The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) awarded a $696,848 Community Food Projects Competitive Grant (CFDA 10.225) to the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) in Brunswick, Maine. The 4-year project, which began on September 1, 2024, will establish a Community Kitchen facility that provides no-cost or low-cost commercial kitchen access to the local community.
The key objectives of the Community Kitchen project are to: 1) increase the availability of local produce for food-insecure individuals, 2) reduce farm waste through food gleaning, 3) create new revenue streams for farmers by processing excess/blemished commodities into value-added products, 4) make kitchen space available to startup food businesses, and 5) offer meal preparation and cooking classes. MCHPP will partner with the Merrymeeting Food Council and a third-party evaluator to collect and analyze data to support these goals and serve as a model for other organizations addressing local food system needs.
Generated 1/28/25, 7:27 AM