No Child Goes, Hungry, Inc. (NCGH) is pleased to provide a $1,000 grant to the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, a non-profit organization located in the Hudson Valley region of New York State. Its mission is to cultivate a collaborative community that provides equitable access to nutritious food via a just and resilient food system. Grant funds will be used to support the organization’s Food Share program, a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides low-income families with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares of farm produce.
“The grant No Child Goes Hungry gave us will support our community organization with the on-the-ground work required to tackle local food insecurity,” said Poughkeepsie Farm Project Grant Manager Callie Mackenzie. “We are actively strengthening our Food Share program, which works to eliminate food apartheid and create food sovereignty in Poughkeepsie by distributing fresh, wholesome produce to community members who otherwise would not have access to local food due to social and racial injustice.”
Since 1999, the Poughkeepsie Farm Project has strengthened its food system and enhanced equitable community health outcomes through two primary methods: Improving access to healthy locally grown food and providing education about food, food justice, and sustainable farming. The Poughkeepsie Farm Project achieves this through the use of its member-supported farm, experienced farmers and educators, and a community network of long-held relationships with local emergency food providers and educators and staff in local public school districts.
“A major objective of our Food Share program this year is to continue to provide free or subsidized CSA shares of farm produce to low-income families who want to be part of a community by supporting local agriculture,” said Mackenzie. “Sponsored Share members pay as they can when and only if they can. It enables up to 70 households (190 individuals) to pick up weekly shares (typically between 10 to 20 pounds of produce, depending on household size) of produce through a market-style distribution which allows members to select a variety of well-liked produce and culturally relevant to their household. Each family determines the amount they can pay, with most members contributing around $5 per week, and no sponsored share member is turned away if they cannot pay anything.”
“I’m thrilled to support the amazing work of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project,” said No Child Goes Hungry Founder and Director Kären Rasmussen. “I fervently believe that if we as a society are going to take significant strides in addressing childhood hunger, we must do it with an approach that combines action and education. I am inspired by Poughkeepsie Farm Project’s educational programs that teach youth, educators, and community members where food comes from and why it matters.”
Let’s feed some kids!