Connecting Our Region`s Farmers to Low-income Consumers Through A Rural Food Hub

Goal 1: Increase access to healthy, local food products among the predominantly low-income population of our eight-county service area.Outcome A: Through our Chopped Produce Initiative, access to local produce increases among 45,000 students in school districts across the region, 81% of whom are low income.Outcome B: Through What's Growing On, awareness of local, seasonal produce increases among 45,000 students in school districts across the region, with enthusiasm for local produce consumption increasing among 90% of taste test participants at 55 elementary schools and students in 60 classrooms demonstrating increased knowledge of local produce production, health benefits of produce, and the food system.Outcome C: Through the Chopped Produce Initiative, customers of five other institutional cafeterias (e.g. hospitals and daycares) across our 8 county service area have increased access to local food.Outcome D: Through the Chopped Produce Initiative and FoodWorks, customers at
twenty rural corner stores and health clinics make more than 40,000 purchases of previously unavailable, locally-sourced, SNAP-eligible prepared foods.Goal 2: We will strengthen connections among food system stakeholders across our region in order to build improved farm-to-fork supply chains.Outcome A: Through Working Landscapes' food hub and programs, one hundred new sourcing connections are established among supply chain stakeholders in service region.