CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Agenda Date: November 16, 2020 Action Required: Report Presenter: Shantell Bingham, Program Director, Charlottesville Food Justice Network, Cultivate Charlottesville Jeanette Abi-Nader, Executive Director, Cultivate Charlottesville Staff Contacts: Kaki Dimock, Director, Department of Human Services Misty Graves, Deputy Director, Department of Human Services Title: Report on Year 2 of Charlottesville Food Equity Initiative Background: The Charlottesville Food Equity Initiative (FEI) brings together public, private, and non-profit partners working in unique and complementary ways to build a healthy and just community food system for all Charlottesville residents. The Initiative is cultivating community driven processes, resident leadership, and city partnerships to improve access to and quality of nutritious and affordable foods, addressing food equity barriers. Year Two, (October 2019 through September 2020) of the Food Equity Initiative was designed to support implementation of citywide strategies outlined in the FY20 proposal that align with goals established in the MAPP2Health Community Action Plan, the Local Food, Local Places Action Plan, and the specific City Departments food equity action plans. Beginning in March 2020, in response to COVID-19 stay at home measures, rises in unemployment, shifts in school meal deliveries, and other COVID-19 consequences, The Food Equity Initiative pivoted portions of our work to respond to emergency food needs. The Food Equity Initiative plans to continue adapting the changing COVID-19 safety measures, emerging community needs by investing in the leadership of Community Advocates, ensuring principles of equity are implemented in emergency food relief, and designing systems change efforts. The focus for FY21 will continue on the initial three strategies of healthy school foods, urban agriculture, and affordable housing. The attached documentation outlines some of the core implementation strategies. Discussion: While food insecurity remains a prevalent issue in our city (16% for Charlottesville; 9.8% for Virginia), views of a healthy and just food system are in sight. The Charlottesville Food Justice Initiative provides a report against their FY20 goals and initiatives, a COVID-19 report on emergent goals and initiatives, and plans for the year ahead. Advancing systemic change requires close partnerships with city departments. In fact, many Charlottesville Food Justice Network Food Equity recommendations as well as Local Food, Local Places Action Plan steps require working with city staff. On November 18, 2019, City Council appropriated $155,000 from the Council Strategic Initiatives account in support of Year 1 of this program. Council had also indicated continued support and that Year 2 and Year 3 funding be considered and discussed as part of the City’s annual budget processes for FY 2021 and FY 2022. Funding for Year 2 of this program was included as part of the FY 2021 City Council Adopted Budget. Funding for Year 3 of this program will need to be considered and discussed for inclusion as part of the FY 2022 Proposed Budget. Alignment with City Council’s Vision and Strategic Plan: The Food Equity Initiative supports City Council’s “Community of Mutual Respect” vision. It contributes to Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan: a healthy and safe city and Goal 1: an inclusive community of self-sufficient residents specifically objective 1.5 intentionally address issues of race and equity. Community Engagement: The Charlottesville Food Equity Initiative has leveraged community engagement, collaboration, and collective problem solving to respond to COVID-19 and to advance food equity initiatives defined as community priorities including efforts to ensure resident voice is represented in the City Comprehensive Plan process through hosting small groups with the consulting team and residents as well as administering the survey in the community. Urban Agriculture Collective hosted weekly community markets to distribute food grown and engage in conversations on redevelopment, garden design, healthy communities, and city comprehensive plan. International Rescue Committee hosted small group sessions with Comprehensive Planning team consultants to share immigrant perspectives and promoted participation in the online surveys through its social media channels. In addition, the Charlottesville Food Justice Network built partnerships across sectors to center the voices of people facing food insecurity who are integral to solution development to address emergency food needs during the pandemic. Charlottesville Food Justice Network continues to convene virtual bi-monthly roundtables and have gathered 30 plus organizational representatives to provide input and design for food access action plans. These meetings are ongoing and open to city staff departments and the public. The methods of the Food Equity Initiative intentionally incorporate and amplify community voice and leadership. Budgetary