Project Grant 16VSNIL001

THE MISSION OF THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY IS "PROVIDING FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE WHILE STRIVING TO END HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY." THE ORGANIZATION'S PROPOSED VISTA PROJECT SUPPORTS THIS MISSION IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE (CNCS) FOCUS AREA OF HEALTHY FUTURES. MEMBER ROLES WILL EMPHASIZE HEALTH AND NUTRITION VIA THE FOOD DEPOSITORY'S HUNGER RELIEF INITIATIVES AS WELL AS FOCUSING ON THE ALLEVIATION OF CHILDHOOD HUNGER THROUGH THE PROVISION OF SCHOOL BREAKFAST. THE VISTA PROJECT WILL SEEK TO REDUCE HUNGER, IMPROVE HEALTH AND ELIMINATE FINANCIAL TRADEOFFS THAT OFTEN LEAD TO POVERTY; THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THESE GOALS BY INCREASING ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE AND SCHOOL MEALS AS WELL AS PROMOTING THE CONSUMPTION OF HEALTHIER FOOD THROUGH NUTRITION EDUCATION. THE FOOD DEPOSITORY'S VISTA PROJECT EXPECTS TO BENEFIT APPROXIMATELY 30 FOOD PANTRIES AND MOBILE DISTRIBUTION SITES, SERVING AN ESTIMATED 3,000 INDIVIDUALS; THE PROJECT WILL ALSO SERVE MORE THAN 80 SCHOOLS AND 12,000 CHILDREN IN COOK COUNTY. THE FOOD DEPOSITORY PROPOSES TO HOST FIVE AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS DURING THE 2018-2019 PROGRAM YEAR, THE THIRD YEAR OF THE ORGANIZATION'S CURRENT VISTA PROJECT. THREE VISTA MEMBERS WILL CREATE AND ASSEMBLE A MENU OF HEALTH AND NUTRITION CURRICULA TO IMPLEMENT THROUGHOUT THE FOOD DEPOSITORY'S NETWORK OF MEMBER AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, PROVIDING AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES AND PARTNERS WITH RESOURCES FOR UNDERSTANDING HEALTHY EATING AND PREPARING NUTRITIOUS FOOD. FURTHERMORE, TWO VISTA MEMBERS WILL COMPLETE THEIR YEAR OF SERVICE PERFORMING OUTREACH AND BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF COOK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS. THIS WORK WILL TAKE PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF A 12-MONTH SERVICE YEAR.