Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the project partners will TAP…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the project partners will TAP into their existing robust networks to maximize access to resources and build collective community capacity to create a more resilient and equitable local food system that values CO-design lived experience and prioritizes opportunities for low-income QT BIPOC. The proposed project ultimately seeks to create a community-based alternative that addresses racism health disparities food insecurity and poverty by strengthening production distribution and marketing challenges within NYC's food system. Beneficiaries of the project include queer and trans (QT*) black indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) in the hudson valley and new york city with a focus on the bronx and brooklyn boroughs. *QT includes multitudes of identities - lesbian GAY bisexual pansexual asexual intersex transgender gender non-conforming non-binary two-spirit and more. The project goals include: 1) expand alternative production and distribution models that create a more dignified experience to accessing nutritious culturally relevant foods; 2) strengthen the ecosystem of QT BIPOC farmers in NYC and the hudson valley; and 3) build a more resilient and equitable food system that values CO-design lived experience and prioritizes opportunities for low-income QT BIPOC. The project goals will be accomplished through the following activities: 1) CSA and wholesale distribution for food access 2) farmers markets and market training 3) cooperative farming apprenticeships 4) community gatherings 5) food system stakeholder networking and grant administration. As a result the project intends to accomplish the following outcomes: #1: low-income QT BIPOC communities residing in the bronx and brooklyn access healthy and culturally relevant foods; #2: QT BIPOC farmers enhance their market operations and expand market access to consumers; #3: QT BIPOC farmers deepen their knowledge base and increase capacity to support their local farms and food projects; #4: community empowerment and a vibrant network of QT BIPOC stakeholders across different sectors of the food system is strengthened; and #5: distribution logistics for delivering food grown by QT BIPOC farmers improves. The project will develop cross-sector linkages-from farmers to gardeners to private and public agencies-and community engagement opportunities. The project will map distribution networks collaborate and share resources while providing technical assistance to help strengthen farm to community foodways. The project supports development of entrepreneurship as well as community-envisioning and capacity building activities while continuing to foster design input. These activities will support the process of members groups and communities getting to know one another and organizing their collective strengths histories and visions for their communities.