This Project Grant award, valued at $18,710,533, was provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CFDA 66.616). The goal is to reduce food waste, increase food donations, and expand community composting capabilities in five Rhode Island communities: Providence, Pawtucket, Newport, Middletown, and Central Falls.
The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC), along with project partner Groundwork RI, will deliver technical assistance to schools and businesses, train community members in gardening and composting, establish new composting sites, and expand assistance to local schools and community gardens. The project aims to create workforce development opportunities, build community engagement on environmental issues, support food recovery and waste diversion, and generate a local circular economy. Key activities include establishing a community advisory board, training 146 peer educators to reach 1,500 community members, constructing 9 compost sites and 37 food waste collection stations, building or upgrading 26 school and community gardens, and enrolling 343 businesses, schools, and farms in surplus food donation programs. As a subrecipient, the Town of Middletown will support the project's goals within their municipality.