Impact: This report has no budgetary impact. If Council wishes to continue support of Year 3 of the three year project, then funds for the Charlottesville Food Equity Initiative would need to be added to the City’s FY 2022 Proposed Budget for discussion and consideration through the regular budget process for potential inclusion in the final FY 2022 Adopted Budget. Recommendation: Staff recommends continued financial support in the amount of $155,000 of this initiative outlined in the Food Equity Initiative Strategic Review and Action Plan. Alternatives: N/A Attachments: Food Equity Initiative Final Report FY 20 DATE: November 16, 2020 TO: Charlottesville City Council FROM: Cultivate Charlottesville Food Justice Network SUBJECT: Food Equity Initiative Final FY20 Report Dear City Councilors, Thank you for your partnership in implementing year two of the Food Equity Initiative (FEI) passed by City th Council on November 18 , 2019. Enclosed is our annual report against outcomes for October 2019—September 2020. The report is organized by the outcomes outlined in the Food Equity Initiative Proposal. In addition, we included activities and progress brought about by our emergency response to COVID-19. Advancing equitable outcomes during an emergency response period is a challenge our community was able to meet through the foundational support of the Food Equity Initiative’s city partnerships and funding. In spite of disruptions to our work environment and the limited ability to gather as a community, the following highlights the FEI accomplishments: 1) Leveraged solid relationships between local food system non-profits, city departments, community members, and donors to respond and rapidly pivot efforts to address emergency food and community 1 needs due to COVID-19 and fill significant gaps in response. 2) Strengthened the City’s ability to support low-wealth communities of color during the pandemic, by creating systems to support vulnerable community members’ ability to safely shelter in place and recover 2 from COVID. 3) Heightened the conversation and practices around emergency food relief efforts such that equity practices and centering the voices of people facing food insecurity are integral to solution development. 4) Elevated cross-sector understanding and community planning around affordable housing, climate change, and food security as integral to building self-sufficient citizens across all ages. For example the emerging collaborative community effort between CRHA, PHA, and CFJN to save UACC and work to preserve urban agriculture assets in low-wealth neighborhoods through redevelopment. 5) Ensured resident voice is represented in the City Comprehensive Plan process through hosting small groups with the consulting team and residents as well as administering the survey in the community. 6) Launched network-wide racial equity capacity building with 25 organizational partners and 127 participants. 7) Partnered with City Departments to advance their food equity action plans. 8) Recognized FEI related efforts at the state level through the Virginia Roadmap to End Hunger, the Virginia Food Access Innovations Grants Program Steering Committee, and the Virginia Good Food Fund. Overall, the City Council’s Food Equity Initiative has leveraged community engagement, collaboration, and collective problem solving to respond to COVID-19 and to advance food equity initiatives defined as community priorities. We are grateful for the partnership and investment of council. A brief description of our goals FY21 and a corresponding budget report are attached. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at our new contact information below. Shantell Bingham Jeanette Abi-Nader Food Justice Network Program Director Cultivate Charlottesville Executive Director shantell@cultivatecharlottesville.org jeanette@cultivatecharlottesville.org www.cultivatecharlottesville.org 434.260.3274 1 Specifically, the Department of Human Services, Office of Economic Development, Department of Social Services, Office of Human Rights, and Thomas Jefferson Health District collaborated closely with non-profit organizations to support the emergency food security response. 2 COVID wrap around support services developed and launched by Cultivate Charlottesville in April, while government funding and staffing were being developed. Currently, the model is being prepared to transition over to TJHD, City and County partners. Charlottesville Food Equity Initiative Final Report Against Objectives October 2019 – September 2020 Purpose The Charlottesville Food Equity Initiative (FEI) brings together public, private, and non-profit partners working in unique and complementary ways to build a healthy and just community food system for all Charlottesville residents. The Initiative is cultivating community driven processes, resident leadership, and city partnerships to improve access to and quality of nutritious and affordable foods, addressing food equity barriers. Year 2 of the Food Equity Initiative was designed to support implementation