access to sales channels. Apprenticeship students--the pool for prospective incubators--were also far less involved during the pandemic in public- and business-facing sales markets, leading to a natural gap in incubator readiness for GAP. In addition, WCH learned that for many incubators, the long and intensive GAP certification process, enabling access to institutional markets, was a larger barrier than anticipated. Most beginning farmers preferred to focus on developing their farming practice and selling through WCH market channels and community channels such as farmers markets and CSA programs. WCH is focused on building awareness for apprentices and new incubators of the GAP opportunity early on in their training in order to prepare them for entering commercial markets. 4. Staff learned that technology can be a major barrier for participants and are committed to ongoing tech training. Throughout 2022 and 2023, all participants (100 Corps and 66 Apprenticeship) received technology training and personalized support. This was incorporated into the Apprenticeship curriculum during study halls, including training in the Brightspace virtual classroom platform and other online resources used by program partner Chicago City Colleges. WCH also revised the Apprenticeship skills self-evaluation in 2022, providing improved personalized support by helping apprentices better track, evaluate, and plan future farm skill training. Corps participants received personalized training during Friday Job Club meetings, and program graduates can attend weekly drop-in hours to get one-on-one support with job search and tech questions. Corps members who accepted production assistant positions received personalized mentoring and weekly study hall training in the winter months before the beginning of Apprenticeship. WCH recently began training participants in using the RiseKit community partnership management platform to find job openings and submit applications. WCH also provides online trainings on bystander intervention, workplace harassment, and diversity and inclusion. 5. 77.4% of Corps participants (goal: 80%) and 84.4% of Apprenticeship participants (goal: 75%) completed the program in 2022 and 2023. These figures exclude the 2021 program, as the COVID-19 relief funds were received after those programs were mostly or completely concluded. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Total Meetings: 105 Total Meeting Participants: 2,646 Total Webinars: 30 Total Webinar Participants: 341 Total Website Visits: 152,753 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings 3/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 81 1/27/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 21 1/26/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 21 11/7/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 35 2/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 2/17/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 9/8/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 2/11/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 2/18/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 2 2/12/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 6/16/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 5/21/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 1/14/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 25 5/5/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 33 5/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 2/17/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/26/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 28 6/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 6/23/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 6/30/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 6/16/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 2/4/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 2/4/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 25 2/3/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 50 12/3/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 6/23/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 8/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 19 8/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 19 1/13/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 59 1/28/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 53 2/5/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 44 9/14/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 12 9/14/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 30 9/13/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 9/2/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 8/29/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 8/27/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 12 8/22/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 26 8/16/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 8/2/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 7 6/30/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 17 6/28/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 100 5/31/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 140 5/26/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/23/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/20/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 5/16/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 4/20/2022: Chicago , IL -- Number of Attendees 45 3/2/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 8 3/1/2022: Chicago , IL -- Number of Attendees 19 2/26/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 2/23/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 2/12/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 2/3/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 2/3/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 1/31/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 1/18/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 8 1/18/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 68 12/8/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 155 10/1/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 9/15/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 129 8/26/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 7/22/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 30 6/30/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 6/24/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 6/23/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 6/16/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 6/9/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 6/2/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 5/20/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 28 5/20/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 5/13/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 8 5/12/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 4/29/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 4/28/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 4/22/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 45 4/22/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 13 4/20/2023: Chicago , IL -- Number of Attendees 8 4/12/2023: Chicago , IL -- Number of Attendees 5 3/31/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 3/25/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 22 3/25/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 3/23/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 2 3/18/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 3/15/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 9 2/18/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 2/16/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 32 2/15/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 9 2/11/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 8 1/23/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 57 1/21/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 350 1/19/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 1/17/2023: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 12/16/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 12/5/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 18 11/8/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 34 11/3/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 10/22/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 