The purpose of this american rescue plan funded grant is to offer a holistic response to a lack of healthy food options for residents in southwest fresno, an area that faces some of the worst air…

The purpose of this american rescue plan funded grant is to offer a holistic response to a lack of healthy food options for residents in southwest fresno, an area that faces some of the worst air quality in the fresno metropolitan areas and has been disproportionately affected by environmental justice issues. The project focuses on mapping healthy food resources , connecting residents to local community garden resources, launching several community gardens, and demonstrating how to use and access healthy produce. During implementation of this project, the applicant will utilize a racial equity impact assessment approach to ensure equitable implementation of our project to remedy long‐standing food disparity issues in southwest fresno. People with moderate-to-severe or uncontrolled asthma are more likely to be hospitalized from covid-19. Air pollution may contribute to asthma. By addressing air pollution in CAA 103(b)(3) projects, the chances of severe illness from covid-19 are reduced. Pre-award costs are approved back to 03/01/2022. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $75,000. Activities: every neighborhood partnership (ENP) plans to do a baseline assessment by surveying the community to understand and document community-driven food security and accessibility challenges. ENP will create an asset map of current healthy food sources in southwest fresno and identify potentially suitable locations for urban gardening projects. ENP will partner with fresno housing to identify and develop at least two additional urban gardening sites. ENP will develop a 'southwest fresno food security network' by partnering with YO'ville community garden, fresno county public health department and other community partners to connect existing and new community gardeners, provide education, knowledge and hands-on expertise for residents wanting to start their own gardens or participate in community gardening. ENP will also perform outreach and education activities to engage the community. Outcomes: anticipated deliverables and expected outputs include a public food map ecosystem, reactivating existing community gardens and establishing new ones, creating a fresno garden toolbox, hosting culturally responsive food demonstrations, creating school programs on creating on-campus gardens, highlighting farmers in SW fresno, and hosting a BI-weekly training or webinar educating the community on food related issues. The anticipated short-term outcome would be to have new residents connecting with local producers for local foods, residents purchasing more locally grown organic fruits and vegetables, a clear framework for establishing school, home or community-based gardens, enhanced participation and leadership in local food conversation, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions due to fewer trips out of the neighborhood for food. Long-term outcomes would be a continued reduction of greenhouse gas emissions which in turn would improve air quality and reduce the chances of severe illness from covid-19, improved social fabric due to healthy food outreach, improved economic conditions for families due to local availability of food, creation of new partnerships around healthy food, thriving fresno county food security plan, building a bank of residents ready to buy into local CO-OP of food system, and changes to local gardening ordinances to promote healthy families. Subrecipient: no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.