National Preparedness Month: Food Insecurity. Washington, D.C. and Vicinity (MWCOG area). Grants and other opportunities.

Dear FARM Members and Food & Farm Colleagues (Bcc’d):

Amidst a hectic time for many, I hope you’re getting to take in some of this beautiful weather and the changing season.

Do you have any news, events, funding opportunities, etc. that you’d like to share with FARM’s network? We certainly haven’t captured them all below. We’ll send another message at the end of the month - please send any announcements of regional interest our way before that time.

Cheers,

Lindsay Smith
Regional Food Systems Planner
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

COG & COG FARM Policy Committee

The August 9th FARM meeting summary is available on the meeting webpage.

Next Friday, September 13^th at noon, FARM’s Chair, Fairfax Councilmember Jon Stehle, will join COG’s Human Services Policy Committee (HSPC) Chair, Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk, in welcoming Capital Area Food Bank for a presentation of its 2024 Hunger Report. We hope you can join us for this presentation from CAFB’s CEO, Radha Muthiah, and her team.

Please let us know if you’d like the calendar invitation for this virtual meeting.

Note: This week, the USDA’s Economic Research Service released its Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 report. Upsettingly, it found that more households across the country were food insecure in 2023 than in 2022. The report is available here.

COG’s Recycling Committee is hosting its Annual Compost Update on Thursday, September 19^th. Find the agenda on the meeting webpage. Please register if you plan to join in-person.

Monday, Sept 23^rd is Car Free Day. Learn more here.

Regional News

Montgomery County Launches Groundbreaking ‘MC Groceries” Program in Partnership with Instacart to Fight Childhood Hunger

Congratulations to Montgomery County and Instacart on a first-in-the-country initiative, "MC Groceries." Not everyone who needs food assistance is eligible for federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). MC Groceries will expand healthy food access for families with children not eligible SNAP because they make too much to qualify, yet too little to make ends meet.

MC Groceries will provide nearly 600 families with monthly stipends for online grocery shopping and delivery. The program is expected to support more than 1,000 children facing food insecurity. More information is available on the County’s website and in local news outlets.

FRESHFARM and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Launch New Food Is Medicine Program

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and FRESHFARM launched a new produce prescription program last month to support families of pediatric patients experiencing food insecurity. The MedStar Georgetown FRESHFARM Rx Program will work with 30 to 50 families through the end of November, with plans to grow this fall’s pilot program in the spring.

USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Awards Announced

Last month, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service announced FY24’s SCBGP grant recipients. Only state departments of agriculture may apply for this annual, non-competitive funding. A total of $72.9 million in funding was awarded this year. The District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia received $243,000, $456,000, and $557,000 respectively to support farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. A list of this year’s awards is available here. DC’s awards start on page 33, MD’s on page 66, and VA’s on 137.

Upcoming Events mostly in and around the DMV

Thurs, 9/13 to Sat, 9/21: The Great Frederick Fair at Frederick County’s Fairgrounds. Check out the calendar and ticket information here.

Sun, 9/15 in Montgomery County: Ride for the Reserve. Montgomery Countryside Alliance is holding its 17th annual Montgomery County Farm Tour. Bicycle routes vary from 6 to 62 miles over the Agricultural Reserve's Rustic Roads. More information on this ticketed event can be found here.

Thurs, 9/19 beginning at 2 pm in Richmond: Virginia Food Access Coalition Meeting (2:00-4:00) and Stakeholder Reception (5:00-6:30). Please contact Sara Santacruz for more information: ssantacruz [at] locusimpact.org

Sun, 9/22 to Sun, 9/29: This year’s NYC Climate Week includes a number of sessions on food and agriculture.

Wed, 9/25 at noon in Takoma Park, MD: Crossroads Community Food Network One Millionth Fresh Check Celebration.  Attached you’ll find a press release and flyer. This is an important milestone for Crossroads, the people and communities it serves, and those of us who continue to learn from its example. Crossroads was also the first farmers market in the country to offer a matching, nutrition benefits program.

