Project Grant 00A01235

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO UNITED CHARITABLE. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH 11 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO DEVELOP 8 FOOD FORESTS (I.E., DIVERSE ORCHARDS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO MIMIC THE NATURAL ECOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE THE PRODUCTION OF HEALTHY FOOD), PROVIDING BENEFITS SUCH AS IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, WHILE SERVING COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH RATES OF FOOD INSECURITY. THIS PROJECT IS FOCUSED ON CREATING GREATER CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND FOOD SECURITY FOR COMMUNITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE. INFORMATION GATHERED WILL BE SHARED THROUGH A NATION-WIDE NETWORK (I.E., GIVING GROVE) TO REPLICATE BEST PRACTICES IN DEVELOPING THRIVING COMMUNITY FOOD FORESTS ACROSS THE U.S.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ESTABLISHING WORKPLANS FOR TWO REGIONAL COMMUNITY TREE STEWARDS (CTS) AMERICORPS EACH YEAR OF THE PROJECT PERIOD, AND TWO TOTAL COMMUNITY ORCHARD STEWARD (COSA) AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE TO AMERICA (VISTA) SERVICE MEMBERS, AND INTEGRATING THEM INTO THEIR HOST SITES (PROJECT PARTNERS) TO HELP CREATE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND CARE FOR COMMUNITY FRUIT TREES IN THEIR ASSIGNED LOCATION; CONDUCTING PRUNING, TREE CARE, AND PLANTING WORKSHOPS/TRAININGS FOR EXISTING FOOD FORESTS IN THE REGION AS WELL AS IN PREPARATION FOR NEW ONES; PLANTING NEW COMMUNITY FOOD FORESTS AT DESIGNATED PARTNER SITES; DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR AND SUPPORTING ORCHARD CARETAKERS WITHIN PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSURE PROPER ONGOING CARE AND UTILIZATION OF THE FOOD FORESTS; DEMONSTRATING A MODEL FOR COMMUNITY ORCHARD STEWARDSHIP THAT CAN BE REPLICATED NATIONWIDE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GRANTEES' CONNECTION TO THE GIVING GROVE'S NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ORCHARD AFFILIATES.SUBRECIPIENT:EACH YEAR 6 PARTNERS - NIBEZUN, ALAN DAY COMMUNITY GARDEN, PENOBSCOT NATION, WABANAKI PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER, YMCA A-L OUTDOOR LEARNING CENTER, AND INDIAN TOWNSHIP TRIBAL GOVERNMENT - WILL RECEIVE $2,000 ($1,000 IN THE SPRING AND $1,000 IN THE FALL) FOR ORCHARD/FOOD FOREST CARETAKER MAINTENANCE. THE SUBRECIPIENTS WILL USE THESE FUNDS TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY UPKEEP TO THEIR ORCHARD/FOOD FOREST TO MAXIMIZE ITS PRODUCTIVITY WHILE ALSO COMPLETING AN ORCHARD/FOOD FOREST CHECKLIST FOR EACH CORRESPONDING SEASON, PROVIDED BY RETREEUS; A PRODUCTIVITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REPORT FOR EACH CORRESPONDING SEASON, PROVIDED BY RETREEUS; A PRODUCTIVITY REPORT FOR EACH CORRESPONDING SEASON, PROVIDED BY RETREEUS; AND REPORTING ANY ISSUES CONFRONTING THE PROJECT TO RETREEUS STAFF THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE THE DISTRIBUTION AND PLANTING OF 1,870 FRUIT AND NUT TREES FOR THE CREATION OF 8 NEW FOOD FORESTS; DIRECT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR 500+ INDIVIDUALS THROUGH 17 WORKSHOPS/TRAININGS; ESTABLISHING 6 REGIONAL COMMUNITY TREE STEWARDS AND 2 COMMUNITY ORCHARD STEWARD AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE TO AMERICA (VISTA) POSITIONS AND DOCUMENTING BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS TO REPLICATE SUCCESSES BROADLY. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AWARE OF FRUIT AND NUT PRODUCTION; EXPANDED ACCESS TO NATIVE FRUIT AND NUT TREES THAT CAN BE PLANTED AT COMMUNITY MEMBERS' HOMES; INCREASE IN COMMUNITY ORCHARD STEWARDSHIP; 2,891,544 LBS. CO2 SEQUESTERED OVER ORCHARDS' LIFETIME; 584,000 LBS. OF FRUIT HARVESTED ANNUALLY; 1,674,800 LBS. CO2 AVOIDED ANNUALLY VIA LOCAL FRUIT PRODUCTION; 3,734,241 GALLONS OF STORM RUNOFF AVOIDED. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE 9,100 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ANNUALLY PROVIDED WITH INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD IN AREAS FACING FOOD INSECURITY; SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ARE LOCATED WITHIN RURAL AREAS OF MAINE (AUBURN, PORTLAND, NORWAY, PASSADUMKEAG, STARKS, INDIAN ISLAND, INDIAN TOWNSHIP, LEWISTON, MILLINOCKET). AS WELL AS, PROJECT PARTNERS IN THESE AREAS WHO WILL RECEIVE FOOD FORESTS AND/OR ONGOING MAINTENANCE, HARVE