Media Contact: Selina Meiners, (202)734-9376
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2017 – The U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced
support to develop local and self-reliant food systems, such as farm to table enterprises,
which bring nutritious food to low-income communities. This funding is
available through NIFA’s Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program,
authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.
“This
program reaches into neighborhoods across America to improve access to food and
nutriton education, assist community outreach, and empower local farms,” said
NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “These NIFA investments help communities develop
field to fork food systems that provide long-term community solutions.”
The
primary goals of the Community Food
Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFP) are to meet the food needs of
low-income individuals, increase the self-reliance of communities in providing
for their food needs, promote comprehensive responses to local food access,
farm, and nutrition issues, and meet specific state, local, or neighborhood
food and agricultural needs. Grants aim to bring together stakeholders from the
distinct parts of the food system and foster understanding of national food
security trends and how they might improve local food systems.
In
fiscal year 2017, 35 grants totaling $8.6 million were awarded through the CFP
program. They are:
Community Food
Projects
- United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, New London, Connecticut,
$35,000
- Liberty`s Kitchen Inc., New
Orleans, Louisiana, $33,890
- Columbia Center For Urban
Agriculture, Columbia, Missouri, $35,000
- United Way of the Midlands,
Omaha, Nebraska, $34,001
- Center for Rural Affairs,
Lyons, Nebraska, $35,000
- Capital Roots, Troy, New York,
$35,000
- South Carolina Commission for
Minority Affairs, Columbia, South Carolina, $35,000
- People Incorporated of
Virginia, Abingdon, Virginia, $24,078
- Community Action Center,
Pullman, Washington, $35,000
Planning Projects
- Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Sitka,
Alaska, $69,976
- Uncommon Good, Claremont,
California, $400,000
- Community Services Unlimited Inc.,
Los Angeles, California, $400,000
- Project Worthmore, Aurora, Colorado,
$400,000
- Re:Vision International, Denver,
Colorado, $374,935
- LiveWell Colorado, Denver, Colorado,
$130,268
- Nationals Youth Academy, Washington,
D.C., $341,768
- Beaches Emergency Assistance,
Jacksonville Beach, Florida, $276,738
- Tanner Medical Center Inc.,
Carrollton, Georgia, $399,790
- Waimanalo Market Co-op, Waimanalo,
Hawaii, $304,960
- The Kohala Center Inc., Kamuela,
Hawaii, $347,802
- Kentucky Association of Food Banks,
Berea, Kentucky, $400,000
- St. Mary`s Regional Medical Center,
Lewiston, Maine, $400,000
- Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St.
Paul, Minnesota, $396,372
- Springfield Community Gardens,
Springfield, Missouri, $375,000
- Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration,
Brooklyn, New York, $239,140
- Massachusetts Avenue Project,
Buffalo, New York, $389,088
- Lantern Community Services Inc., New
York, New York, $398,200
- High Desert Food & Farm
Alliance, Bend, Oregon, $361,988
- Southside Community Land Trust,
Providence, Rhode Island, $397,939
- International Rescue Committee Inc.,
Dallas, Texas, $374,495
- Richmond City Health District,
Richmond, Virginia, $166,100
- Tricycle Gardens, Richmond,
Virginia, $105,618
- Project GROWS Inc., Staunton,
Virginia, $249,190.00
- Helping Overcome Poverty`s Existence
Inc., Wytheville, Virginia, $240,000
- Action Resources International
Laramie, Wyoming, $398,664
Project
details can be found at the NIFA website.
One of the new projects, the Waimanalo Market Co-op in Waimanalo, Hawaii, will involve connecting local farmers with their communities to provide better access to culturally accepted foods, increasing the number of farmers, and educating citizens about eating healthier by making better food choices.
Since
1996, Community Food Projects have awarded approximately $101 million to
organizations nationwide. Among previously funded projects, the City Schoolyard
Garden, Inc.,
in Charlottesville, Virginia, helps local communities work together to educate
their neighbors about healthy eating and local food choices. These efforts have
created a food system for all citizens, regardless of background or
neighborhood. The Fayette County Community Action Agency, Inc. (FCCAA) is
developing the Republic Food
Enterprise Center (RFEC) in Republic, Pennsylvania, to connect producers and
growers, retailers, and consumers. They also create a support system to develop
sustainable businesses within the food system.
NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance
agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges.
NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term
prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural sciences, visit www.nifa.usda.gov/Impacts, sign up for updates, and follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts.
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