10/5/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 10/1/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 65 9/29/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 9 9/24/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 9/23/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 39 9/22/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 34 9/16/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 Webinars 6/7/2021: Number of Attendees 50 11/10/2021: Number of Attendees 1 1/28/2021: Number of Attendees 13 12/9/2020: Number of Attendees 2 10/21/2020: Number of Attendees 20 4/6/2022: Number of Attendees 7 3/30/2022: Number of Attendees 7 3/17/2022: Number of Attendees 8 3/16/2022: Number of Attendees 4 3/9/2022: Number of Attendees 6 2/9/2022: Number of Attendees 5 12/14/2021: Number of Attendees 4 11/30/2021: Number of Attendees 6 11/17/2021: Number of Attendees 6 9/23/2021: Number of Attendees 32 9/16/2021: Number of Attendees 10 10/21/2021: Number of Attendees 9 11/18/2021: Number of Attendees 10 12/16/2021: Number of Attendees 12 3/2/2023: Number of Attendees 50 1/13/2023: Number of Attendees 27 3/30/2023: Number of Attendees 2 3/16/2023: Number of Attendees 2 4/20/2023: Number of Attendees 2 3/9/2023: Number of Attendees 2 3/28/2023: Number of Attendees 2 4/20/2023: Number of Attendees 2 3/20/2023: Number of Attendees 2 1/19/2023: Number of Attendees 14 4/26/2023: Number of Attendees 24 The WCH Project Director attended the USDA BFRDP Project Directors Meeting each year throughout the project period, learning from and networking with agricultural experts and peer programs nationally. Though not directly supported by USDA BFRDP funds, WCH trained public garden staff from across the country to adapt the WCH model through a partnership with the U.S. Botanic Garden. In 2021, this partnership supported training for 12 public gardens from across the country (and one from Syndey, Australia). In 2022, WCH led four virtual workshops for the U.S. Botanic Garden as part of ongoing training for public garden staff on WCH's urban agriculture model and best practices. Workshops were held on the following topics: Social Enterprise and Earned Income, Farm Design and Operations, Fundraising for Urban Agriculture Programs, and Program Evaluation for Urban Agriculture Programs. In 2023, WCH provided intensive training and mentorship for the U.S. Botanic Garden and American Public Gardens Association's Urban Agriculture Resilience Program Capstone Cohort of staff from seven U.S. public gardens. Trainings included information about how botanic gardens can adapt WCH programs to their locations and partnerships. For details on trainings/mentoring during the reporting period, please see the "Other Products" section. Providing this training and mentoring was also an excellent professional development opportunity for WCH staff, placing them at the center of a national community of practice that is working to advance urban agriculture. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Windy City Harvest Data Infographic: partners; funders; community; public at large Corps Information Packet: Corps program recruitment partners and prospective participants As a recognized leader in urban agriculture regionally and nationally, WCH is well-positioned to share the results of its work with a diverse community of practitioners and stakeholders. WCH staff are actively involved in volunteer leadership roles within urban agriculture, food access, and community coalitions, and share program results and best practices with agriculture and social service institutions in the region. During the project period, examples include Advocates for Urban Agriculture, Chicago Food Policy Action Committee, and Austin Eats, focused on growth and consumption of nutritious local food in Chicago's Austin community. In June 2022, WCH hosted a day-long multi-site visit by approximately 100 representatives from the Midwestern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (MASDA). Tour sites included WCH's Farm on Ogden headquarters, Legends Farm (the primary Farm Incubator site), and McCormick Place, where WCH manages a 25,000-square-foot rooftop farm. MASDA is comprised of the Commissioners, Secretaries, and Directors of Agriculture from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Illinois Director of Agriculture Jerry Costello served as host. The following month, WCH hosted a booth at an Obama Foundation event where staff shared information and spoke to youth interested in urban agriculture. The Chicago Botanic Garden's director of government affairs regularly hosts visits to WCH sites by public officials. During the project period these included: - USDA Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh - USDA Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Penny Brown Reynolds (in Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin - Chicago Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Jessica Sewell - Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton - Will McIntee, Senior Advisor, White House Office of Public Engagement and Kelliann Blazek, Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and Rural Policy Additional examples of WCH's commitment to sharing the WCH model with a broad audience during the project period included: WCH has educated the community about its offerings through Farm on Ogden tours for thousands of community leaders, elected officials, funders, school groups, local residents, and other stakeholders. Written communications about WCH and VeggieRx were sent to federal, state, and local officials. WCH programs and participants--as well as success stories of graduated incubator farmers-- received numerous press mentions during the grant period, bringing awareness of WCH's model and outcomes to a broad public audience. This includes features on NBC5 Chicago and WBEZ Chicago and articles in Farm Week Now, Crain's Chicago Business, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Health, Chicago Ridge Citizen, Block Club Chicago, Daily Southtown, and USDA and Chicago Botanic Garden blog posts. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Result 1. Individuals complete the 9-month Apprenticeship program Producer action: Develop, Topic: Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships When measured: Grades three times per cohort, weekly assessments Estimated Number: 54, Actual Number: 57 How verified: Participation/attendance; assignment, assessment, & final project grades; internship work performance feedback Result 2. Returning citizens are hired into the Corps transitional jobs program Producer action: Understand, Topic: Urban farming When measured: Individualized employment plans (IEP) twice per cohort, weekly assessments Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 100 How verified: # of workers enrolled; work performance; completion of IEP Result 3. Individuals receive continuing farm education through industry-specific courses and workshops Producer action: Develop, Topic: Value-added enterprises When measured: Once per course Estimated Number: 390, Actual Number: 364 How verified: Enrollment and participation; evaluation results; course completion Result 4. Apprenticeship and Corps graduates are placed in jobs Producer action: Implement, Topic: Labor supply, recruitment, and retention When measured: 6 months post-graduation (Apprenticeship); twice annually (Corps) Estimated Number: 100, Actual Number: 80 How verified: Post-program communication with participants and employers Result 5. Crop plans are completed by pairs of Apprenticeship students Producer action: Implement, Topic: Marketing plans and strategies When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 27, Actual Number: 27 How verified: # of crop plans completed Result 6. Individuals complete a 14-week business class Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 15, Actual Number: 23 How verified: Business class enrollment/participation; Assignment, assessment, & final project grades; instructor/participant feedback Result 7. Beginning and advanced farm businesses participate in the incubator program Producer action: Understand, Topic: Access to land When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 8, Actual Number: 11 How verified: # of farm businesses operating; produce poundsgrown, sold, donated