Fri, 9/27 from 6:30 to 8:30 in North Bethesda. Montgomery Parks’ Foodie Fridays series continues with Hear the Past: Historical Foodways in Montgomery County

How has Montgomery County’s history shaped the food system we see today? Listen to historian, author, and explorer of the American past – Tony Cohen – talk about historical foodways, with a focus on the Museum Garden at Button Farm Living History Center and the heirloom varieties being grown there. More information and tickets ($15) at this link.

Wed, 10/9 at 10 am at American University: Cultivating a Resilient and Equitable DC Food System Summit. This gathering will bring together stakeholders across our local food system, including science, farmers, business, community builders, policy, residents, academia, thought leaders and beyond. Be a part of the conversation to transform a food system that serves and sustains all D.C. residents. Check out the agenda and register now for this free event.

Sat, 10/19 and Sun, 10/20: Loudoun County Fall Farm Tour. A great opportunity to get out and visit some of the county’s farms and perhaps even bring home some of their unique products. Bookmark this page for more information as it becomes available.

Fri, 10/25 from 6:30 to 8:30 in North Bethesda. Montgomery Parks’ Foodie Fridays presents See the Future: Young Farmers in Montgomery County

Envision the future of agriculture in Montgomery County with young growers who are reimagining the food system. Learn from DC native Falani Spivey, an educator, land steward, filmmaker and community activist. More information and tickets ($15) at this link.

Save the Date. Tues, 10/29 and Wed, 10/30 in Harrisonburg. 2024 Virginia Farm to School and Directors’ Conference: Growing Leaders, Cultivating Innovation. More information will be posted on the VA Department of Education’s Farm to School webpage as it becomes available.

Wed, Nov 13 to Fri, Nov 15 in Richmond: Virginia Farmers Market Association Mid-Atlantic Conference. More information: https://vafma.org/event/2024-virginia-farmers-market-conference/

Grants and Deadlines

Cold Storage/Infrastructure Funding for 501c3s operating in Washington, DC, Prince George's County, Montgomery County, Arlington County, Alexandria or Fairfax Counties

The Morningstar Foundation is committed to closing the healthy food access gap in the Washington, DC region.  Via its Food Gap Project, funds are available for cold storage and infrastructure that support the storage and/or distribution of healthy food while also helping to reduce food waste. Grants range in size from $5,000 to $75,000

Eligibility:

1. Organization is a 501c3 operating in Washington, DC, Prince George's County, Montgomery County, Arlington County, Alexandria or Fairfax Counties
2. Serves one or more underserved neighborhoods/communities with a lack of access to fresh, healthy and perishable foods
3. Organization will use grant funding to support the storage and/or distribution of healthy foods 

Please submit an application (limited to three pages) to alexandra [at] fruitful.online by October 1st. It should include:

o    Name/Organization
o    About the organization
o    Who the organization serves
o    Cold Storage/Infrastructure needs and rationale for these needs
o    List of top 10 largest funders
o    Budget breakdown - specifics on equipment needs + make/model 

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MARBIDCO’s Certified Local Farm and Fish Food Aggregation Grant Fund Program Now Open: Funding Opportunity for MDA Certified Farmers and Certified Chesapeake Invasive Species Providers to Sell Products to Wholesale and Institutional Markets

This MARBIDCO program offers two levels of grant funding for food aggregation projects.

• Small-Scale Farmer Entity Aggregation Project: A grant of between $25,000 and $100,000.
• Public Sector Aggregation Project: A grant of between $150,000 and $300,000 is available.

Learn more about the purpose and requirements of the program on MARBIDCO’s website. A complete application must be submitted and received by October 15th.

FRESHFARM is looking for a Food Access Associate

(Washington, DC, part-time, seasonal) Are you passionate about food access, quick with technology, and skilled at building relationships and helping others? Join our Food Access team as a Food Access Associate! Our DC-based Food Access Associates are responsible for supporting our food access programs by supporting the customers that use them and the farmers that facilitate them. At markets, community events, and virtually, they provide technical assistance and assist with enrollment and outreach and help operate the critical infrastructure behind our benefits and incentives programs. We are hiring one Associate for the rest of the 2024 Main Season. Fluency in Spanish or Chinese is a plus, but not required. Learn more about the Food Access Associate – DC role, and apply today – no resume or cover letter needed!