NEWS RELEASE
USDA Awards $2.4 Million in Community Food Project Grants to 14 States
Alisa Harrison (202) 720-4623 Maria Bynum (202) 720-5192
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2001--The Agriculture Department announced today that 19 grants totaling $2.4 million have been awarded as part of the Department's Community Food Project's Competitive Grants Program.
"USDA is committed to helping all Americans have access to a healthy and nutritious food supply, regardless of income," said Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman. "These grants invest in community-based programs that increase access to fresher, more nutritious food and promotes better self reliance."
Since its inception in 1996, and including this year's grants, over $12.4 million funded 104 community-based food projects. For more information on previous grants as well as the Community Food Projects Program, visit www.reeusda.gov/crgam/cfp/community.htm.
The Fiscal Year 2001 grant awards are as follows:
ALABAMA--Alabama Rural Heritage Foundation Inc., Thomaston, $125,000 -This project will increase food supplies for youth and seniors in a small, predominantly African American rural community by addressing the availability of fresh produce and the lack of commercial grocery stores. The project will also establish a community garden, residential gardens and a greenhouse and other local, economic development initiatives.
ARIZONA--Pu'tavi Project Inc., Second Mesa, $35,000 - This project will focus on producing a business plan for a community corn grinding enterprise. The grinding business would provide food for household uses and offer on-the-job training and microenterprise opportunities for low?income members of the Hopi Tribe. Tohono O'odham Community Action, Sells, AZ, $135,000 - This project will help to create a culturally appropriate system to revitalize traditional cultural practices and reduce the incidence and severity of diabetes among Tribal members.
CALIFORNIA--Compton Community College Development Foundation, Compton, $215,000 - This project will develop the International Bistro and Healthy Deli as a community college food-based training site for employment and placement of low?income families. The plan is to provide nutritious, ethnic fast food at affordable prices for all populations. San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners, San Francisco, CA, $130,000 - This project will expand the scope and selection of products offered at the Bayview Community Farmers' Market. Outreach will focus on low-income populations, particularly recipients of food stamps and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children.
DELAWARE--Food Bank of Delaware Inc., Newark, $125,000 - The grantee will work in collaboration with Goodwill Industries to use food available in the community to train unemployed persons in basic food preparation skills that will lead to employment and to increase nutrition resources for low-income children and adults.
FLORIDA--North Florida Educational Development Corporation, Gretna, $100,000 - This project will implement the third phase of the Wellsprings Initiative and serve 100 welfare-to-work recipients and farmers with training in food processing and marketing.
HAWAII--Wai'anae Community Re-Development Corp., Wai'anae, $125,000 - This project will expand a youth leadership program on the island of Oahu, based around a youth garden and demonstration organic farm for the production and use of organically grown produce and traditional native cr07/25/2007will advance farming and economic development through community gardens by leasing 30 plots on 21 acres of land to families to learn production and marketing skills. A certified kitchen used for value-added products will be marketed on the Internet.
ILLINOIS--Centro San Bonifacio Inc., Chicago, $130,000 - The project will be a collaborative approach to improving and sustaining household income and community food access of Latino immigrant families in the West Town and Humboldt Park neighborhoods of Chicago.
MAINE--Friends of the Bowdoinham Public Library, Bowdoinham, $22,000 - This project will create a model community approach for food self-reliance in a rural, agricultural town through community and school agriculture education programs, innovative linkages to support locally grown foods and the establishment of a community farmer's market.
MINNESOTA--Youth Farm and Market Project, Minneapolis, $180,000 - This project will give youth the tools to grow and prepare food, empowering them to make healthy food choices, improve low-income people's access to high quality, culturally appropriate food through a youth-centered community food system.
MISSOURI--Putnam County Foundation, Unionville, $80,000 - This project will increase marketing opportunities for farmers living in North Central Missouri.
MISSISSIPPI--Mid-Delta Community Center, Cleveland, $143,500 - This project targets at-risk youth in a very high need area of rural Mississippi. Activities include operation of a 10-acre vegetable farm, classroom and hands-on instruction for youth in agricultural education and nutrition information to promote appropriate food choices for a healthy lifestyle. Mississippi Association of Cooperatives, Jackson, MS, $113,500 - This project will implement a comprehensive community food strategy initiated by a network of community-based cooperatives in Mississippi that will provide high quality, nutritious and affordable food on a regular basis to low-income residents and help sustain limited resource and minority farmers.
NEW MEXICO--Friends of the Santa Fe Farmers' Market Inc., Santa Fe, $182,000 - This project will focus on improving the health and sustainability of small-scale farmers in North Central Mexico and Southern Colorado; children; and low-income individuals and families.
OREGON--Janus Youth Program Inc., Portland, $125,000 - This project will increase food supplies among households in St. John's Woods, a public housing development in North Portland. Activities will include recruiting and organizing the residents to participate in the project, designing and planting garden plots on housing development property and garden construction and maintenance by youth and adult residents.
WISCONSIN--Brown County Task Force on Hunger Inc., Green Bay, $180,000 - This project will help Hmong families in the county to become economically self-sufficient through food system improvements. The project will link Hmong growers with area farmers and landowners and provide training and technical assistance for Hmong farmers and consumers. Council for the Spanish Speaking Inc./Loyola Academy, Milwaukee, WI, $34,000 - This project will provide gardening activities for youth and families through Hispanic neighborhood groups, Loyola Academy and a local magnet school. A greenhouse will be built with assistance from students at the magnet school. |