Result 8. Small farm business owners receive farm-specific business and risk-management training and support Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 8, Actual Number: 24 How verified: # participants in technical assistance offerings; # farmers receiving professional development stipends Result 9. Enhanced business plans are created by advanced incubator farm businesses Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 6, Actual Number: 7 How verified: Successful business plan completion; evaluation of plan by WCH staff Result 10. Graduated incubator farm businesses are matched to land Producer action: Implement, Topic: Asset management, including leasing and renting When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 3, Actual Number: 7 How verified: # of incubator graduates entering land use agreements/farming on partner land Result 11. WCH hosts land match event connecting farmers and landowners Producer action: Decide, Topic: Marketing plans and strategies When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 1, Actual Number: 1 How verified: # of events hosted; number of participants attending land match event Result 12. WCH market channels are accessed by incubator farmers and potentially by other farms in the region Producer action: Implement, Topic: Local, regional, and direct marketing When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 8, Actual Number: 10 How verified: # farmers accessing WCH markets; # of market channels utilized by farmers Result 13. Individuals are trained in farm/food safety Producer action: Decide, Topic: Food safety liability When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 144, Actual Number: 341 How verified: # of WCH trainees who attend and complete farm/food safety training Result 14. WCH staff, incubator farmers, and others are trained in the FDA Produce Safety rule Producer action: Implement, Topic: Food safety liability When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 75 How verified: # WCH staff/incubator farmers/others who complete Produce Safety Rule training Result 15. Corps participants complete ServSafe training Producer action: Implement, Topic: Food safety liability When measured: Once annually Estimated Number: 45, Actual Number: 75 How verified: # Corps trainees who complete ServSafe training and earn a certificate Objective 1: Develop beginning farmers' skills in sustainable urban agriculture The Corps transitional jobs program ran three 13-week cohorts each year; a total of 100 participants enrolled, with 77 graduating. Participants completed Individual Employment Plans to identify career goals. Trainees honed farming and food handling/distribution skills through paid hands-on work experience mentored by crew leaders. A weekly Job Club offered help applying for jobs. 18 Corps graduates accepted Production Assistant roles, providing continued paid agricultural work. The 9-month Apprenticeship program enrolled 66 participants; 57 (86%) completed the program, including 17 Corps graduates. The program ran a hybrid model in Year 1 due to COVID-19, and was delivered in-person in Years 2 and 3. After six months of experiential training, trainees engaged in 12-week paid work experiences at WCH farm sites. Post-pandemic, WCH offered numerous single-day intensive urban agriculture workshops, serving a total of 364 individuals. Objective 2: Offer critical resources and referrals Corps participants received referrals to critical wrap-around services such as housing, medical care, and criminal record expungement. WCH provided resources, mentorship, and referrals to Apprenticeship students/graduates and incubator farmers. Apprenticeship students completed crop plans, evaluated by the instructor against a rubric that emphasized feasibility, planned markets, yield, and estimated income. 23 Apprenticeship graduates chose to enroll in the Sunshine Enterprises business course. Participants learned about budgeting, marketing, bookkeeping, cash flow, pricing strategies, and credit building. They also received individualized coaching on these aspects of their business. 20 incubator farmers (11 farm businesses) operated at WCH's Legends Farm, including seven businesses owned by Corps graduates. Incubator farmers submitted crop plans, receiving input from WCH staff and the farm business consultant, Olivia Tincani & Co. Tincani also provided ten hours of workshops and ten hours of one-on-one technical assistance. Incubators also met monthly with WCH staff, participated in monthly field walks, and received assistance accessing market channels. Objective 3: Provide industry-recognized farm and food safety training All Apprenticeship and Corps participants received WCH's standard farm and food safety training as set forth in the proposal. Corps participants were offered the ServSafe Food Handler's certification and 75 completed it successfully, offering a useful transferrable credential. The Produce Safety Rule training had to be canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19, but was offered again in 2022 and 2023 to 75 incubator farmers, WCH staff, and others. Objective 4: Increase access to fresh, high-quality produce in the Chicago region All WCH trainees and incubators grow produce for sale in the Chicago region. The program's headquarters, the Farm on Ogden, is situated in a part of the city with few grocery stores and sells fresh produce below market rate. WCH also sells produce to wholesale partners to earn revenue to sustain the program. Over the three-year project, 401,961 pounds of fresh produce was distributed in food-insecure communities, a significant portion grown by WCH trainees.
Publications
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Progress 09/15/21 to 09/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience: Audience Emphasis African American Hispanic or Latino Limited resource producers Small farms Urban producers Participants Served Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: Total Number of Participants: 182 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Started Farming: Target - 11, Actual - 20 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 144, Actual - 120 Improved farming success: Target - 405, Actual - 57 During the report period, the project targeted socially disadvantaged and limited resource farmers in sustainable urban agriculture training and entrepreneurship development, engaging a total of 82 individuals. The Apprenticeship program enrolled 23 individuals, 22 of whom were socially disadvantaged (96%). Nine (39%) identified as Black, 6 (26%) as Latinx/Hispanic, 6 (26%) as multiracial, 1 (4.5%) as Asian-American, and 1 (4.5%) as White. Twenty (87%) were considered limited resource farmers based on income. Twenty-nine individuals participated in the Corps program; 21 (72.5%) identified as Black/African American, 5 (17%) as Latinx, 1 (3.5%) as multiracial, 1 (3.5%) as White, and 1 (3.5%) as Other. Twenty-five (86%) had a history of justice involvement and 100% were considered limited resource based on income. Seven farmers participated in the incubator program, six returning from the prior year, including 5 (71%) who were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). A total of 23 participants completed industry-specific short courses and workshops. Demographics were not collected for these participants during the report period. Though not directly funded by the BFRDP grant, 2,021 individuals benefitted from the "VeggieRx" produce prescription program. Windy City Harvest (WCH) worked with five healthcare partners during the reporting period--Lawndale Christian Health Center, Loyola University Health System, PCC Austin and Salud Wellness Centers, and Esperanza Health Center--to identify patients with diet-related disease and channel them into VeggieRx. Each participant received a weekly free box of produce, simple recipes to prepare it, nutrition and cooking education, and half-off coupons at WCH and partnering farm stands to purchase additional produce. This year, WCH partnered with an incubator farmer to run farm stands at two VeggieRx sites, in part using produce purchased from other incubator farmers. By offering this opportunity to incubators, WCH is providing a consistent weekly market for their produce and an opportunity to diversify their revenue streams. Changes/Problems:COVID's