Together We Build A Healthier Community

Transcription

1 Together We Build A Healthier Community

2 Food Bank Mission Statement The Food Bank Coalition is the only countywide source of nutritious food for people in need. Working hand in hand with volunteers, donors, corporate sponsors and non-profit agency partners, our mission is to work with a network of community partners to alleviate hunger in San Luis Obispo County and build a healthier community.

3 Community Food Project San Luis Obispo County Produce Project Working together to improve our local food system.

4 The Community Food Project If all the produce that was grown in SLO County stayed local, it would feed each resident 7.5 pounds per day! The Community Food Project creates systems to: Harvest the local bounty, Distribute the produce to low-income residents while Increasing income for local farmers.

5 Local Abundance 78,797 tons (157 million pounds) of produce were harvested in 2011 in SLO County. 1 Approximately 7% of planted crops are not harvested each year. 2 Therefore, approx 11 million pounds of produce are left in fields across SLO County every year.

6 Objectives 1. Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of lowincome communities 2. Increase residents self-reliance through gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, employment training, and food safety and sales workshops 3. Assist small farmers in establishing long-term institutional markets and food processing facilities

7 Objective 1 Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities Community Food Project Grant

8 GleanSLO Program GleanSLO is a program of the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County that connects farmers and backyard growers with volunteers to harvest fruit and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste.

9 Food Bank Coalition Rescuing nature s bounty for the benefit of our community Produce rescued: 22,000 pounds 37,988 pounds 99,165 pounds 212,109 pounds CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

10 Increased Infrastructure Produce Origins Pick-Ups 25,103 Farmers' Market s 30,438 Commercial Gleans 76,619 Privat e Backyard Gleans 76,949 CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

11 Organizational Chart Neighborhood Harvests Neighborhood Harvest Leader Program School Fruit Drives City- Wide Fruit Drives Farmers' Markets Commercial Farms Large Gleans School & Community Group Gleans San Luis Obispo Thursday Market Templeton Saturday Market CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

12 Neighborhood Harvest Leaders Harvest Leaders: Volunteers who receive comprehensive training, Glean neighborhood fruit, Distribute to a nearby food pantry, Build neighborhoods sense of community and fellowship, Require minimal GleanSLO staff oversight. CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

13 Commercial Farms CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

14 Fruit Drives A new, innovative and replicable model to engage students of all ages. Participating schools this spring: Bishop s Peak/Teach Elementary Hawthorne Elementary Pacheco Elementary Bellevue Santa Fe Charter School SLO High School Sinsheimer Elementary Laguna Middle School CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

15 Farmers Markets CFP Objective 1: Expand produce gleans to meet food needs of low-income communities.

16 Objective 2 Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops. Community Food Project Grant

17 Food Bank Coalition SLO Residents of Gryphon Society with limited resources are gaining employment and life skills through an Orchard Apprenticeship program at the Food Bank orchard in See Canyon. CFP Objective 2: Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

18 UC Cooperative Extension California Cooperative Extension is the local link to research, information, and expertise for the University of California. Instead of teaching students in classrooms, Cooperative Extension advisors and staff work directly with people in San Luis Obispo County. Since 1922, when the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors officially established a partnership with CE, we have been part of a nationwide network of educators and scientists who use education to help local people solve problems. CFP Objective 2: Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

19 Partnership Increase children s exposure to local and seasonal produce: CFP Objective 2: Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

20 Food Preservation Workshops Free education for Food Bank recipients about preserving local and seasonal produce: CFP Objective 2:Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

21 Harvest of the Month Features local and seasonal farm fresh foods. Students explore food in tasting activities. Students bring home produce and a recipe, cook with their families then journal, draw or write a poem about their culinary experience. Participating Schools: Oceano Elementary Shandon Elementary Nipomo Elementary CFP Objective 2:Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

22 Farmer Assemblies Farmers will speak to students about the journey of their food from farm to fork. Talley Farms and BeeWench Farms provide experiential learning opportunities through farm visits. UCCE anticipates more than 900 students will participate in assemblies. CFP Objective 2: Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

23 Farm to School Farm to School programs: Promote healthy eating habits and reduce the risk of childhood obesity and other related disorders. Provide children with access to local, healthy, fresh foods. Facilitate education about nutrition, food, and agriculture through experiential learning. Increase school lunch participation and revenues to schools. Potentially open up new markets and increase revenues for farmers. Generate community support and awareness about local food systems and agriculture. CFP Objective 2:Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

24 Collaboration Residents with limited resources who attend Salvation Army distributions will become familiar with local and seasonal fruits and vegetables gleaned from the Farmers Market and learn new ways to cook them. Public Health will help provide education along with GleanSLO and other agencies about new food laws regarding sales of foods produced in home kitchens. CFP Objective 2: Increase residents self-reliance through employment training, gardening and food preservation workshops, education about eating and cooking with produce, and food safety and sales workshops.

25 Objective 3 Assist small farmers in establishing long-term institutional markets and food processing facilities Community Food Project Grant

26 Central Coast Grown Central Coast Grown creates strong connections among farmers, the public and the land to nourish our community, support local agriculture, and make local food products accessible for all. CFP Objective 3: Assist small farmers in establishing long-term institutional markets and food processing facilities.

27 Local Procurement GOAL: At least 2 institutions (minimum of one will be a school district) will initiate or increase local sourcing of produce by 5% and set precedents for other institutions to source locally. RESULT: One institution has verbally committed to increase local procurement by AT LEAST 5%. GOAL: At least 12 county farmers will begin or expand sales to local institutional customers by year 3. RESULT: A planning meeting of stakeholders to increase institutional purchasing is planned for late May. Farmers and institutional representatives will be in attendance. CFP Objective 3: Assist small farmers in establishing long-term institutional markets and food processing facilities.

28 Farmer Assistance Increased ability of farmers to initiate sales, Technical assistance for farmers, creating RFP s, sourcing procedures + Development of a Buy Local Purchasing policy, Annual Farmers meetings = Long-term economic stability for small, local famers, and Thriving local agriculture that contributes jobs and healthy food to community CFP Objective 3: Assist small farmers in establishing long-term institutional markets and food processing facilities.

29 Food Hub and Processing Facility Central Coast Grown, together with members of the SLO County Food System Coalition will work together to create an exploratory working group on the formation of a Food Hub. SLO County Food System Coalition s mission is to promote a sustainable food system that is equitable, profitable, resilient, and health promoting. CFP Objective 3: Assist small farmers in establishing long-term institutional markets and food processing facilities.

30 Results Community Food Project Grant

31 Long Term Results Resulting long term changes for low-income residents will be: Improved health due to increased produce consumption by adults and children; Increased self-sufficiency in meeting food needs; and Increased employment in the agricultural sector. Resulting changes for small farmers will be: New income and expanded markets from gleaning tax credits and institutional customers.

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33 References slofarmbureau.org, Winter Magazine