Recipient Organization
DEKALB COUNTY COMMUNITY GARDENS, NFP
33600 PEARL ST
KIRKLAND,IL 60146
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The scope of the project will involve fivekey components that will bolster DeKalb County's local food economy infrastructure and advance DeKalb County Community Gardens' vision for a financially self-reliant Community Food Health & Education Center: (1)Expand existing food processing capacity; (2)Expand and enhance food distribution channels; (3)Create a shared-use community kitchen; (4)Expand food-related job training; and (5)Offer wrap-around services.In partnership with Northern Illinois University, the City of DeKalb, other local governmental entities, New Venture Advisors, and residents of the Annie Glidden North neighborhood, DeKalb County Community Gardens will plan, implement, and evaluate the project over a four-year period. As a result, the project will demonstrate a three-fold long-term positive impact on the community: (1) address the short-term food needs of low-income individuals throughout the county; (2) increase the county's self-reliance to address the food needs of DeKalb County communities; and (3) build demand for local food to sustain self-reliance indefinitely. Evaluation results will be available as a resource to other communities.
Animal Health Component
30%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
30%
Developmental
10%
Goals / Objectives
The overarching goal of the project is to bolster DeKalb County's local food economy infrastructure. The scope of the project will involve fivekey components and will advance DCCG's vision for a financially self-reliant Food Health & Education Center, resulting in long-term positive impact on the community.COMPONENT 1 - Expand Processing CapacityObjective 1.1. By November 1, 2023, establish the Year 1 baseline for number of pounds of food processed.Objective 1.2. By end of Year 2, increase the number of pounds of food processed by 20% over the Year 1 baseline; by end of Year 4, increase by 40% over Year 1 baseline.COMPONENT 2 - Expand & Enhance Distribution ChannelsObjective 2.1. By end of Year 2, establish seven new distribution channels.COMPONENT 3 - Create a Shared-Use Commercial KitchenObjective 3.1. By end of Year 2, rent kitchen space for an average of four hours per day; by end of Year 3, 8 hours per day; by end of Year 4, 12 hours per day.Objective 3.2. By end of Year 2, house 6 new food-related businesses (FRBs); by end of Year 3, 10 new FRBs;? by end of Year 4, 14 new FRBs.COMPONENT 4 - Expand Job TrainingObjective 4.1. 100% of new FRB owners will complete business owner training within 60 days of executing kitchen use contract.Objective 4.2. By end of Year 2, offer job training modules to 25 individuals.COMPONENT 5 - Provide Wrap-Around ServicesObjective 5.1. By end of Year 3, offer co-located services from three community-based providers.
Project Methods
Component 1- Expand Processing Capacity. CFP funds will expand DCCG's processing capacity to ensure that all fresh food intended to meet the needs of food-insecure households is distributed (see below). Commercial-grade equipment will increase efficiencies significantly. Furthermore, the 3,000-square-foot processing and aggregation facility will have enough capacity to rent storage space and equipment to food-related businesses as well as to aggregate produce from growers from downstate Illinois, eastern Iowa, and southern Wisconsin. We will contract with New Venture Advisors (NVA) to: develop an operations framework for the processing facility; advise decisions regarding equipment purchases, food storage, and pricing; ensure the facility meets standard industry best practices and local food safety regulations; assess investment costs and potential revenue returns at different scales of production.Component 2- Expand and Enhance Distribution Channels. Increased processing capacity (including freezing) will expand and enhance distribution in three ways: (1) increase the amount of food distributed through existing channels; (2) develop new distribution channels, beginning in DeKalb County and extending beyond county lines in subsequent years; and (3) distribute food year-round. New channels will include wholesale distribution to local companies and institutions as well as retail sales through the CFHEC's indoor/outdoor market, and more. NVAwill develop a price structure, intake process, and outbound order platform to connect local growers and producers with business-to-consumer and business-to-business markets, such as low-income communities seeking equitable access to local foods, households interested purchasing local food, Northern Illinois Food Bank, as well as grocers and other retail outlets, including restaurants and institutional kitchens. Given DeKalb County's proximity to the Chicago metropolitan area and DCCG's leadership in the nascent Illinois Food Systems Collaborative, the potential to reach new markets is quite favorable.Component 3- Create a Shared-Use Commercial Kitchen. Incorporating a commercial-style kitchen into the CFHEC presents opportunities for growth on multiple levels: increased culinary and business skills for training participants (see Component 4); increased access to otherwise cost-prohibitive equipment and space for start-up and small-scale food businesses; space to offer cooking classes and demonstrations to the general public or for food truck vendors to prep for their day; and increased revenues from facility rental for special events. NVAwill provide recommendations for design and use of the physical space, basic equipment needs, programming that incorporates community input, a preliminary operations budget, management tools for facility operations, and more.Component 4- Expand Job Training. DCCG will partner with the culinary arts departments at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and Kishwaukee College to offer classes at the CFHEC. NIU's School of Business will offer courses in starting a food-related business. In addition, NVAwill develop train-the-trainer learning modules for food-related job training and business development. Classes will be open to all persons interested in improving their skills at all levels of experience. Persons who are unemployed or underemployed will be given priority enrollment. DCCG will offer needs-based scholarships as well as sliding-scale course fees based on household income.Component 5- Wrap-Around Services. Providing wrap-around services in one location supports individuals with a range of complex - and often inter-related - needs. To date, DCCG has received commitments from community partners to offer health and mental health care, childcare services, counseling, and job training. In addition, DCCG will pilot the Fresh Restart program with a cohort of local residents interested in overcoming the underlying issues of poverty and inequity that contribute to their food insecurity. Fresh Restart participants will meet with two coaches weekly for 12 weeks and monthly for 15 months.