ongoing impact continued to have adverse effects on program participants. Exacerbated financial and personal challenges led to slightly lower than typical completion rates for Corps and Apprenticeship. WCH also implemented new application review criteria in 2022 that gave higher weight to applicants without college experience. The intensive expectations of the program can be a challenge for these individuals, and may have been a contributing factor. Nevertheless, in 2022 both programs remained 10% or less short of their completion rate goals. In addition, the resignation of the Corps manager during the recruitment period for the first Corps cohort and staff transitions at recruitment partner organizations led to moderately lower than expected enrollment. In 2021 and 2022, due to turnover and remote work, partner organization staff had far less contact with constituents and with WCH. Many partners retained remote work in 2022, and have not yet rebuilt the in-person interactions and relationships with constituents, impacting referrals. WCH staff is focused deepening relationships with referral partners to ensure a steady stream of candidates who are a good fit for the program. Those partners include social service providers that work with formerly incarcerated populations such as UCAN, Lawndale Legal Aid, Safer Foundation, Enlace, and others. In 2022 WCH worked to re-engage these partners, hosting a Corps information session in January and meeting with partners individually. WCH has a strong plan for 2023 for active recruitment activities and anticipates meeting its target for the project. This includes weekly in-person information sessions and continuing to reestablish connections with referral partners. WCH has also re-introduced in-person interviews for 2023 program candidates to ensure they understand the demands of the program, remove the barrier of written applications, gauge their interest and readiness, and help determine if it is a good match. Similarly, COVID-19 disruptions and restrictions that led to the cancellation of several industry-specific short courses and workshops in 2021 continued to impact this component during the reporting period. Staff changes and pandemic-related staff reductions were the greatest factor impeding WCH's ability to offer these programs in 2022. WCH made the decision while understaffed to focus on the core parts of the program that provided intensive, high-impact, paid training for long-term participants. This priority also ensured continued paid work opportunities to support individuals who needed support even more during and in the aftermath of the pandemic. In addition, prioritizing core programs over classes ensured that essential-worker farm trainees could continue to grow and distribute much-needed healthy produce in food insecure communities during this time. Currently, WCH is strategically reevaluating its short course and workshop offerings going into 2023. Through participant and employment partner feedback and an examination of related programs offered in the Chicago area (which has changed markedly in recent years), WCH intends to identify the greatest needs and interests, and where there are gaps and opportunities for relevant education. This year WCH also implemented strategic changes to its staffing structure to address these issues. WCH developed a new Community Education Manager, whose responsibilities include the development of workshops and short courses and oversight of WCH's Youth Farm program. WCH also added a new Corps Coordinator position, hiring a former Corps participant and crew leader in August 2021. The coordinator serves as a mentor, supports community outreach and partner relationship building, and allows the Workforce Development Manager to focus more on supporting Corps and Apprenticeship participants and graduates in job readiness skills and connecting them to referrals and resources. COVID REPORTING (Numbers Correspond to COVID-19 Proposal Objectives) During the reporting period, COVID supplemental funding was used to partially support key staff positions, including the Project Director, Co Project Director, Small Farm Business Manager, Apprenticeship Instructor, and a small amount for the farm business consultant, and 10% indirect costs. Apprenticeship Instructor Paul Krysik was promoted to Director of Strategic Initiatives, but continued to fulfil his instructional duties through the end of the report period. Similarly, Small Farm Business Manger Rosario Maldonado was promoted to Interim Senior Director of Operations during the report period, but continued to fulfill her duties related to the incubator. Searches are currently in progress for both open positions. 1. A full-time data strategist was hired in 2022 to continue implementing the data management system (DMS), introduced in 2021, for all WCH programs. Among many enhancements in 2022, highlights include: Apprenticeship and Corps modules were launched and historical data were imported, enabling year-on-year tracking and historical data analysis; Integration of online application and survey data directly into participant records; Program staff received basic DMS training and used it to track participation and other data; Corps crew leaders trained to use the DMS to streamline and automate tracking of participant progress. 2. A key lesson has been recognizing the barriers online learning can present for program participants, many of whom lack experience with it. WCH sees ongoing benefits to supplementing in-person learning with virtual resources; student feedback also indicates a preference for this. Efforts to address the technology barrier are described in Objective 4. At the same time, operating through the pandemic has reinforced the importance of in-person learning. Staff felt the need to rely on virtual learning in 2021 diminished the community of practice and support structure at the heart of WCH programs. With increased in-person programming in 2022, WCH saw signs of higher engagement such as strong Corps graduate interest in the Apprenticeship program and increased apprentice enrollment in the community business academy. Staff credit this to a stronger community of support between students and staff and among students. WCH expects this to continue in 2023 as referral partners re-establish in-person relations with their constituents. Students with this additional partner organization support often have the most potential to progress through WCH's continuum of opportunity. 3. No new farm businesses participated in Group GAP certification during the reporting period. However, the two businesses reported last year successfully completed their annual certification renewal. 4. Staff learned that technology can be a major barrier for participants and are committed to ongoing tech training. Through project Year 2, all participants (67 Corps and 44 Apprenticeship) received technology training and personalized support. This was incorporated into the Apprenticeship curriculum during study halls, including training in the Brightspace virtual classroom platform and other online resources used by program partner Chicago City Colleges. Brightspace houses resources including a gradebook, syllabus, homework assignments, and pre-recorded instructional videos. WCH also revised the Apprenticeship skills self-evaluation in 2022, providing improved personalized support by helping apprentices better track, evaluate, and plan future farm skill training. Data is also now incorporated into the DMS to aid in reporting and analysis. Corps participants received personalized training during Friday Job Club meetings. Corps members who accepted production assistant positions received personalized mentoring and weekly study hall training in the winter months before the beginning of Apprenticeship. 5. 72% of Corps participants (goal: 80%) and 70% of Apprenticeship participants (goal: 75%) completed the program in 2022. