Partners For Active Living

PURPOSE: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING AWARDS ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022 PUBLIC LAW 117-328 AND THE EXPLANATORY STATEMENT FOR DIVISION L OF THAT ACT. PROJECTS SELECTED FOR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING ARE LISTED IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (JES) THAT ACCOMPANIES A SPECIFIC FISCAL YEAR’S APPROPRIATIONS ACT OR CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. THE JES LISTS PROJECT, RECIPIENT, STATE, AMOUNT AND CONGRESSIONAL SPONSOR.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING AWARD PROJECTS INCLUDE A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT RESULT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES. HUD WILL NOT KNOW THE FULL SCOPE OF THE PROJECT UNTIL THE RECIPIENT SUBMITS THE REQUIRED PROJECT NARRATIVE AND CONFIRMS ALIGNMENT WITH THE LANGUAGE AS PROVIDED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. TO FIND THE DETAILS OF THE GRANT AWARD AS WRITTEN WITHIN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD USE THE FOLLOWING LINK AND PATH SELECTIONS TO GET TO THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING GRANTS HTTPS://WWW.HUD.GOV/PROGRAM_OFFICES/COMM_PLANNING/EDI-GRANTS, SELECT THE FISCAL YEAR OF INTEREST, SCROLL DOWN TO PROGRAM LAWS AND REGULATIONS, UNDER FISCAL YEAR 20XX CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 20XX: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT).; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AS DESCRIBED IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (JES) PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SUBSEQUENT APPROVED PROJECT NARRATIVE.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PROJECT BENEFICIARIES ARE THE INDIVIDUALS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AWARDED GRANT FUNDS OR SERVED BY THE ENTITIES THAT ARE AWARDED GRANT FUNDS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE JES RECIPIENT OR PROJECT DESCRIPTION SECTIONS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ARE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

THE MAIN IDEAPLAY. ADVOCATE. LIVE WELL.S (PAL) S PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THE FOOD HUBS CAPACITY TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND PROVIDE INCREASED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS AND FOOD BUSINESSES IN THE REGION. THE ISSUEALTHOUGH AGRIBUSINESS IS THE LARGEST ECONOMIC SECTOR IN SOUTH CAROLINA, FARMS IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, AND SOME OF ITS NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, ARE LOSING MONEY. ALL THE WHILE, GROCERY STORE SHELVES REMAIN SPORADICALLY STOCKED FOLLOWING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HIGHLY PROCESSED, CHEAP FOOD IS ABUNDANT, AND ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCAL HEALTHY FOOD IS VERY LIMITED. FRESH, LOCAL FOOD VOLUME AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LOCAL FOOD NEED TO BE INCREASED.THE VISIONIN PARTNERSHIP WITH MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING RUTHS GLEANINGS, HUB CITY FARMERS MARKET, CAROLINA FARM STEWARDSHIP ASSOCIATION, AND SPARTANBURG COUNTY FARM BUREAU, AND LED BY A FOOD HUB COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES A FARMER, A PERSON WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND MANY OTHERS, PAL WILL GROW AND STRENGTHEN THEIR FOOD HUB TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS AND INSTITUTIONS TO ACCESS LOCAL FOOD. FOOD WILL BE PURCHASED AND DONATED TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND SOLD TO RESTAURANTS, STORES, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS. TRAININGS FOR PRODUCERS WILL BE OFFERED. AN EAT LOCAL CAMPAIGN WILL BE LAUNCHED. AT THE SAME TIME, SUSTAINABILITY WILL BE SOUGHT FOR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM WORK BY ADVOCATING FOR REGULAR FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

**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 PAL'S FOOD HUB SNAP-INCENTIVE PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION OF SNAP PARTICIPANTS IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF SPARTANBURG. OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO DECREASE CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS AND GIVE RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS HEALTHY, LOCAL AND FRESH FOOD. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SNAP PARTICIPANTS HAVE WHEN BUYING FRESH PRODUCE FROM THE FOOD HUB AND THE FARMER'S MARKET; THUS INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD MAKING PEOPLE HEALTHIER AND DECREASING CHRONIC CONDITIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVETHE LOCAL ECONOMY SUPPORTING A MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM. THE PAL AND HCR SNAP INCENTIVE PROGRAM WILL STRETCH $40.00 IN SNAP BENEFITS TO $95.00 EACH WEEK AT EACH RETAILER. THE CUSTOMER'S FIRST $40 CAN BE USED FOR ANY SNAP-APPROVED FOOD, WHILE THEIR REMAINING $55 IN MATCHING FUNDS WILL BE SPENT ON FRESH LOCAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. THIS INCLUDES SOUTH CAROLINA'S HEALTHY BUCKS PROGRAM.THIS PILOT PROGRAM WILL INCLUDES EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AS WELL AS A PROMOTIONAL AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PLANS.