Means Database Inc

THIS ASSISTANCE AWARD'S PURPOSE SEEKS TO TIE BOTH THE TARGET INVESTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS OF POTENTIAL CONCERN AND THE TARGET PROGRAM AREA OF HEALTHY INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS TOGETHER TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY ON A STATE LEVEL IN RHODE ISLAND. THIS PROGRAM WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT RESULTING FROM WASTED FOOD AND THE GROWING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN OF HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES IMPROVING HEALTHY INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH POLLUTION PREVENTION AND FOOD WASTE MINIMIZATION. THESE TWO TARGET AREAS WORK IN TANDEM BECAUSE PRESERVING INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH ONGOING SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES DIRECTLY CORRELATES TO IMPROVEMENT IN SOCIAL, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. SOME ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES THAT WILL COME OF THE PARTNERSHIP IS TO STRATEGICALLY AND SYMBIOTICALLY WORK TOGETHER BY COMBINING THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE

DESCRIPTION:MEANS DATABASE HAS BEEN PARTNERED WITH THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (RIDOH) FOR THEIR 'RHODE TO END HUNGER' INITIATIVE SINCE 2017. OUR COLLABORATION CONNECTS EXCESS FOOD FROM BUSINESSES TO NEARBY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE FOOD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AT NO COST TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CHARITIES, OR THE DONATING EATERIES. TO DATE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 141 FOOD BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS ACROSS THE STATE, MEANS HAS RECOVERED 56,164 POUNDS OF FOOD AND 1,075 LBS OF FOOD SERVICE SUPPLIES, COMPRISING 46,803 MEALS AND PREVENTING 21,061 POUNDS OF EMISSIONS. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO TIE BOTH THE TARGET INVESTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS OF POTENTIAL CONCERN AND THE TARGET PROGRAM AREA OF HEALTHY INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS TOGETHER TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY ON A STATE LEVEL IN RI AND IN BCM. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL WORK CLOSELY WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT RESULTING FROM WASTED FOOD AND THE GROWING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN OF HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES IMPROVING HEALTHY INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH POLLUTION PREVENTION AND FOOD WASTE MINIMIZATION. THESE TWO TARGET AREAS WORK IN TANDEM BECAUSE PRESERVING INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH ONGOING SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES DIRECTLY CORRELATES TO IMPROVEMENT IN SOCIAL, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RIDOH, MEANS AND RLC IS TO STRATEGICALLY AND SYMBIOTICALLY WORK TOGETHER BY COMBINING OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE TO HELP END THE CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF INEQUITIES OF ECONOMIC, RACIAL, FOOD, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH JUSTICE. IN OUR LAST GRANT, WE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS IN PROVIDENCE, PAWTUCKET, CENTRAL FALLS AND WOONSOCKET, WHICH ARE AMONG THE MOST ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE. MEANS, RIDOH AND RLC WILL WORK TOGETHER TO EDUCATE FOOD DONORS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF DONATING THEIR SURPLUS FOOD TO IGNITE IMMEDIATE AND LASTING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FOOD SYSTEM, TO HELP MAKE RECOVERY OF SURPLUS CONSUMABLE FOOD A COMMON PRACTICE FOR BUSINESSES IN RI AND BCM.ACTIVITIES:MEANS DATABASE IS AN ONLINE PLATFORM CONNECTING BUSINESSES WITH EXCESS FOOD, SUCH AS GROCERY STORES, WAREHOUSES AND RESTAURANTS, WITH NEARBY EMERGENCY FOOD PROVIDERS WHO SERVE THOSE IN NEED. THE $41,760 TOTAL FOR THIS PROJECT WILL BE USED TO FUND THE COORDINATION AND TRANSPORTATION OF FOOD DONATIONS ACROSS THE STATE, AS WELL AS TO RECRUIT RECURRING FOOD DONATIONS FROM FOOD BUSINESSES AND FOOD PROVIDERS. THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD UPON THE FOUNDATION THAT MEANS, RLC AND RIDOH HAVE ESTABLISHED VIA OUR COLLABORATION FROM OUR FIRST GRANT TOGETHER, AND REPLICATE THAT FRAMEWORK IN BRISTOL COUNTY, MA (BCM). WE WILL BE CO-HOSTING AN ONLINE WEBINAR FOR THIS PURPOSE. IN THE LONG TERM, THE UNIQUE AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES OF EACH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS COMPLEMENT OUR JOINT MISSION, THUS CREATING LONG-STANDING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO BEST SERVE RI AND BCM.SUBRECIPIENT:WEB APPLICATION MAINTENANCE AND UPDATES, SOUTHCOAST MA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERSHIP, WEB PLATFORM ENHANCEMENT, NORTHERN RI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERSHIP, CENTRAL RI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERSHIPOUTCOMES:MEANS DATABASE WILL MONITOR THE NUMBER OF FOOD BUSINESSES AND EMERGENCY FOOD PROVIDERS SIGNED UP TO DONATE SURPLUS FOOD THAT IS SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION. BOTH MEANS AND RLC UTILIZE RESPECTIVE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL OPERATIONS, AND EACH HAS THE CAPABILITY TO TRACK AND ANALYZE MULTIPLE STREAMS OF DATA TO MEASURE AND EVALUATE THE PROGRESS OF THE JOINT PROJECT, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF DONORS, RESCUES, POUNDS OF FOOD RESCUED, MEALS PROVIDED, CO2 EMISSIONS PREVENTED, OUTREACH PERFORMED AND VOLUNTEER STATISTICS. THESE KEY DATA POINTS ARE EASILY TRACKED BY EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS SYSTEMS, INCLUDING CUSTOM, PURPOSE-BUILT PLATFORMS, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE TOOLS SUCH AS HUBSPOT AND SALESFORCE. PROJECT SUCCESS WILL BE ME