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Total Meetings: 61 Total Meeting Participants: 1648 Total Webinars: 19 Total Webinar Participants: 212 Total Website Visits: 60318 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings 3/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 81 1/27/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 21 1/26/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 21 11/7/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 35 2/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 2/17/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 9/8/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 2/11/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 2/18/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 2 2/12/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 6/16/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 5/21/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 1/14/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 25 5/5/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 33 5/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 2/17/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/26/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 28 6/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 6/23/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 6/30/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 6/16/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 2/4/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 2/4/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 25 2/3/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 50 12/3/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 6/23/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 8/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 19 8/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 19 1/13/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 59 1/28/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 53 2/5/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 44 9/14/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 12 9/14/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 30 9/13/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 9/2/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 8/29/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 8/27/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 12 8/22/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 26 8/16/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 8/2/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 7 6/30/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 17 6/28/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 100 5/31/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 140 5/26/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/23/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/20/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 5/16/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 4/20/2022: Chicago , IL -- Number of Attendees 45 3/2/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 8 3/1/2022: Chicago , IL -- Number of Attendees 19 2/26/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 2/23/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 2/12/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 2/3/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 2/3/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 1/31/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 4 1/18/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 8 1/18/2022: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 68 12/8/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 155 10/1/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 9/15/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 129 Webinars 6/7/2021: Number of Attendees 50 11/10/2021: Number of Attendees 1 1/28/2021: Number of Attendees 13 12/9/2020: Number of Attendees 2 10/21/2020: Number of Attendees 20 4/6/2022: Number of Attendees 7 3/30/2022: Number of Attendees 7 3/17/2022: Number of Attendees 8 3/16/2022: Number of Attendees 4 3/9/2022: Number of Attendees 6 2/9/2022: Number of Attendees 5 12/14/2021: Number of Attendees 4 11/30/2021: Number of Attendees 6 11/17/2021: Number of Attendees 6 9/23/2021: Number of Attendees 32 9/16/2021: Number of Attendees 10 10/21/2021: Number of Attendees 9 11/18/2021: Number of Attendees 10 12/16/2021: Number of Attendees 12 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Windy City Harvest Data Infographic partners; funders; community; public at large Corps Information Packet Corps program recruitment partners and prospective participants In June 2022, WCH led a multi-site tour for 100 Midwest Department of Agriculture directors and staff that included WCH's Farm on Ogden headquarters, Legends Farm (primary farm incubator site), and McCormick Place, where WCH manages a 25,000-square-foot rooftop farm. The following month, WCH hosted a booth at an Obama Foundation event where staff shared information and spoke to youth interested in urban agriculture. During the reporting period, WCH led fourvirtual workshops for the U.S. Botanic Gardens as part of ongoing training for public garden staff on WCH's urban agriculture model and best practices. Workshops were held on the following topics: Social Enterprise and Earned Income, Farm Design and Operations, Fundraising for Urban Agriculture Programs, and Program Evaluation for Urban Agriculture Programs. WCH programs and participants--as well as success stories of graduated incubator farmers--have received several press mentionsduring the grant period, bringing awareness of WCH's model and outcomes to a broad public audience. This includes features on NBC5 Chicago and WBEZ Chicago and articles in Chicago Health, Block Club Chicago, and the USDA blog. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?- Revisit staff and student input on the 2022 program and adjust curricula - Implement sustainable urban agriculture workshops and training - Integrate basic skills and career assessments into the Corps curriculum, emphasizing familiarity with job readiness skills - Connect with recruitment partners for the Corps program to ensure that participants are a good fit for agricultural work and able to commit to workplace expectations - Deliver Produce Safety Rule training - Advertise the Apprenticeship, Corps, certificates, and incubator and recruit participants. Meet with community partners to promote the programs - Support applicants through recruitment process (i.e., information sessions, application, work shadow day, reference check, interview) - Select participants for Apprentices and Corps - Deliver nine-month Apprenticeship certificate program - Deliver 13-week Corps transitional jobs - Connect current Apprentices to Incubator (i.e., host panel of current Incubators, host information session for Community Business Academy, host work days at Incubator farm) - Incubate small farm businesses - Provide resources and referrals to incubators, including the business consultant, access to markets, and connections with landowners - Grow and distribute fresh produce in food-insecure communities - Assist program graduates with job readiness and job placement - Evaluate program effectiveness
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Result 1. Individuals complete the 9-month Apprenticeship program Producer action: Develop; Topic: Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships When measured: Grades three times per cohort, weekly assessments Estimated Number: 54; Actual Number: 49 How verified: Attendance. Formative/summative assessments. Capstone project. Educational work experience feedback. Result 2. Returning citizens are hired into the Corps transitional jobs program Producer action: Understand; Topic: Urban farming When measured: Individualized employment plans (IEP) twice per cohort, weekly assessments Estimated Number: 90; Actual Number: 67 How verified: # of workers enrolled; work performance; completion of IEP. Result 3. Individuals receive continuing farm education through industry-specific courses and workshops Producer action: Develop; Topic: Value-added enterprises When measured: Once per course. Estimated Number: 390; Actual Number: 44 How verified: Enrollment and participation; evaluation results; course completion. Result 4. Apprenticeship and Corps graduates are placed in jobs Producer action: Implement; Topic: Labor supply, recruitment, and retention When measured: 6 months post-graduation (Apprenticeship), twice annually (Corps) Estimated Number: 100; Actual Number: 56 How verified: Post-program communication with participants and employers; Equifax. Result 5. Crop plans are completed by pairs of