Project Grant 20246701942135

TO EFFICIENTLY ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY NEEDS DURING EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, GOVERNMENT AND SECULAR AGENCIES MUST BE AWARE OF AVAILABLE COMMUNITY ASSETS AT A LOCAL (NEIGHBORHOOD/COMMUNITY) LEVEL. THESE ASSETS INCLUDE COMMERCIAL KITCHENS, AND FOOD STORAGE FACILITIES AT SITES OWNED BY FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT OUTREACH, TRAININGS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND A CONFERENCE FOCUSING ON RESEARCH AND EXTENSION OF BEST PRACTICES FOR HOW THE FAITH COMMUNITY CAN USE ITS ASSETS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SECULAR AGENCIES TO FACILITATE FOOD SECURITY DURING WEATHER DISASTERS. THE PROJECT WILL RESEARCH AND PUBLISH DETAILS OF AT LEAST 100 FACILITIES THAT FAITH COMMUNITIES WILL COMMIT TO MAKE SITES AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS FOOD ACCESS DURING EXTREME WEATHER DISASTERS IN 8 CALIFORNIA COUNTIES.TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND WORKSHOPS PROVIDED THROUGH THE PROJECT WILL FACILITATE: FOOD DISTRIBUTION, SECURING RESOURCES TO IMPROVE SITE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PREPARATION AND STORAGE; FARMWORKER WELFARE DURING A DISASTER (E.G. SMOKE INHALATION WHILE HARVESTING); DISASTER SNAP ENROLLMENT, AND ADDRESSING RELIGIOUS DIETARY RESTRICTIONS DURING DISASTER FOOD DISTRIBUTION. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL RESULT IN INCREASED ENSURING ACCESS TO FAITH-COMMUNITY RESOURCES INCLUDING: A. DISTRIBUTION AND STORAGE SITES FOR FOOD; B. COMMERCIAL KITCHENS FOR MEAL PREPARATION AND STORAGE DURING FLOOD AND FIRE EMERGENCIES. THE TARGET AREA INCLUDES 8 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA COUNTIES, WITH A FOCUS ON THE NORTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. IN ADDITION TO ONGOING DROUGHT, THE AREA HAS EXPERIENCED FLOOD AND FIRE EVENTS REPEATEDLY FROM EARLY 2023 FLOODING TO THE 2017 FIRES THAT DESTROYED SOME 8,400 HOMES AND BUILDINGS. THE PROJECT WILL RESPOND TO RECENT FLOODING AND THE SUBSEQUENT WEATHER RELATED EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS BY CALIFORNIA'S GOVERNOR 1/31/24 AND 2/4/24. BEST PRACTICES PUBLICATIONS DEVELOPED THROUGH THE PROJECT WILL BE BASED IN PART ON LESSONS FROM A BROADER AREA IMPACTED BY WEATHER DISASTERS (E.G. BUTTE COUNTY, SAN DIEGO FEDERAL DECLARATION 2/19/24). THE PROJECT EXTENSION WORK, AND SPECIFICALLY THE CONFERENCE, WILL FOCUS ON THREE TARGET AUDIENCES THAT OFTEN DO NOT INTERACT: SECULAR FOOD SYSTEMS ADVOCATES; FAITH-COMMUNITY FOOC ACCESS PROGRAM LEADERS; AND FARMERS. THE CONFERENCE WILL INCLUDE TOURS OF DIVERSE MODELS OF FAITH GROUPS OFFERING COMMERCIAL KITCHENS FOR MEAL PREPARATION AND STORAGE AS PART OF DISASTER RESPONSE.