of citywide strategies outlined in the FY20 proposal that align with goals established in the MAPP2Health Community Action Plan, the Local Food, Local Places Action Plan, and the specific City Departments food equity action plans. Beginning in March 2020, in response to COVID-19 stay at home measures, rises in unemployment, shifts in school meal deliveries, and other COVID-19 consequences, we pivoted portions of our work to respond to emergency food needs. The following information includes three sections: a report against our FY20 goals and initiatives, a COVID-19 report on emergent goals and initiatives, and plans for the year ahead. Activities and Progress towards Food Equity Initiative Outcomes October 2019 – September 2020 A. Compile and disseminate research including an analysis of food system assessments that identifies gaps and opportunities for investment, current food access efforts, and communication strategies to engage stakeholders including community members, business owners, and elected officials. Food System Assessment ● IRC New Roots and Urban Agriculture Collective conducted urban agriculture land assessment to identify potential areas for re-establishing the agriculture land loss through housing redevelopment. *See attached report to Parks & Recreation Planning Commission ● See COVID Response Section for Update on Emergency Food Security Assessment Communication Strategies ● Thought Leadership collaborated with community partners and Charlottesville Tomorrow to share a series of opinion editorials and ✔ 28 press articles accompanying articles that highlight the importance for systems approach ✔ 183 social media posts and long-term food equity practices to maintain focus in strategy ✔ 1 newsletter to 530 people implementation. ✔ 147 Food Justice Network list ● Cultivate was profiled in the Virginia Roadmap to End Hunger as an exemplary program for combating food insecurity. *See Cultivate Charlottesville Press Page for list of press pieces at https://cultivatecharlottesville.org/stories/press/ B. Establish mechanisms for community voice including both formal and informal meetings with oversight by community stakeholders and community members on programs and broader food access issues. 2 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 Formal Mechanisms ● Virtual Whole Measures Bi-monthly Roundtables have gathered 30+ ✔ 5 Virtual CFJN Whole Measure organizational representatives to provide input and design for food access community meetings action plans. These meetings are ongoing and open to city staff ✔ 35 organizations engaged departments and the public. ✔ 25 CFJN Planning Team meetings ● City Comprehensive Plan To date, CFJN’s collaboration with city ✔ 37 Planning Team members departments has opened the door for deeper contributions to the City ✔ 12+ Comprehensive Planning Comprehensive Plan within the transportation, housing, and meetings attended with advocacy environmental sustainability chapters. for food equity ● Efforts were made to enhance all chapters and potentially offer a draft ✔ 130 advocates engaged with Food Chapter for consideration by the comprehensive plan consultants. Comprehensive Plan small ● CFJN members attended nearly all comprehensive planning meetings and group/surveys shared information publicly on how to engage. Shantell serves on the ✔ 22 advocates engaged in City Planning Committee. Strategic Planning feedback ● CFJN also has been engaging with the City’s Strategic Planning process, sharing information and gleaning feedback from 22 partner members. Informal Mechanisms ● Community Events CFJN organizations have taken part in Friendship Court th ✔ 1,465+ Attendees engaged in Celebration, CSG 10 Annual Fall Harvest Festival, MLK Day Youth Climate Food Access work and Advocacy Justice, IRC New Roots Harvest Festival, New Roots Michie Market, Spring Seedling Project, Urban Agriculture Collective Garden Gathering. C. Plan for sustainability by pursuing additional funding for long-term investment at the city, agency and community member levels. Matching Funds ● Funding Partners In addition to funds raised for 2019-2020, Cultivate ✔ $155,000 matching funds raised Charlottesville has secured $155,000 in funds for FY21 to match the City for FY20 Council Food Equity Initiative contribution from the national USDA ✔ $165,750 COVID-19 support funds Community Food Projects ($155K) and the state Virginia Foundation for and $43,000+ in kind support for Healthy Youth ($30K) grants. March – December ● COVID-19 Emergency Funds Cultivate Charlottesville has leveraged ✔ 315 volunteers for meal prep and $90,750 in funds for COVID-19 response efforts through Hartfield delivery Foundation, UVA Global Policy Center, UVA Equity Center, Adiuvans Foundation, and an anonymous donor. Cultivate has pledges for an additional $75,000 in funding through a CACF CERF grant and an anonymous donor. ● COVID-19 InKind Support Partners have contributed $43,000 in support for providing meals to Charlottesville City School youth during school closings which the Food Justice