Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** EL departamento DE LA comida, a…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** EL departamento DE LA comida, a grassroots nonprofit collective in puerto rico, is seeking a community food projects (CFP) grant to amplify the impact of our food hub, a much-needed model for local food sovereignty. Through this project we aim to (1) increase access to healthy, local foods across low-income communities in puerto rico; (2) expand distribution channels and increase income of local farmers and food producers; (3) fully engage the local community in food hub operations and educational opportunities; and (4) achieve increased organizational and environmental sustainability, building towards greater self-sufficiency of the local community and a replicable food hub model for puerto rico.to accomplish these goals, EL departamento will equip and launch our cocina (commercial kitchen) program to purchase and process crops and artisan products to sell at local markets, increasing organizational revenue and farmer/producer income as well as local access to healthy food products. We will expand offerings in our existing agroteca (resource library) program to increase resource access and education for farmers and community members. We will also create two new employment positions to manage and build capacity for the cocina program and educational events & farm brigades.once equipped, the food hub will be activated during future climate disasters to provide mutual aid, community meals, and resource distribution - building resilience for our local community. By linking producers, consumers, and communities, EL departamento DE LA comida is building the skills, relationships, and economy for a food secure puerto rico in alignment with CFP goals.