Project Grant 23FMPPCA1152

WHILE FARMERS MARKETS ARE AN IMPORTANT VENUE FOR BRINGING FRESH, NUTRITIOUS, AND REGIONAL FOOD TO URBAN CONSUMERS, LOWER-INCOME, SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) HOUSEHOLDS FACE RESOURCE AND SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN FINDING LOCAL, NOURISHING FOODS. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE FACT THAT LESS THAN 0.1 OF SNAP BENEFITS ARE SPENT AT FARMERS MARKETS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ADDRESS THE NEED TO DEVISE COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC, MULTICULTURAL SOLUTIONS TO MAKE FARMERS MARKETS ACROSS THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA MORE INCLUSIVE FOR SNAP RECIPIENTS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES OFFERED AT THE MARKETS. TWO STRATEGIES WILL BE EMPLOYED. CUSTOMER-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE 1.1 INCREASING AWARENESSTHROUGH CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE, MULTILINGUAL, AND MULTI-CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONABOUT SNAP ACCEPTANCE AND MARKET MATCH AVAILABILITY AT FARMERS MARKETS IN CONTRA COSTA AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES. 1.2 DESIGNING AND DISTRIBUTING COUPONS FOR USE AT 18 FARMERS MARKETS TO COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING THESE MARKETS IN CONTRA COSTA AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES. 1.3 UTILIZING COORDINATED PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE THE OUTREACH MATERIALS AND ENSURE THAT COMMUNICATIONS REACH A BROAD AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE (DISTRIBUTION OF CUSTOMIZABLE FLYERS AND BROCHURES OUTLINING HOW TO USE BENEFITS AT THE MARKET, AND SOCIAL MEDIA POST TOOLKITS). 1.4 DEEPENING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT APPROACH BY RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND HIRING 15 COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS AS PAID INTERNS TO CONDUCT OUTREACH AT THE MARKETS. FARMER-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE 2.1 BUILDING CAPACITY FOR FARMERS MARKETS OPERATORS AND VOLUNTEERS AROUND THE PROGRAM AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TO ENSURE THAT CUSTOMERS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS ARE CONSISTENTLY RECEIVING ACCURATE INFORMATION AND BEING PROVIDED CHANNELS FOR FEEDBACK. 2.2 IDENTIFYING AND ENGAGING WITH CHAMPION FARMERS VENDORS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCCESS SERVING CUSTOMERS THAT UTILIZE PUBLIC BENEFIT PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP AND MARKET MATCH. BEYOND CUSTOMER- AND FARMER-SPECIFIC STRATEGIES, FRESH APPROACH WILL CREATE A WORKING GROUP OF PARTNERS CONSISTING OF MARKET MANAGERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, AND REGULAR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS AMONG THEM.AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT, 7,266 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING SNAP BENEFITS WILL VISIT FARMERS MARKETS, AND 2,596,505 IN ADDITIONAL SALES FOR FARMERS SELLING AT THE PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS WILL BE GENERATED CONSISTENT ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCAL FOOD FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WILL BE SUSTAINED THE LIVELIHOODS OF FARMERS WILL BE ENHANCED BY GROWING THEIR BASE OF CUSTOMERS AND OVERALL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION WILL BE IMPROVED IN A SPACE THAT, WITH AN EQUITY-CENTERED APPROACH, CAN FOSTER LONG-TERM COMMUNITY FLOURISHING. AS A RESULT OF COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES, REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WILL MORE EFFECTIVELY INCORPORATE THE PROMOTION OF SNAP USE AT FARMERS MARKETS INTO THEIR EXISTING OUTREACH STRATEGIES.KEY PARTNERS INCLUDE THE FIVE FARMERS MARKETS ASSOCIATIONS THAT OPERATE ALL THE FARMERS MARKETS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT: PACIFIC COAST FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION, ECOLOGY CENTER, URBAN VILLAGE FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION, AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE OF MARINE, AND FORAGERS MARKET. ALL THE PROPOSED PROMOTION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WILL BE DIRECTING SNAP RECIPIENTS TO THESE PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS. THEIR MARKET MANAGERS ARE COMMITTED TO SHARING VENDOR REPORTS WITH FRESH APPROACH TO DOCUMENT PROJECT IMPACT ON PRODUCERS SALES. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE ESSENTIAL IN SUPPORTING OUTREACH TO SNAP RECIPIENTS AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROMOTION OF SNAP USE AND OTHER BENEFITS AT FARMERS MARKETS AND INCLUDE ALAMEDA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES. FINALLY, FRESH APPROACH WILL ENGAGE WITH AN EXTERNAL CONSULTANT TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF CURRENT OUTREACH MATERIALS AND TO SUPPORT PRODUCTION OF MATERIALS USING THE FRAMEWORK OF LANGUAGE THAT REDUCE LANGUAGE CULTURAL BARRIERS.