Network and partners have coordinated. Diversified Multi-year Funding ● Vibrant Communities Affordable Housing & Food Access Grant Food ✔ Working with anonymous donor Justice Network partnered with City of Charlottesville, Piedmont Housing to support multi-phase Association of Residents and others to apply and receive a national Vibrant development of an Urban Farm Communities award to fund affordable housing efforts committed to Park integrating food equity practices towards the development of a community grocery cooperative. D. Contribute subject matter expertise to discussions on transportation, zoning, and other planning and policy development to ensure that the City, the University of Virginia, community organizations and citizens are aware of the impact of policy on food equity. City Comprehensive Plan ● Steering Committee: Invited to sit on the Steering Committee of the City’s ✔ 12 suggested recommendations to Comprehensive Plan where we worked with consultants on outreach City Comprehensive Plan to strategies during COVID. strengthen food equity ● Community Input UACC hosted weekly community markets to distribute ✔ 65 individuals introduced to food grown and engage in conversations on redevelopment, garden design 3 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 Comprehensive Plan from Public and healthy communities, and the city comprehensive plan. IRC hosted & Subsidized Housing Community target small group sessions with Comprehensive Planning team ✔ 6 FJN Planning Team members consultants to glean immigrant perspective. IRC promoted participation in working with UVA Sustainable the online surveys through its social media channels. Food System Coalition ● University of Virginia Sustainable Food System Coalition is developing a multi-year sustainability plan for the university and community. Six network partners are deeply engaged in the process, serving on subcommittees and engaging broader inclusion on goal definitions. FEI Recommendation Implementation ● Food Equity Implementation: Equity & Inclusion indicators developed for ✔ 20 Equity & Inclusion Indicators advancing progress in the 5 FEI focus areas. Indicators are linked to city for 5 sectors and community partner implementation of action plans. Thus, far 21 of 32 ✔ 21 of 32 City Department city department recommendations were implemented. (See matrix details) Recommendations Implemented ● City Department FEI Support: Worked with City departments to further ✔ $2,000,000 dollars procured for their Food Equity Department Plans within the confines of COVID-19 Affordable Housing & Food Access measures. (See updated department plans in the Appendix) ✔ 15 Grant Partners Supporting ● Fundraising for Implementation: Collaborated with 15 non-profit partners, health institutions (TJHD, UVA Health & Sentara), and city manager’s office to apply to Kresge grant funding to advance FEI implementation. CRHA & Riverbend Development won a VDHCD grant for $2 million in collaboration with CFJN partners. Virginia Food Insecurity ● Provided Thought Leadership in conferences, panels, and presentations: ✔ 16 Focused presentations and Equity Coalition meeting | IRC advocacy training | VA Food System Leaders trainings engaging a collective | Virginia National Resource Leader Institute | Food for Thought 812+ people at those (Richmond) | UVA class presentations | Equity Breakfast Club | Blue Ridge presentations Area Food Bank Luncheon | UVA Sustainability COVID and Food Security | ✔ Profiled as case study for Virginia Governor’s Cabinet on Childhood Food Security | Virginia Food Security Governor’s Cabinet on Childhood Summit | Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth | Virginia State Senator Food Security as a model Hunger Creigh Deeds | Virginia Representative Sally Hudson | Virginia Community Action Coalition Garden Network | D. Implement opportunities to highlight the City’s food equity work statewide & nationally. Statewide ● CFJN members presented at Virginia Farm to School conference | UVA ✔ CFJN Team engaged in 3 Equity Institute Steering Committee | VA Governor’s Cabinet on Childhood Statewide Coalitions Food Security | Virginia Food Security Summit | Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth | Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds | Virginia Representative Sally Hudson | Virginia Community Garden Network | National Community Food Systems Conference | Regional ● Regional Coalitions CFJN leaders are engaged with multiple regional ✔ CFJN Team engaged in 5 Regional coalitions including: Chesapeake Foodshed Network-Community Coalitions Ownership, Empowerment & Prosperity Action Team | Virginia Tech ✔ Profiled in Virginia Roadmap to Center for Community Food Systems & Transformation Steering End Hunger as model Hunger Committee | VA Farm to School Regional Planning Teams | VA Children’s Action Coalition Cabinet for Food Security | VA Food Access Innovation Steering Committee National ● National Coalitions Youth Food Justice Interns and Community Advocates ✔ CFJN Team engaged in 2 National presented at national Community Food Systems conference | Conferences with 4 Presentations Charlottesville selected as model city for EPA Local Food, Local Places ✔ National Castanea Fellowship presentation at Community Food Systems Conference. TJHD & FJN Award to Shantell Bingham Representatives selected to present Food Equity Initiative work at the National Association of County and City Health Officials conference. ● National Fellowship Shantell Bingham, FJN Program Director was awarded the prestigious Castanea Fellowship, a two-year fellowship for diverse leaders working for a racially just food system. 