City green successfully stewarded a three year fmpp grant in 2017-2020 to launch a statewide marketing initiative for the garden state good food network (GSGFN) and expand city green veggie mobile…

City Green Inc. received a $665,371 Project Grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) to expand its Garden State Good Food Network (GSGFN) and Veggie Mobile operations in New Jersey from September 30, 2021 through September 29, 2024.

Specifically, the funding will allow City Green to continue marketing and grow the GSGFN consortium of Nutrition Incentive Programs to 59 market sites. It will also double the reach of the successful Veggie Mobile refrigerated market program with a second truck to serve four additional counties and municipalities. A new Farmers' Collaborative program will connect 30 New Jersey farmers with underserved communities through marketing support, training and resources on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Nutrition Incentive Programs. The enhanced local food system initiatives aim to increase economic opportunities for producers and improve access to affordable, healthy food for low-income consumers in the state.

City green successfully stewarded a three year fmpp grant in 2017-2020 to launch a statewide marketing initiative for the garden state good food network (GSGFN) and expand city green veggie mobile operations, reaching high risk neighborhoods with low access to affordable farm fresh produce. We seek renewed funding to expand the initiative by 1) continuing gsgf marketing and growing the network to 59 market sites; 2) doubling the penetration of the successful veggie mobile operation with a second truck; and 3) launching a statewide farmers' collaborative, connecting NJ's farmers with underserved communities. The GSGFN is NJ's consortium of nutrition incentive programs (NIPS), currently operating at 35 NJ farmers' market, farm stand, and CSA locations, coordinated by city green. The program brings greater economic opportunities to farmers and improves fresh food access for low-income consumers. Enhanced marketing and promotion will drive more snap shoppers to NJ's farmers' markets. The city green veggie mobile is a refrigerated mobile market that operates the NIP and visits locations with limited access to affordable fresh food, serving 3,000 customers/year. We will double its reach over the next 3 years to 4 counties and 12 municipalities, creating access and supporting farmers through local sourcing. The farmers' collaborative is a program enhancement that will gather 30 farmers and connect them with marketing support, training, and snap/NIP resources. City green's GSGFN, veggie mobile, and farmers' collaborative will build bridges between producers, nutrition assistance programs, and consumers. Dedicated promotional efforts will grow the engine of direct producer-to-consumer healthy food.