The West Harlem Farm Fresh Produce Anti-Hunger, Anti-Obesity Project

The New York City Coalition Against Hunger – in partnership with the
Hunger Action Network of New York State, the West Harlem Action
Network Against Poverty, and the United Way of New York City – is about
to launch an innovative new project to bring more nutritious food to West
Harlem residents. Seed funding for the project has been provided by the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and additional assistance will be
provided by the federally-funded AmeriCorps National Service Program.

Formally starting in late May 2007, the project will increase the
consumption of fresh, organic, New York State-grown produce in West
Harlem and Morningside Heights, enabling low-income residents to obtain
the produce for free and/or with their food stamp benefits and enabling
other residents to purchase the produce at market rates. This effort will
reduce hunger, promote economic self-sufficiency, improve nutrition, and
limit obesity.

This project is a modified Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
arrangement. In a typical CSA, a “buying club” of consumers pays a local
farmer in advance for an entire season of fresh produce. Each consumer
purchases a stake, or “share” of the season’s product, taking on the
financial risks associated with farming in exchange for a weekly delivery of
extremely fresh, nutritious food that can be consumed in tandem with the
growing season.

Like a typical CSA, this project will provide nutritious, regionally-grown
produce to neighborhood residents. What makes this project
groundbreaking is that it will provide such food in three ways:

1. Local soup kitchens and food pantries will purchase institutionalsized
   shares of produce, which they will then distribute for free to
   their low-income clients. Such purchases will be funded by the New
   York State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program
   (HPNAP) through an arrangement with the United Way of New York
   City.
2. Clients of these charities and other local low-income residents will
   be able to purchase larger, family-sized, shares using federallyfunded
   food stamp benefits. These shares will be purchased in
   advance by the project partners using a revolving loan fund, which
   will be replenished over the course of the season through families
   making weekly food stamps payments. The project will also conduct
   community outreach to enroll people in the Food Stamp Program who
   are eligible but not currently participating.
3. Other neighborhood residents will also be able purchase shares
   using cash.

Get involved! Are you interested in helping us with this innovative project?
To donate resources, volunteer, or obtain produce during the Summer
2007 season, contact jcdwyer@nyccah.org or 212-825-0028 x217.