Apprenticeship students Producer action: Implement; Topic: Marketing plans and strategies When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 27; Actual Number: 21 How verified: # of crop plans completed. Result 6. Individuals complete a 14-week business class. Producer action: Implement; Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 15; Actual Number: 13 How verified: Participation, assignment, assessment, and final project grades; instructor/participant feedback. Result 7. Beginning and advanced farm businesses participate in the incubator program. Producer action: Implement; Topic: Access to land When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 8; Actual Number: 8 How verified: # of farm businesses operating; pounds of produce grown, sold, donated. Result 8. Small farm business owners receive farm-specific business and risk-management training and support Producer action: Implement; Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 8; Actual Number: 17 How verified: # participants in technical assistance; # farmers receiving professional development stipends. Result 9. Enhanced business plans are created by advanced incubator farm businesses Producer action: Implement; Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 6; Actual Number: 6 How verified: Successful business plan completion; evaluation of plan by WCH staff. Result 10. Graduated incubator farm businesses are matched to land Producer action: Implement; Topic: Asset management, including leasing and renting When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 3; Actual Number: 7 How verified: # of incubator graduates entering land use agreements/farming on partner land. Result 11. WCH hosts land match event connecting farmers and landowners. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Marketing plans and strategies When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 1, Actual Number: 1 How verified: # of events hosted; number of participants attending land match event. Result 12. WCH market channels are accessed by incubator farmers and potentially by other farms in the region Producer action: Implement, Topic: Local, regional, and direct marketing When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 8, Actual Number: 7 How verified: # farmers accessing WCH markets; # of market channels utilized by farmers. Result 13. Individuals are trained in farm/food safety Producer action: Decide, Topic: Food safety liability When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 144, Actual Number: 185 How verified: # of WCH trainees who attend and complete farm/food safety training. Result 14. WCH staff, incubator farmers, and others are trained in the FDA Produce Safety rule Producer action: Implement, Topic: Food safety liability When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 40 How verified: # WCH staff and farmers who complete Produce Safety Rule training. Result 15. Corps participants complete ServSafe training Producer action: Implement, Topic: Food safety liability When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 45, Actual Number: 53 How verified: # Corps trainees who complete ServSafe training and earn a certificate. Objective 1: Develop beginning farmers' skills in sustainable urban agriculture The Corps transitional jobs program began the first of three 13-week cohorts in April; in 2022, 29 participants were enrolled, with 21 completing the program. Each participant completed an individualized employment plan to identify career goals aligned to their skills and experience. Corps trainees honed farming and food handling/distribution skills through paid hands-on work experience mentored by trained crew leaders. A weekly Job Club offered help applying for jobs. Five Corps graduates accepted production assistant roles, providing continued paid urban agriculture work. The Apprenticeship program began in January with 23 participants; 16 completed the program, including three Corps alumni. After using a blended model in Year 1 due to COVID-19, the program was delivered in-person this year. After six months of experiential training, trainees engaged in 12-week paid work experiences at WCH farm sites and the Garden's Glencoe campus. Objective 2: Offer critical resources and referrals Corps participants received referrals to critical wrap-around services such as housing, medical care, and criminal record expungement. WCH provided resources, mentorship, and referrals to Apprenticeship students/graduates and incubator farmers during the report period. Apprenticeship students completed crop plans, evaluated by the instructor against a rubric that emphasized feasibility, planned markets, yield, and estimated income. Eleven Apprenticeship graduates chose to enroll in the Sunshine Enterprises business course. Participants learned about budgeting, marketing, bookkeeping, cash flow, pricing strategies, and credit building. They also received individualized coaching on these aspects of their business. Seven incubator farmers (four farm businesses) operated at WCH's Legends Farm in 2021, including two businesses owned by Corps graduates. Incubator farmers submitted crop plans, receiving input from WCH staff and the farm business consultant, Olivia Tincani & Co. Tincani also provided ten hours of workshops and ten hours of one-on-one technical assistance. The incubators also met monthly with WCH staff, participated in monthly field walks, and received assistance accessing market channels. Objective 3: Provide industry-recognized farm and food safety training During the report period, all Apprenticeship and Corps participants received WCH's standard farm and food safety training as set forth in the proposal. Corps participants were offered the ServSafe Food Handler's certification, and 96% successfully completed the training, offering a useful transferrable credential. WCH was again able to deliver the Produce Safety Rule training in 2022; 40 incubator farmers, WCH staff, and others received the training, which had to be canceled in 2021. Objective 4: Increase access to fresh, high-quality produce in the Chicago region All WCH trainees and incubator farmers grow fruits and vegetables for sale in the Chicago region. The program's headquarters, the Farm on Ogden, is situated in a part of the city with few grocery stores and sells locally- and regionally-grown produce below the market rate. WCH also sells produce to wholesale partners, particularly Midwest Foods, to earn revenue to sustain the program.
Publications
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Progress 09/15/20 to 09/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience: African American Hispanic or Latino Limited resource producers Small farms Urban producers Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: Total Number of Participants: 105 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Started farming: Target - 11, Actual - 13 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 144, Actual - 71 Improved farming success: Target - 405, Actual - 26 During the report period, the project targeted socially disadvantaged and limited resource farmers in sustainable urban agriculture training and entrepreneurship development, engaging a total of 105 individuals. The Apprenticeship program graduated 33 individuals, 24 of whom were socially disadvantaged (73%). Thirteen (39%) identified as Black, 8 (24%) as Latinx, and 9 (27%) as White, and 3 (9%) as Asian-American. Fifteen (79%) were considered limited resource farmers, based on income. Thirty-eight individuals participated in the Corps program; 31 (82%) identified as Black/African American, 3 (8%) as Latinx/Hispanic, 4 (13%) as White/Caucasian. All 38 had a history of justice involvement and were considered limited resource, based on income. Eleven farmers participated in the incubator program, including 10 (91%) who were Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. A total of 21 participants completed industry-specific short courses. Demographics were not collected for these participants during the report period. Though not directly funded by the BFRDP grant, 2,181 individuals benefitted from the "VeggieRx" program. WC worked with five healthcare partners--the Lawndale Christian Health Center, Loyola University Health System, PCC Austin and Salud Wellness Centers, and Esperanza Health Center--to identify