Together We Can Incorporated

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT WILL BE TO EXPOSE CONSUMERS THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE HABIT OF CONSUMING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO MORE PRODUCE AND INCREASE FRESH PRODUCE CONSUMPTION IN THEIR DAILY DIET.OUR GOAL IS TO SERVE 50,000 UNDUPLICATED SNAP PARTICIPANTS. INCENTIVIZING THE PURCHASES OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES INCREASES THEIR AFFORDABILITY AND CONSUMPTION AND ALSO AIM TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITION AND HEALTH STATUS OF THOSE ON SNAP WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM BY USING NUTRITION EDUCATION.IN ADDITION TO INCREASING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE AFFORDABLE PRODUCE WHICH WILL BE THE CATALYST TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.OUR LOCAL CAPABILITIES AND ASSETS INCLUDE STAKEHOLDERS FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM WHO COLLABORATE ON METHODS AND STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF HOUSEHOLDS ON SNAP. OUR GRANT PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMOTING DUFB TO MORE THAN 390,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN NEVADA ON SNAP. GIVEN THE TREMENDOUS NEED OF CAPACITY BUILDING OF PROJECT PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS, THE ACTIVITIES SELECTED FOR THIS PROJECT ARE BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO ADVANCE THE PRIMARY GOAL OF INCREASING THE PURCHASES OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS LAS VEGAS EXPANSION

DOUBLE YOUR GREENS HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVE PROJECT

DUFB NEVADA COMMUNITY EXPANSION PROJECT WILL TAKE PLACE IN 9 LOCATIONS IN CLARK COUNTY IN SOUTHERN NEVADA, 6 LOCATIONS IN WASHOE COUNTY AND 1 LOCATION IN LYON COUNTY IN NORTHERN NEVADA. CLARK COUNTY, WHICH IS COMPRISED LARGELY OF THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY, MAKES UP OVER 70% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION, NORTHERN NEVADA MAKES UP 25% WHILE MOAPA VALLEY IS A SPARSELY POPULATED RURAL TOWN. ONE IN SIX SOUTHERN NEVADANS, OR MORE THAN 305,000 PEOPLE, STRUGGLE WITH HUNGER. DURING THE 2017-2019 SCHOOL YEAR, MORE THAN 68% OF THE STUDENTS ATTENDING CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FIFTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY, WERE ENROLLED IN FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEAL PROGRAMS AND 59% OF STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN NORTHERN NEVADA. OVER 175,000 PEOPLE WITHIN THESE TWO COUNTIES DO NOT HAVE SUPERMARKETS WITHIN 2 MILES OF THEIR RESIDENCE, THE CRITERIA FOR LIVING IN A FOOD DESERT. THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES IN CLARK COUNTY THAT RELY ON SNAP BENEFITS HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. CLARK COUNTY COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC RECESSION. ACCORDING TO LOCAL DATA, NEARLY 50% OF SNAP PARTICIPANTS ARE CHILDREN 18 YEARS OF AGE AND YOUNGER, AND 12% ARE SENIORS, BOTH POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS RELATIVE TO ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD. THE MEDIAN INCOME RANGE IS $19,000 PER YEAR AND THE AVERAGE SNAP BENEFIT IN NEVADA IN 2019 FOR A FOOD-INSECURE FAMILY WAS $253 PER MONTH, WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH TO ADEQUATELY FEED A FAMILY NUTRITIOUS MEALS. ONE OF THE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE PROJECT IS ACCESS TO FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. THOSE LIVING IN A FOOD DESERT OFTEN HAVE INADEQUATE OPTIONS TO OBTAIN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND CONSEQUENTLY MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY MEETING THE DIETARY GUIDELINES. THIS INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN INCREASE IN TOTAL VEGETABLE INTAKE FROM ALL VEGETABLE SUBGROUPS, IN NUTRIENT-DENSE FORMS, AND AN INCREASE IN THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CONSUMED OVER TIME. BECAUSE SOUTHERN NEVADA IS A DESERT AND NOT KNOWN AS AN AGRICULTURAL OASIS, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT AWARE OF FARMERS MARKETS AVAILABLE TO OFFER FRESH, LOCALLY OR REGIONALLY PRODUCED PRODUCE. MANY SNAP PARTICIPANTS ARE UNAWARE THAT THEY CAN REDEEM THEIR SNAP BENEFITS AT A LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET AND THERE IS A FALSE PERCEPTION THAT THE FARMERS' MARKETS CATER ONLY TO THE AFFLUENT AND THAT THE COST OF PRODUCE AT THE FARMERS' MARKETS IS HIGHER THAN THAT OF PRODUCE PURCHASED FROM A LOCAL GROCERY STORE. A SOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY FOOD ASSESSMENT WAS CONDUCTED AND COMPARED THE COST OF PRODUCE FROM VENDORS AT A LOCAL FARMERS MARKET TO THE COST OF PRODUCE IN SEVERAL LOCAL GROCERY STORES AND FOUND THAT THE COST OF PRODUCE AT THE FARMERS MARKETS WAS COMPARABLE TO OR, IN MANY CASES, LESS THAN AT A LOCAL GROCERY STORE. IN THE FARMERS' MARKETS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING EBT, SNAP-REDEMPTION RATES, WHILE SHOWING SLIGHT INCREASES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, ARE NOT BEING MAXIMIZED LARGELY IN PART DUE TO LACK OF PROMOTION AND AWARENESS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SERVICE. THE PROXIMITY OF MANY MARKETS TO LOW-INCOME AREAS AND RECOGNIZED FOOD DESERTS IN CLARK COUNTY MAKE THEM CONVENIENT AND ACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS FOR LOW-INCOME AND SNAP-PARTICIPANTS TO USE THEIR BENEFITS TO PURCHASE AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY AND REGIONALLY GROWN PRODUCE AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.

