Its a New Year (January 1st through January 7th)

Hello everyone-

Happy New Year! To keep everyone updated on how the AmeriCorps Farm to Table project is going and to facilitate communication of ideas, I am going to send out a weekly email summarizing progress. This first email will lay out the goals of the project and the progress that has been made so far.

• Develop an interactive database that will be accessible to community partners that tracks relationships between farmers, individuals, institutions, and non-profits.

Progress: Contact information of collaborators and meetings with them has been archived.  

• Use SUNY Delhi and CADI dining services as a working laboratory to develop the best method to facilitate wholesale purchases from farmers.

Progress: CADI has bought produce, meat, and cheese from local farms for special events and everyday dining.

• Increase awareness about the possibility of wholesale purchasing from farmers by contacting and working with Delaware County restaurants, hospitals, Head Start, Senior Meals, Delaware county jail, grocery stores, and other institutions.

Progress: A Farm to Table interest group has been formed on campus. A survey addressing the difficulties of buying locally has been developed and is going to be sent out to restaurants in Delaware County. The intent of the survey is to figure out what restaurants need in order to make buying local easier.

• Conduct research and develop a plan to increase the redemption rate of Farmer’s Market Coupons (in 2009, the redemption rate was 44.7%, in 2008 the rate was 48.9%). Also, educate the community about WIC, Food Stamps, and SNAP benefits to reduce stigma.

            Progress: Working with Amber Tatnall and her Child Growth and  Development class to do a needs-assessment with WIC participants in order to determine the barriers to coupon redemption. 

• Raise awareness about food systems and health at SUNY Delhi and surrounding community through films, speakers, panels, etc.

Progress: SUNY Delhi Food for Thought group sponsored screenings and discussion of the films FOOD, Inc. and FRESH.  The group is planning to have a panel of farmers and local food entrepreneurs in February.

• Connect students to local food by providing community service opportunities where the students volunteer on local farms and at the Food Bank garden.

Progress: Students volunteered at the Food Bank garden on September 11^th National Day of Service.

• Explore other methods to bring local foods to low income families.