patients with diet-related disease and channel them into VeggieRx. Each participant received a 30-minute nutrition education lesson and cooking demonstration, as well as a free box of produce, simple recipes to prepare it, and coupons for discounts at WCH and partnering farm stands. For the first time this year, an incubator farmer provided farm stands for PCC Wellness Center patients, providing an opportunity for a beginning farmer business to establish a direct-to-consumer market. Changes/Problems:The primary challenges to the project have all been related to COVID-19 disruptions. The pandemic led to cancellations of several industry-specific courses, either for reasons of safety or reduced demand for in-person courses. As pandemic conditions eased, Windy City Harvest was able to offer three courses during the grant period, though some offerings were canceled, likely because participants remain cautious about attending in-person events. In 2022, staff will reassess opportunities for industry-specific courses, with relation to ongoing pandemic conditions. The Produce Safety Rule trainings, typically delivered in partnership with University of Illinois Extension, were also canceled. Staff plan to resume this offering in 2022. Another pandemic-related challenge was recruitment for the Corps program. Traditionally, staff rely on referrals from social service agencies and other community partners that understand the work environment and goals of the Corps program, and identify candidates accordingly. As they did in 2020, many of these partners are engaging with participants remotely, making less regular contact with their clients and sending fewer referrals. The nationwide worker shortage seems to have impacted recruitment as well. The program successfully enrolled 30 participants, with many learning about the program from Corps alumni. Though the majority of these participants were a good fit for the program, staff found these word-of-mouth referrals were not as prepared for workplace expectations as those referred by social service agencies and other partners, and the program experienced a higher rate of attrition than previous years. In 2022, the program manager and Project Director will deepen connections with recruitment partners, particularly those in the same community Windy City Harvest's headquarters. Those partners include social service providers that work with formerly incarcerated populations, such as UCAN, Near West American Job Center, Lawndale Legal Aid, Safer Foundation, Enlace. In general staff will begin recruitment earlier and commit more time to the process in order to assure that Corps participants are a good fit for the program and poised for success. PROGRESS ON COVID-19 RELIEF AND RESPONSE OBJECTIVES (Numbers Correspond to COVID-19 Proposal Objectives) 1. Seizing a critical strategic objective to modernize technology, workflow, and staff capability, Windy City Harvest introduced a robust data management system (DMS) into its operations in 2021. The DMS was developed to collect, manage, and report on participant data associated with core programming. Systems and staff are now in place to track Corps and Apprenticeship data. A data analyst oversaw DMS development, data integration, and analytics, and will continue to build out the new system to meet evaluation and reporting needs for all Windy City Harvest programs. 2. In response to Apprenticeship participant input about the transition to virtual learning in 2020, the instructor identified and implemented an e-learning platform, Brightspace, for use in the blended program in 2021. Students found the resource accessible and user-friendly, and the instructor provided additional assistance with the technology as needed (see objective 4). Staff also hired a delivery driver, who picked up produce from incubators and delivered it to Farm on Ogden for aggregation into Windy City Harvest channels on a regular schedule. 3. During the report period, two incubator farm businesses, One Family Farmed and Chicago Urban Farm Solutions, completed the Group GAP certification process through Windy City Harvest. 4. During COVID-19, virtual and hybrid recruitment and instruction revealed a need to enhance technology training for participants. Staff plan to integrate technology training for Corps participants into the 2022, integrating a basic skills evaluation that includes technology fundamentals. In 2021, the Apprenticeship provided personalized technology support for farmers, as many instructional hours were conducted virtually on the e-learning platforms Brightspace and Loom. The hybrid program consisted of in-person farm labs, live Zoom discussions, and asynchronous material, including recorded lectures, readings, written assignments, worksheets, video resources, discussion boards, and quizzes. The instructor supported students through academic and technological training, and provided assistance navigating the Chicago City Colleges loaner laptop and mobile hotspot program. Staff also provided mentorship with class technology needs through videos on Brightspace navigation and Excel work, and instructor office hours for one-on-one assistance. 5. 67% of Corps participants and 90% of Apprenticeship participants completed the program in 2021. Changes to recruitment for the Corps program, the result of COVID-19 disruptions, impacted retention in the program (see above). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Total Meetings: 31 Total Meeting Participants: 696 Total Webinars: 5 Total Webinar Participants: 86 Total Website Visits: 0 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings 3/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 81 1/27/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 21 1/26/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 21 11/7/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 35 2/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 5 2/17/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 9/8/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 2/11/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 2/18/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 2 2/12/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 6 6/16/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 5/21/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 1/14/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 25 5/5/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 33 5/10/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 1 2/17/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 11 5/26/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 28 6/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 6/23/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 24 6/30/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 6/16/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 20 2/4/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 3 2/4/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 25 2/3/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 50 12/3/2020: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 15 6/23/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 10 8/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 19 8/2/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 19 1/13/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 59 1/28/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 53 2/5/2021: Chicago, IL -- Number of Attendees 44 Webinars 6/7/2021: Number of Attendees 50 11/10/2021: Number of Attendees 1 1/28/2021: Number of Attendees 13 12/9/2020: Number of Attendees 2 10/21/2020: Number of Attendees 20 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?STEPS FOR NEXT REPORT PERIOD Revisit staff and student input on the 2021 program and adjust curricula Implement industry-specific certificate programs Integrate basic skills assessments and training into the Corps curriculum, emphasizing familiarity with workplace technologies Connect with recruitment partners for the Corps program to ensure that participants are a good fit for agricultural work and able to commit to workplace expectations Connect with partners to assess feasibility of delivering Produce Safety Rule training in 2022 Advertise the Apprenticeship, Corps, certificates, and incubator and recruit participants Deliver nine-month Apprenticeship certificate program Deliver 14-week Corps transitional jobs Deliver industry-specific certificate classes Incubate small farm businesses Provide resources and referrals to incubators, including the business consultant, access to markets, and connections with land owners Grow and distribute fresh produce in food-insecure communities Assist program graduates with job placement Evaluate program effectiveness
