Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council

THE IVANHOE FARMER S MARKET FOOD EQUITY MINORITY FARMER EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE WILL UTILIZE USDA FARMERS MARKET PROMOTION PROGRAM FUNDS TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF A CRUCIAL DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER FARMERS MARKET OPERATION WITHIN THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, SUPPORT FOOD PRODUCERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARKETING STRATEGIES THAT ARE CULTURALLY AND TECHNOLOGICALLY RELEVANT, AND DRIVE ACCESS AND CONSUMPTION OF LOCALLY PRODUCED AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS. IN ALIGNMENT WITH KEY PROJECT GOALS AND IDENTIFIED OBJECTIVES OF THE FMPP, THE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP AND PROBETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WILL DRIVE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: AN INCREASE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY, AN INCREASE OF UPWARD MOBILITY OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL PRODUCERS, AND AN INCREASE IN THE LOCAL FOOD CONSUMPTION. THE SUCCESSFUL EXPANSION OF MARKET OPERATIONS, AWARENESS OF FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN FOODS PRODUCERS, AND THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF MINORITY, URBAN FARMERS WILL CREATE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER SALES THAT BENEFIT BOTH THE SMALL, HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED PRODUCERS AND AN URBAN COMMUNITY FACING FOOD INSECURITY.