FISHING, HUNTING, SPORT SHOOTING AND ARCHERY SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AMERICANS REGARDLESS OF RACE. WHILE THE LATEST NATIONAL SURVEY OF FISHING, HUNTING AND WILDLIFE-ASSOCIATED RECREATION SHOWS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF CURRENT HUNTERS AND ANGLERS IN THE UNITED STATES CONTINUE TO BE WHITE AND NON HISPANIC RECENT RELEVANCY AND PARTICIPATION STUDIES PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN HUNTING AND FISHING AS WELL AS SPORT SHOOTING AND ARCHERY AMONG PEOPLE OF COLOR SUCH AS BLACK PEOPLE, HISPANIC LATINO PEOPLE, ASIAN PEOPLE, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. FOR EXAMPLE, A RECENT RELEVANCY SURVEY CONDUCTED BY RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT FOR THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FOUND THAT FISHING IS ONE OF THE TOP ACTIVITIES IN WHICH BLACK PEOPLE AND NATIVE AMERICANS ARE MOST INTERESTED. A SIMILAR SURVEY FOR THE OHIO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE FOUND THAT BLACK RESIDENTS COMPARED TO STATE RESIDENTS AS A WHOLE WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT FISH AND WILDLIFE AS OPPOSED TO SOMEWHAT OR NOT AT ALL INTERESTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE LATEST SPORT SHOOTING PARTICIPATION TREND SURVEY FROM THE NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION INDICATES THAT BLACK AMERICANS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF NEW SPORT SHOOTERS MEANING THOSE WHO TOOK UP THE ACTIVITY FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHIN THE PAST 5 YEARS. YET MAJOR OBSTACLES REMAIN. THE SAME RELEVANCY STUDIES SHOW THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE OFTEN MORE LIKELY TO REPORT FEELING UNSAFE IN THE OUTDOORS, MORE LIKELY TO BE UNFAMILIAR WITH THEIR STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCY, AND MORE LIKELY TO FEEL THAT THEIR FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCY DOES NOT SHARE THE SAME VALUES AS THEM. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN URBAN CENTERS IN PARTICULAR MAY FEEL THE LEAST WELCOME AT LAKES AND RIVERS IN THE WOODS AND IN OTHER NATURAL SETTINGS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE GENERALLY REMOVED FROM SUCH PLACES IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES. IN RECENT YEARS, FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN RELEVANCY AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO MAKE FISHING, HUNTING AND SPORT SHOOTING ACCESSIBLE AND WELCOMING TO AMERICANS OF ALL RACES. HOWEVER, MORE CAN AND SHOULD BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY IN PARTICIPATION. THERE IS A STRONG NEED FOR A COORDINATED RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORT TO PRODUCE BOTH RELIABLE DATA FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR PROGRAM COORDINATORS, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND REACTIVATION EXPERTS, AND OTHERS WHO CAN HELP TO ENGAGE THESE PROSPECTIVE NEW ANGLERS HUNTERS SPORT SHOOTERS AND ARCHERS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONDUCT NEW RESEARCH WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES TO DETERMINE HOW TO MOST EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE THEM AND FACILITATE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN FISHING, HUNTING, SPORT SHOOTING, AND ARCHERY AND TO PROVIDE TRAINING THE TRAINERS GUIDANCE THROUGH ON-SITE EVENTS AND A WEBINAR TO HELP AGENCY STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE R3 COMMUNITY ENGAGE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT ALL 50 STATES BY PROVIDING NEW COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES AND TRAINING MATERIALS TO BOLSTER PARTICIPATION FROM AND ENGAGEMENT WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR IN FISHING, HUNTING, SPORT SHOOTING AND ARCHERY.

THE VEGGIE BUCK TRUCK

THE VEGGIE BUCK TRUCK