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Result 1. Individuals complete the 9-month Apprenticeship program Producer action: Develop, Topic: Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships When measured: Grades three times per cohort, weekly assessments Estimated Number: 54, Actual Number: 33 How verified: Attendance. Formative/summative assessments. Capstone project. Educational work experience feedback. Result 2. Returning citizens are hired into the Corps transitional jobs program Producer action: Understand, Topic: Urban farming When measured: Individualized employment plans (IEP) twice per cohort, weekly assessments Estimated Number: 90, Actual Number: 38 How verified: # of workers enrolled; work performance; completion of IEP. Result 3. Individuals receive continuing farm education through industry-specific courses and workshops Producer action: Develop, Topic: Value-added enterprises When measured: Once per course. Estimated Number: 390, Actual Number: 21 How verified: Enrollment and participation; evaluation results; course completion. Result 4. Apprenticeship and Corps graduates are placed in jobs Producer action: Implement, Topic: Labor supply, recruitment, and retention When measured: 6 months post-graduation (Apprenticeship), twice annually (Corps) Estimated Number: 100, Actual Number: 23 How verified: Post-program communication with participants and employers; Equifax. Result 5. Crop plans are completed by pairs of Apprenticeship students Producer action: Implement, Topic: Marketing plans and strategies When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 27, Actual Number: 15 How verified: # of crop plans completed. Result 6. Individuals complete a 14-week business class. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 15, Actual Number: 5 How verified: Participation, assignment, assessment, and final project grades; instructor/participant feedback. Result 7. Beginning and advanced farm businesses participate in the incubator program. Producer action: Implement, Topic: Access to land When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 8, Actual Number: 7 How verified: # of farm businesses operating; pounds of produce grown, sold, donated. Result 8. Small farm business owners receive farm-specific business and risk-management training and support Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 8, Actual Number: 11 How verified: # participants in technical assistance; # farmers receiving professional development stipends. Result 9. Enhanced business plans are created by advanced incubator farm businesses Producer action: Implement, Topic: Business and strategic planning When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 6, Actual Number: 2 How verified: Successful business plan completion; evaluation of plan by WCH staff. Result 10. Graduated incubator farm businesses are matched to land Producer action: Implement, Topic: Asset management, including leasing and renting When measured: Once annually. Estimated Number: 3, Actual Number: 2 How verified: # of incubator graduates entering land use agreements/farming on partner land. Objective 1: Develop beginning farmers' skills in sustainable urban agriculture. The 2021 Corps and Apprenticeship programs were delivered as proposed. Corpsbegan in April 2021 and enrolled 30 participants; 20 individuals completed the program. Each Corps participant completed an individualized employment plan (IEP), which identified career goals aligned to their skills and experience, as well as referrals to wrap-around services such as housing, medical care, and criminal record expungement. Corps participants honed skills related indoor and outdoor farming, sanitization and food safety, and packing/inventory. A weekly job club offered help applying for jobs. This year, four Corps graduates accepted production assistant roles, which provided support for those interested in continuing into the Apprenticeship program. The Apprenticeship began in January with 21 participants; 19 completed the program, including five Corps alumni. The program began the year as a blended model, with combining virtual lessons with opportunities for engagement and hands-on farm work. As COVID restrictions eased, in-person class meetings resumed mid-June. During the fall term, students were placed in paid work experiences (PWEs) at Windy City Harvest sites. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Windy City Harvest was unable to provide PWEs at partner organizations, as it has in previous years. Three single-day intensive courses were delivered during the grant period. A cold season growing course was offered in October 2020; students learned the fundamentals of season-extension techniques for use in the Upper Midwest and other temperate climates. Two youth farming facilitator trainings were delivered during the grant period--in November 2020 and May 2021--teaching participants the fundamentals of engaging youth in urban agriculture programming. Objective 2: Offer critical resources and referrals. Windy City Harvest provided resources, mentorship, and referrals to Apprenticeship students and graduates, and incubator farmers during the report period. Apprenticeship students completed and presented a crop plan. The Apprenticeship instructor provided feedback on the crop plans against a rubric that emphasized the feasibility of the crop plan, planned markets, yield, and estimated income. Five Apprenticeship graduates chose to continue into the business course, offered in partnership with Sunshine Enterprises. The course was chosen to replace the YWCA course because of its' focus on socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Participants learned about budgeting, marketing, bookkeeping, cash flow, pricing strategies, and credit building alongside other aspiring business owners. They also received individualized coaching on these aspects of their business. Seven incubator farm businesses operated at Windy City Harvest's Legends Farm in 2021, including four founded or owned by graduates of the Corps program. Incubator farmers submitted a crop plan, receiving input from Windy City Harvest staff and the farm business consultant, Olivia Tincani & Co., prior to the start of the growing season. Tincani also provided ten hours of workshops and ten hours of one-on-one technical assistance. The incubators also met monthly with Windy City Harvest staff, participated in monthly field walks, and received assistance accessing Windy City Harvest market channels. One land match event was held during the report period to connect landowners with current and graduated incubator farmers. Presenters included American Farmland Trust, Prairie Crossing Foundation, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, and Urban Growers Collective. A total of 24 individuals participated in the event. Objective 3: Provide industry-recognized farm and food safety training. During the report period, all participants in the Apprenticeship and Corps programs received Windy City Harvest's standard farm and food safety training as set forth in the proposal. Corps participants were offered the ServSafe Food Handler's certification, and 93% successfully completed the training, offering a useful transferrable credential. Windy City Harvest was unable to deliver the Produce Safety Rule training, which was canceled by the University of Illinois Extension due to COVID-19. Objective 4: Increase access to fresh, high-quality produce in the Chicago region. All Windy City Harvest trainees and incubator farmers grow fruits and vegetables for sale in the Chicago region. The program's headquarters, the Farm on Ogden, is situated in a part of the city with few grocery stores and sells locally- and regionally-grown produce below the market rate. Windy City Harvest also sells produce to wholesale partners, particularly Midwest Foods, to earn revenue to sustain the program.
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