Urban Harvest Inc

• THE PRIMARY GOAL OF URBAN HARVEST STL’S AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONAL PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM (APPP) IS TO EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF URBAN FARMERS AND FOOD ACTIVISTS TO FEED THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH A TAILORED ON-THE-FARM EDUCATIONAL AND JOB-TRAINING EXPERIENCE THAT CONSIDERS CLIMATE-SMART AND SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION PRACTICES.

ST. LOUIS CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE

LOCAL FARMS AND SMALL FOOD BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY CORONAVIRUS AND THE RECENT WINTER STORM "URI," WHICH HAVE DISRUPTED THE REGIONAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN AND REDUCED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWERS IN HOUSTON,TEXAS. CORONAVIRUS HAS ALSO EXACERBATED EXISTING FOOD INSECURITY - DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS - WHILE ALSO INTRODUCING FOOD INSECURITY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BARRIERS TO RELIABLE FOOD OPTIONS. SINCE APRIL 2020,URBAN HARVEST'S "GROW RESILIENCE" STRATEGY ASSISTS THE RECOVERY EFFORTS OF THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR AND FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES THROUGH RESOURCES,EDUCATION,ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,AND HEALTHY FOOD TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. TO PROVIDE FURTHER ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO SMALL LOCAL FARMERS,RANCHERS,AND BUSINESSES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EMPOWERING UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES BY CONNECTING THEM WITH LOCAL FARMS AND RANCHES TO LEARN WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM AND BUILD COMMUNITY AROUND HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES.URBAN HARVEST ALSO SUPPORTS A GROWING NETWORK OF FARMERS MARKETS AND FARM STANDS INCLUDING PLANT IT FORWARD FARMS,FINCA TRES ROBLES,LETTUCE LIVE FARM STAND,AND OTHER MARKETS ACROSS THE CITY. THIS PROPOSAL WILL EXTEND THE INVITATION TO JOIN ALL THE ACTIVITIES WITHIN THIS PROJECT TO A NETWORK OF 21 FARMERS MARKETS AND FARM STANDS ACROSS HOUSTON. WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS SUCH AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON RESILIENCE OFFICER AND RECOGNIZED LOCAL FOOD LEADERS,"GROW RESILIENCE" WILL DEVELOP A SET OF MEASURABLE INTERVENTIONS AIMED TO INCREASE COMPETITIVENESS,COLLABORATION,AND DIVERSITY OF OUR SATURDAY FARMERS MARKET AND MOBILE MARKET. BY EXPANDING THE OVERALL CUSTOMER BASE OF THESE MARKETS BY 30%,ONBOARDING 15 UNDERSERVED AND MINORITY-OWNED FARMS,AND BUILDING CAPACITY OF ALL DOUBLE UP SITES,URBAN HARVEST WILL ALSO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES TO ACCESS AFFORDABLE,HEALTHY,AND LOCAL FOOD CHOICES.

CN FARM TO SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTAL

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** URBAN HARVEST STL (UHSTL)'S AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONAL PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM (APPP) IS A MULTI-STEP, HANDS-ON JOB TRAINING INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO MAKE URBAN AGRICULTURE ACCESSIBLE TO HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED INTERESTED GROWERS LIVING IN LOW-INCOME LOW-ACCESS (LILA) AREAS. THE APPP OFFERS DISTINCT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEGINNING FARMERS TO ENGAGE IN AGRICULTURAL TRAINING THAT ALIGNS WITH THEIR FARMING INTERESTS, TIME AVAILABLE, AND LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. UHSTL'S FARMING FOR COMMUNITY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OFFERS AN 8 WEEK OVERVIEW OF URBAN FARMING AND COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEMS. FOR THOSE GROWERS INTERESTED IN EXPANDING THEIR KNOWLEDGE THROUGH A SEASON-LONG EXPERIENCE, THE FARMER IN TRAINING (FIT) PROGRAM ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO FOCUS ON 2-3 LEARNING GOALS OVER THE GROWING SEASON. THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS WILL WORK ALONGSIDE OUR FARM STAFF AT UHSTL'S NETWORK OF URBAN FARMS. THESE SPACES SHOWCASE DIFFERENT GROWING STYLES AND CLIMATE-SMART CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES. PARTICIPANTS WILL WORK WITH ESTABLISHED HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED GROWERS ON THEIR FARMS TO LEARN DIFFERENT FARMING TECHNIQUES AND BUILD A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE. AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, GRADUATES WILL BE EQUIPPED TO START THEIR OWN SMALL-SCALE URBAN FARM OR WORK ON LARGER FARMING CONCERNS.