4 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 Food Equity Initiative: COVID-19 Response The Charlottesville Food Justice Network has been a centralizing stakeholder in the immediate food security response to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Charlottesville and surrounding areas. We have developed and continue to define a short-term emergency food security communications structure and short-term operational plan support among our 30+ networks organizations including non-profits, local government and others. While the extent and duration of the disruption that the pandemic has caused is still unknown, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this is not a short-term problem and that as the weeks and months go on, more durable and long-term efforts will need to be enacted to protect the food security of Charlottesville's most vulnerable. The City of Charlottesville Human Services has worked closely with Charlottesville Food Justice Network to take a central role in developing a longer-term food security strategy for the Charlottesville community. Activities and Progress towards COVID-19 Emergency Food Efforts March 2020 – June 2020 A. Developing COVID-19 Food Security Infrastructure: Build an emergency food security response infrastructure that enables the Charlottesville community to effectively respond to expanding food insecurity during the COVID-19 shelter in place orders. Internal Communication & ● Revamping Systemic Communication & Reporting Pipelines: Liaising with Reporting the City of Charlottesville Unified Command and redirecting staff time to support communication across sectors. ✔ 40+ Organizational partners ● Develop & Disseminate emergency food reports: Collaborating with UVA delivering & coordinating food access services Global Policy Center to develop infrastructure for emergency assessments, ✔ 6 monthly reports to DHS analyze food security resources and needs of 30 food access organizations, ✔ 28 Weekly Situation Reports and draft situation reports to stakeholder groups. Mapping food access sites conducted in collaboration with in the Charlottesville and Albemarle area. UVA Global Policy Center ● Expanding Food Security Assessments: Worked in collaboration with UVA ✔ 60+ Food Access Resources Global Policy Center and County of Albemarle Office of Equity and Inclusion Mapped in City & County to train staff and develop a pipeline for weekly situation reports assessing county food security resources. External Communication & ● Coordinating a community committee which added recommendations to Outreach the UVA President’s Office about how to support an equitable food response and recovery process (facilitating investment in 500 Fresh Farmacy families). ✔ 20 cycles of food resource ● Reinventing Community Outreach Mechanisms: CFJN and UVA Global calendars in English & Spanish collaborating with Jordy Yager, Willow Tree and Cville Community Cares to ✔ Letter to UVA President with recommendations on equitable envision, plan and implement the supportcville.com website. Partnering with food response and recovery Cville Community Cares Grocery & Pharmacy team and County of Albemarle ✔ 11 new articles Office of Equity & Inclusion, to develop, translate, and share weekly food ✔ 79 social media posts with access calendars. 5 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 COVID-19 food security ● Working with the Department of Human services to create a Food Security information Call line for use with UVA Health doctors seeing patients that show signs of ✔ $3,000 procured for Text food insecurity. Procured funding, and currently designing soon to launch Messaging Service through UVA automated food security text messaging service in collaboration with Office of Sustainability Department of Human Services to better align existing and new food insecure community members with access to resources in real time. B. Building a Safety Net for COVID-19 Cases & Organizations: Develop and implement “failsafe” mechanisms within the COVID food security response that minimize disruptions in food access support for organizations facing volunteer/resource shortages. Indirect Support to Orgs Facing ● Crowdsourcing in-kind volunteer support & resources: Developing and Resource Strain launching the “Give Help: Food Security Response Survey” and with the ✔ 400+ volunteer hours, leadership of Cville Cares Collaboration creating a coordinating pipeline to transporting