Local food entrepreneurs increase local production of healthy food and revenue for farmers in Atlanta
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Local food entrepreneurs in Atlanta are transforming the city through their commitment to food access, food justice and food security by growing healthy food to feed our communities and ensuring organic food waste is recovered to continue creating healthy soil.
From urban farmers to compost entrepreneurs, some of the inspiring leaders in Atlanta’s local food movement gathered to celebrate their achievements of 2016.
Entrepreneurs who received a Local Food Grant from Food Well Alliance last year came together on March 9 for an inspiring afternoon filled with many success stories.
Kim Karris, the Grants and Community Capital Manager, shared that collectively the 2016 cohort increased local production of healthy food in Atlanta, increased revenue for farmers from value-added products and increased recovery of food waste and awareness of healthy soil and compost last year through their hard work.
In addition, Karris shared the entrepreneurs also increased job opportunities for underserved and vulnerable adults and provided more schools, corner stores and healthy facilities with access to healthy, local food in 2016 through their businesses.
From increasing farm sustainability, working with youth to produce seedling to increasing productivity of local farming, each of the grant recipients leveraged their financial resources to help grow their capacity to strengthen Atlanta’s local food system.
Food Well Alliance believes the success of local food entrepreneurs will make or break Atlanta’s local food system. We are committed to connecting them to resources in order to build their capacity and reach to strengthen our local food system. Congratulations to the 2016 and their hard work.
Learn more about the Local Food Grant and Local Food Grant recipients. And check out below how the 2016 Local Food Grant recipients increased their capacity to impact Atlanta’s local food system.
Economic Development
Covenant House: Greenhouse seedling enterprise training and development with homeless and at-risk youth across metro Atlanta
Developed new partnerships
Youth produced seedlings for fire stations, community gardens and farmers market
Produce local food for shelter cafeteria
Friendship Center of Atlanta, Inc: Greenhouse and garden transitional employment program in Ormewood Park for adults living with mental illness
Hired gardeners
Serves as a vendor at Community Farmers Market
Built new raised beds
Georgia’s Farmers Market Association: Non-profit organization working to strengthen farmers markets and increase food access in communities across the state
Increased access to healthy food produced locally
Inclusion of different cultural groups in the market
Targeted outreach for unrepresented groups
Gwinnett Technical College: Whole food systems management training on student production farm in Lawrenceville
Ground-breaking on the urban agriculture farm area and expansion project
Increased productivity of local farming
Engaged over 260 volunteers, 840 hours
Southwest Atlanta Growers Cooperative: Membership cooperative development for socially disadvantaged farmers in Southwest Atlanta
Increased membership
Hosted membership convenings/meetings
Increased capacity
Urban Sprout Farms: Organic farm expanding production and infrastructure in Lakewood Heights
Installed irrigation well
Increased local food production
Increased farm sustainability
West End Community Urban Garden: Production and value-added processing expansion in West End
Operations now include a greenhouse
Increased productivity of local farming enterprise
Received license, permits, and certifications necessary to prepare food products for market
Health & Nutrition
Eyedrum: Rooftop community and artist garden development in South Downtown Atlanta
Built 15 garden beds
Data analysis and administrative work to build on a rooftop
Gilliam’s Community Garden: Local egg production and elementary school egg-incubation curriculum in Oakland City
Expanded healthy food and protein choices
Built additional chicken coops
Expanded egg production
Lilburn Farmers Market: Customer incentive programming and market expansion in Lilburn
Increased market attendance
30 percent increase in SNAP/EBT transactions
FCS Urban Ministries - Carver Neighborhood Market: Locally-sourced prepared foods for Historic South Atlanta neighborhood residents
Consistent stock of local produce
Partnership with local chefs to develop healthy food options using locally sourced ingredients
Strengthened local economy through supporting local farms and creating jobs
Open Hand Atlanta, Inc: Locally-sourced nutritional care program for low-income adults with chronic illness at Grady Clinic and Clayton County
Increased access to food produced locally
More families introduced to local agriculture
Improved health outcomes
Wholesome Wave Georgia: Healthy food incentive marketing and programming at farmers markets in greater Gwinnett
Matched more SNAP/EBT dollars at farmers markets
More than $19,000 worth of healthy food for SNAP/EBT recipients
Increased access to healthy food produced locally
Environmental Stewardship
Compostwheels: Bicycle-based household compost collection from neighborhoods to farms in metro Atlanta
Employed more staff
Increased use of compost with partner farmers
Increased bike collection from homes
Love Is Love Farm: Innovative and efficient aerated compost tea system for increased local food production in East Lake
Introduced compost tea to production management system
Increased access to compost
Increased awareness of compost and on-farm innovation
Terra Nova Compost: Community Compost Advocate Training Program— to advance local soil building by training community leaders in the art and science of composting
Trained adults in community composting with 100% attendance rate
Built a 3-bin compost system in public garden for use by all
Diverted organic material from the landfill for feedstock for thermophilic composting at Lake Claire Land Trust
