Appalachia Accessible Food Network Susan Beaudry Director of Programs Osteopathic Heritage Foundations Carrie Carson Food Partners Access Coordinator Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet) September 24, 2018 Bring copies of one pager Farm to School Handout

Overview & Partners A collaborative project to accelerate the distribution of local foods into Appalachian Ohio communities by strengthening access, production, and consumption components of a local food value chain, creating availability to healthy food for all

Mission To improve the health and quality of life in the community through education, service and research consistent with our osteopathic heritage. www.osteopathicheritage.org

Funding Approach Strategic, Proactive Grantmaker Focus on Mission-Related Targeted Funding Priorities Request for Proposals and Invitations to Submit Multi-Year Investments

Corresponding rate for non-Appalachian counties was 33.3% In Appalachia extractive industries that create boom and bust economic cycles play a large role Appalachian counties collectively: 39.3% below 200 percent of the poverty level Corresponding rate for non-Appalachian counties was 33.3% Athens has highest rate of food insecure, most of the Appalachian region is not far behind

Poverty is a root cause of food insecurity. Map from Feeding America

Addressing Obesity and Healthy Food Access in Southeast Ohio Impacting Southeastern Ohio History of Project and Partnership Healthy Food Access

Agriculture—one of the most promising opportunities for Appalachia Growing regional and local food systems creates job opportunities, revitalizes local economies, spark entrepreneurial ventures, and strengthen local capacity—leading to increased access to fresh, healthy local foods Agriculture has been names one of the most promising sectors for Appalachia by the Appalachian Regional Commision and others-- This project builds on regional assets to create sustainable, regionally controlled wealth while addressing food access needs for food insecure.

What is a Value Chain? Shared Values Environmental Economic Social Sustainability Overcoming Appalachia’s food insecurity can only be accomplished through collaboration and a systems approach rooted in shared environmental, economic and social values that we call the value chain. Our project strengthens production,processing, and marketing of local foods and distributes them through demand networks, or food access programs in underserved comuunities which I will talk about more further into the presentation. Carrie Picking up here Investing in an affordable and accessible value chain creates consistent supply for healthy and fresh foods in multiple demand networks: Farm to School K-12 programs, Food Pantry & Donation Station Networks and Country Fresh Stop and Small Rural Farmers Markets.

Chesterhill Produce Auction Regional Food hub Creates Morgan County Destination Creates economic infrastructure in Chesterhill Acts as an economic driver Community engagement Serves primary food source for many or our food access projects

Farm and Food Entrepreneur Education Season Creation workshop with Green Edge Organic Gardens GAP Training Squeaky Duck Farm farm stand planning

Buisness Incubation ACEnet assists food businesses with business planning, marketing, regional brand access, financial management, and manages a shared-use kitchen, the Food Ventures Center.

Community Kitchen Athens Food Venture Center Kitchen equipment Thermal Processing Room Warehouse storage, cooler and freezer space Expanded processing space in Nelsonville Farm and Food Enterprise Center– value added meat and produce CASA Dutch Creek straining mead Vino de Milo?

Farm to School Serving 6 districts, 13 schools Almost 6,000 students reached More that 15,000 servings of local fruits and vegetables in 2017 $7,000 dollars invested in local farmers in 2017

Country Fresh Stops 9 locations in underserved communities Partnership with store owners and institutions Also a marketing strategy Shrivers Pharmacy, L&S Drive Thru Camden Clark Medical Center O’Bleness Hospital

Connecting local food system w/ emergency food providers More than 40 pantries in six counties served Only source of local foods for pantries in region More than $6,000 invested in local food system

Results 5,154 students served 15,188 servings of fresh local produce in 6 school districts 9 retail and institutional partnerships formed in Country Fresh Stop Program Over 90,000 pounds of local produce distributed to more than 40 food pantries and agencies through Donation Station Expansion of markets for 150 farmers at the Chesterhill Produce Auction Construction of new meat and produce processing space in Nelsonville Food Hub