resources, match organizational resource gaps with in-kind support (support ranges translating materials, preparing from restaurants donating 200+ meals, to volunteer drivers and PPE and coordinating meals donations). Reference resource spreadsheet here. ✔ 70+ volunteers coordinating ● Collaborating with City of Charlottesville’s Emergency Operation Center to support for meals, wrap around communicate organizational volunteer needs and roll over coordination to services etc. the emergency support function-17 pathway, currently directed by the Department of Social Services with support from United Way and Charlottesville Community Cares. PB&J FUND Direct Food relief ● Reimagining our programming to reduce youth hunger: Launched a ✔ 333+ families served weekly grocery distribution for Charlottesville City School families to ✔ 8,901 bags delivered provide food for the weekends. Bags include a minimum of four meal ✔ 142,416 meal servings provided servings for a family of four through August. Shifted to monthly ✔ $45,000+ in local produce deliveries in September (and will continue through the year). distributed ● Supporting the local economy by purchasing both shelf stable food and fresh produce from local supplies. ● Keeping families safe at home by providing contactless home delivery and engaging 25 weekly volunteers to drive bags directly to families. LOCAL FOOD HUB Direct relief ● Early launch (in April instead of June) of our Fresh Farmacy program and ✔ 585-665 homes served weekly drastic expansion, from plans for 2020 to serve 280 homes, every other since April in our Fresh Farmacy: week, to serving around 600 homes every week for a total of around Fruit and Veggie Prescription 15,000 Fresh Farmacy deliveries during this period. Program (around 15,000 ● Hiring of Harvest Moon Catering and Yellow Cab for contactless home deliverie delivery, while keeping local workers employed at these businesses. ✔ Hired local catering company, ● Partnership with UVA Facilities and Dining/Aramark to utilize unused Harvest Moon, and Yellow Cab resources at UVA. of Charlottesville to help with ● Supporting local farmers through consistent and high volume purchases logistics and distribution of fresh produce and other goods. ✔ $350,000 in local produce, eggs ● Recipes and produce cooking and storage tips provided with each and value-added items share, in English and in Spanish. distributed CULTIVATE Direct food relief ● Implementing Direct food relief support: Securing funding and mobilizing ✔ 14,500 school meals distributed resources to fill direct gaps when crowdsourcing support and EOC across five neighborhoods coordination doesn’t meet need in time. This has included, preparing and ✔ 1,000 lunches for people living sourcing meals to feed people experiencing homelessness, and supporting with homelessness from Charlottesville City Schools during school breaks such as Spring Break, donated supplies Memorial Day, and the week of Labor Day. ✔ $47,000 Procured for CCS ● Procuring Funding & Economic Investment: Additional funds and staff were Spring Break/Memorial Day/ needed to support large meal distributions early on in the Pandemic. 6 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 Labor Day Week Meals & Haven Procuring funds from local donors was directly invested into the local ✔ $30,000 invested in local economy by sourcing produce from local farms and meal preparation from restaurants owned by Black and Black and Brown owned restaurants prior to the launch of restaurant meal brown residents initiatives such as Frontline Foods/ World Central Kitchen, as well as the ✔ $5,000 invested in local farms Harrison Keevil & Keevil programs. with $2,449 to New Roots Refuge Growers C. Building Infrastructure for COVID Positive Case Support: Designed, sourced, implemented, and scaled wrap around services for COVID positive residents to safely shelter in place, contain the spread, and recover. ● COVID Community Testing: Partnering with the City of Charlottesville, Testing, COVID Care, and Impact Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, UVA Health, Thomas Jefferson Health ✔ 50+ community test events District, Albemarle County, PHAR/CRHA and others, to support community ✔ 50 families with COVID-19 testing events with a focus on Black and Brown, low-wealth communities positive members supported that may have inequitable access to healthcare and disproportionate COVID- with COVID Care support; 200 19 burden. COVID Care Support / Wrap Around Services provided for COVID individuals supported positive family members and their families from Community Testing events. ✔ 12+ organizational partners ● COVID Care Support / Wrap Around Services: involved o Developed and coordinated COVID Care Support in collaboration with ✔ 500+ food boxes distributed to UVA Equity Center and Public Health Sciences: COVID Care support families with COVID-19 positive includes shelf stable groceries, meals, produce, PPE/sanitation, finances, members (200) / at community hotels and prescription medication support for COVID