Sustainable Solano

SOLANO COMMUNITY FOOD CENTERS

SUSTAINABLE SOLANO INC. WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING PLAN ENGAGING CONSUMERS WITH LIMITED FAMILIARITY WITH OR ACCESS TO LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD. THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE OUTREACH TO FARMERS RANCHERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED MARKET ACCESS AND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS ALONGSIDE HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OF HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES ACROSS MULTIPLE RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMPLETING A LITERATURE REVIEW AND RESEARCH THAT WILL CONDUCT FOCUS GROUPS AND LABINTHEFIELD EXPERIMENTS THAT TEST MARKETING MESSAGES. ADDITIONAL OUTCOMES AND BENEFICIARIES ARE INCREASED MARKET ACCESS AND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUMSIZED SOLANO FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS.

DESCRIPTION: THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $199,959. PRE-AWARD COSTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BACK TO 03/01/2022. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING (EJCPS) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING UNDER SECTION 8001(A) OF THE SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL ACT TO SUSTAINABLE SOLANO INC. TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT LOW ACCESS TO FOOD BY VALLEJO'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF LANDFILLED FOOD WASTE THAT CREATES METHANE AND CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS PROJECT WILL CONNECT INVESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA, TO COORDINATE A ROBUST, HYPER-LOCAL FOOD RESCUE OPERATION. INPUT FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL HELP CUSTOMIZE A MOBILE APP CALLED 'FREEBITES' SO FOOD DONORS (GROCERY/RESTAURANT/GLEANERS) ARE CONNECTED WITH RECIPIENTS (AGENCIES/INDIVIDUALS) IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES: PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) CUSTOMIZATION OF THE 'FREEBITES' APP; 2) DEVELOPMENT OF THE VALLEJO FOOD RESCUE TOOLKIT (AN IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS); 3) IMPLEMENTATION OF FOOD RESCUE OPERATIONS (COORDINATING THE MOVEMENT OF FOOD BETWEEN DONORS AND RECIPIENTS); 4) OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT OF ADDITIONAL PARTNERS; 5) OUTREACH/EDUCATION TO FOOD DONORS BUSINESS/INDIVIDUALS); AND 6) OUTREACH/EDUCATION TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS/INDIVIDUALS THAT RECEIVE/DISTRIBUTE FOOD. OUTCOMES: THE VALLEJO FOOD RESCUE PROJECT WILL BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF ZIP CODES: 94589, 94590, 94591, AND 94592 IN THE CITY OF VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA. THE PROJECT'S ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES ARE ONE COMPLETED 'FREEBITES' APP AND ONE TOOLKIT DOCUMENT. OTHER OUTPUTS INCLUDE: A) POUNDS OF FOOD RESCUED; B) NUMBER OF MEALS/INDIVIDUALS FED; C) NUMBER OF DONORS REACHED AND USING APP; D) NUMBER OF FOOD RECIPIENTS REACHED AND USING APP; E) NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO GAINED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FOOD RESCUE OPERATION THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN; AND F) NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL PARTNERS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE: A) REDUCTION OF LANDFILLED FOOD WASTE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE; B) INCREASED COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS; C) INCREASED FOOD SECURITY, RESILIENCY AND BETTER HEALTH IN EJ COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY COVID-19; AND D) RESOURCES AND READINESS TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN SOLANO COUNTY. SUBRECIPIENT: THE RECIPIENT INTENDS TO ISSUE A SUBAWARD AGREEMENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPENDIX A OF EPA’S SUBAWARD POLICY. THE SUB-AWARDEE WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN EXPANDING FOOD MOVEMENT LOGISTICS TO INCLUDE PREPARED FOOD AND COORDINATING THE GLEANING PORTION OF THE PROJECT.

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM