The Arthur Morgan Institute For Community Solutions

PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL/BUSINESS SUPPORT TO FARMERS TO INCREASE CAPITAL AND MARKET ACCESS.

REGENERATIVE PATHWAYS TO EQUITY AND CONSERVATION FOR BLACK, INDIGENOUS,AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) FARMERS

THE ARTHUR MORGAN INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS (AMICS) AND SPRINGFIELD OHIO URBAN PLANTFOLK (SOUP), A SPRINGFIELD NONPROFIT, HAVE PARTNERED TO DEVELOP AN EXISTING GARDEN SPACE INTO A COMPREHENSIVE URBAN AGRICULTURE CENTER IN SOUTH SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. THE PROJECT, KNOWN AS MCCAIN ACRES, IS AIMED AT INCREASING FOOD SECURITY AND THE SELF-RELIANCE OF RESIDENTS IN AN AREA OF SPRINGFIELD MARKED BY ACUTE FOOD INSECURITY. THE AREA, WHICH CONTAINS AN IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITY ZONE, INCLUDES FIVE CENSUS TRACTS WITH AN AVERAGE POVERTY RATE OF 30.3%, ABOVE THE CITY'S RATE OF 24.3% AND MORE THAN DOUBLE THE OHIO RATE OF 13.9%. THE PERCENTAGE OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN THE TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE AREA IS 83% AND 71%, RESPECTIVELY.THE SITUATION IS COMPOUNDED BY THE LACK OF STORES AT WHICH TO BUY FRESH PRODUCE OR EVEN A DECENT ASSORTMENT OF GROCERIES. THE ONLY FULL-SERVICE GROCERY STORE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SPRINGFIELD CLOSED ON MARCH 4, 2020. COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE WORKING TO BRING IN A REPLACEMENT, BUT IN THE BEST OF TIMES THAT SEARCH COULD TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS OR MORE THAN A YEAR. WITH THE CURRENT PANDEMIC HAMPERING EFFORTS, THE SEARCH MAY BE EVEN MORE PROLONGED. SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS WITHOUT CARS ARE FORCED TO SHOP AT CONVENIENCE STORIES OR DOLLAR STORES, WHICH TYPICALLY FEATURE MOSTLY SNACK AND PROCESSED FOODS WITH LITTLE FRESH PRODUCE. CONVENIENCE STORES GENERALLY CHARGE MUCH MORE FOR FOOD THAN GROCERY STORES, PUTTING MORE STRESS ON RESIDENTS' FOOD BUDGETS.SOUP HAS BEEN WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY IN SOUTH SPRINGFIELD FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS AND HAS PARTNERED WITH AMICS AND THE SPRINGFIELD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT ON TWO USDA FUNDED FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECTS. STRENGTHENING THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM IS ONE OF AMICS' STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS, ONE THAT HAS BECOME MORE PROMINENT AS COVID-19 HAS MADE EVEN MORE APPARENT THE WEAKNESSES IN THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN.SOUP IS CURRENTLY GROWING VEGETABLES ON A SMALL PORTION OF A 7.46-ACRE PARCEL OWNED BY ALOCAL CHURCH AND BUYING "SECONDS" FROM A LOCAL FARMER. THIS PRODUCE HAS BEEN SOLD AT THREE FARM STANDS, STAFFED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS AND LOCATED AT SCHOOLS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO ADDRESS THREE PRESSING CHALLENGES FOR SOUP'S WORK: ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP OF THE MCCAIN SITE, EXPANDING THE RANGE OF FOOD CULTIVATED IN THAT SPACE, AND HELPING RESIDENTS LEARN HOW TO PREPARE FRESH FOOD. THESE EFFORTS WILL NOT REPLACE THE NEED FOR A FULL-SERVICE GROCERY IN THE TARGET AREA, BUT WILL INCREASE THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF FRESH PRODUCE AVAILABLE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS.THE COMMNITY FOOD PROJECT GRANT WOULD ALLOW PURCHASE OF THE 7.46-ACRE PARCEL, WHICH WOULD ENABLE SOUP TO MORE EFFECTIVELY "BRING THE FARM TO THE CITY" BY EXPANDING FOOD PRODUCTION; STARTING FRUIT AND EGG PRODUCTION; CONSTRUCTING A HOOP HOUSE TO EXTEND THE GROWING SEASON; AND ENGAGING NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS IN GROWING, HARVESTING, SELLING, AND PURCHASING FOOD AT THE SUMMER FARM STANDS. THE GRANT WOULD ALSO ENABLE PURCHASE OF AN ADJOINING HOUSE FOR USE AS AN URBAN AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WOULD SERVE AREA SCHOOLS STUDENTS AS WELL AS ADULTS BY PROVIDING CLASSES ON NUTRITION, FOOD PRODUCTION, PREPARATION, AND FOOD RELATED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS A MEETING SITE FOR GARDENING AND COOKING CLUBS.THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD ON CURRENT COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN AMICS, SOUP, NEIGHBORHOOD AND CHURCHES, A RURAL PRODUCE FARMER, AND SPRINGFIELD CITY SCHOOLS, WHILE ADDING NEW PARTNERS, INCLUDING CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION, WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUAL CHANGE, AND 1159 SOUTH, A NON-PROFIT CITIZEN GROUP.