positive residents test events (300) and their families in Charlottesville and Albemarle. ✔ 150+ produce bags distributed o Sourcing and Coordinating for COVID Care Support: Collaborating with 12 to families with COVID-19 community partners (BRAFB, Frontline Foods, Harvest Moon, Cville positive members (75) / at Community Cares, Salvation Army, UVA Health and UVA Equity Center) to community test events (75) provide program resource coordination for COVID Care Support program. ✔ 4400 prepared meals to o Transitioning and Scaling the Program: Partnering with Thomas Jefferson families with COVID-19 positive Health District, City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County DHS and DSS, members County Office of Equity and Inclusion to transition program to government partners and to scale across the City, County and Health District. D. Equitably Governing Resources: Establish mechanisms for equitably governing food security resources that minimizes impacts of COVID exacerbated social and economic inequities. ● Developing Advisory Body & Providing Recommendations: Collaborating ✔ 5 working principles developed with Frontline Foods and World Central Kitchen to develop a local steering and adhered to by Committee committee of partners from the City, County of Albemarle, UVA, Health and Initiative Leader Department, and community-based organizations to ensure equitable ✔ 50,000 meals distributed with participation of restaurant owners in the philanthropic venture as well as 48% going to Black & LatinX outreach to key communities are ensured. community and 52% going to ● Community Advocates: Supporting resident community advocates in Frontline Workers providing thought leadership and guidance to existing and emerging food ✔ $520,000 invested in local access programs to ensure key communities needs are met and feedback is economy over 8 weeks by incorporated into efforts. Frontline Food/World Central ● Equitable Economic Investment: Collaborated with the Office of Economic Kitchen Efforts Development to provide additional oversight of business participation and ✔ $183,000 invested in 9 Black compensation with a focus on supporting black and minority owned and Minority Owned Restaurant businesses. Provided bi-weekly equity assessment and recommendations to Owners correct emerging racial inequities in program participation and ✔ 6 Black & LatinX Community compensation. Outreach Liaisons Hired Reimbursed for their time for $3,250 in stipends 7 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 FY21 Core Priorities October 2020 – September 2021 This year of the Food Equity Initiative saw steady gains towards our Healthy Schools initiative, a significant win within the Affordable Housing resource allocations, and a successful adaption of Urban Agriculture and Community Market to reduced land available for growing. Additionally, our network partners, City partners, and broader community engaged in deepening capacity for racial equity practices. Most importantly, we prioritized the voices and choices of youth and community members affected by food insecurity as we moved from engaging in planning and goal setting in year one, to implementation and decision making this year. Since March 2020, we also pivoted much needed resources and partner efforts towards the coordination of emergency food relief and wrap around services that would minimize the rise of food insecurity and unequal disparities in our food economy. Of course, the disparities and growing economic and food crisis is still critical. In FY21 we plan to continue adapting the changing COVID-19 safety measures and emerging community needs by investing in the leadership of Community Advocates, ensuring principles of equity are implemented in emergency food relief and designing systems change efforts. Our focus for FY21 will continue on the initial three FEI strategies of healthy school foods, urban agriculture, and affordable housing. Following are some of our core implementation strategies. 1. Covid-19 Support Food Justice Network team will continue to provide support, assessment, coordination and leadership for the emergency food response to COVID-19 adapting to needs as they emerge, building capacity in partners to sustain long-term efforts, and prioritizing communities of color. 2. Community Leadership Through the Community Advocates, Youth Food Justice Interns, and Black and Brown Farmer Group we will invest in grassroots community leadership. 3. City Department Food Equity Plans Food Justice Network staff will continue to work with City staff to implement and deepen thor food equity plans as outlined in the enclosed Departmental Plan updates. 4. City Comprehensive & Strategic Planning Processes Food Justice Network will continue to provide community building efforts to engage residents in the comprehensive and strategic planning process and provide critical recommendations for food equity inclusion. 5. Food Equity Public Education Efforts Food Justice Network will launch a second roundtable event (early 2021) to deepen capacity in our community to understand food equity efforts with a focus on the theme of Land is Liberation and Black and Brown growers. 6. Urban Agriculture Parks In collaboration with a local donor, Cultivate Charlottesville has been invited to lead a planning process for implementation of city-wide urban agriculture farm land. In partnership with the City of Charlottesville Parks & Recreation and multiple Food Justice Network partners, we will be developing the proposal for this project over the coming months. One aspect of this is a public/private initiative to secure the IRC farming land at Azalea Park through a Statewide funding proposal with matching dollars through a local donor and potential City Parks and Recreation funds. This initiative would secure long-term land that has been vulnerable for years and seen significant investment by Charlottesville’s refugee community. 7. Food Equity Fund Cultivate Charlottesville is exploring the potential of launching a Food Equity Fund that could support the efforts defined in the Local Food Local Places plan. With mentorship from Communities Unlimited and the Equitable Food Oriented Development network, we are supporting our statewide Food Access Innovation efforts and exploring a local initiative. 8 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 Charlottesville Food Justice Network Planning Team Shantell Bingham, Cultivate Charlottesville, Food Justice Network Program Director Jeanette Abi-Nader, Cultivate Charlottesville, Executive Director Theresa Allan, International Rescue Committee, Manager Food and Agriculture Programs Elizabeth Beasley, UVA Health System, Community Relations & Outreach Director Laura Brown, Local Food Hub, Director of Community & Policy Tanya Deckla-Cobb, UVA Institute for Environmental Negotiation Joe Kreiter, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Partner Services Coordinator-Child Nutrition & Network Development Gabby Levet, Cultivate Charlottesville, Food Justice Network Associate Alex London-Gross, PB&J Fund, Executive Director Richard Morris, Cultivate Charlottesville, Urban Agriculture Collective Farm & Foodroots Program Director Maria Niechwiadowicz, Bowerbird Bakery, Co-Owner My’Kal Lofton, Bread & Roses Community Kitchen & Garden Program Director Todd Niemeier, Charlottesville Office of Human Rights, Community Outreach & Investigation Specialist Kristen Rabourdin, Market at 25th, Founding Leadership Team Brooke Ray, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Global Policy Center Operations Manager Michael Reilly, Virginia Foodshed Capital, Executive Director Rebecca Schmidt, Thomas Jefferson Health District, Population Health Manager Kristen Suokko, Local Food Hub, Executive Director Tamara Wright, Cultivate Charlottesville, Food Justice Network Community Advocate Lead Barbara Yager, Community Member, Bread & Roses Charlottesville Food Justice Network A program of Cultivate Charlottesville www.cultivatecharlottesville.org | 434.260.3274 shantell@cultivatecharlottesville.org | jeanette@cultivatecharlottesville.org 9 Food Justice Network – Food Equity Initiative Annual Report, October 2019-September 2020 FOOD EQUITY INITIATIVE Year Two: Implementation NOVEMBER 2020 Overview Implementation Timeline DEVELOPING METRICS The second year of the FEI was approved mid- November of 2019. Similar to Equity and inclusion are both a process and an the first year of the initiative, the first couple of months of the initiative was outcome. Year one of the Food Equity Initiative, spent aggregating financial resources to support the activities residents wished worked to bolster under-represented voices in the to see, as well as funds for internal sustainability of the initiative. Three of five design and decision-making process. Inherit to areas of the Food Justice Network’s action-advocacy areas were focused on for these processes were prompts that asked people what they wanted to see in their community and grants; Healthy School Foods, Urban Agriculture, and Affordable Housing. (The specific actions that could be taken to realize this remaining areas include Food Access Markets and Transportation & Food vision. Pathways.) Thus far, the Healthy School Foods initiative is being funded through federal (USDA Community Food Projects), state (Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth) and local (Charlottesville Area Community Foundation With funding for implementation, the second year of the FEI initially began with developing metrics Shaping Futures) partnerships. The Affordable Housing initiative has also been to keep track of progress towards community funded through a state Vibrant Communities grant. You will find details defined goals and activities. The overall goal was throughout the report under each area. In addition to partner coordination and to further develop understanding of activities and grants, metrics were also developed to track progress by internal teams. their impacts through a lens of racial equity and inclusion. The months of January and February are usually spent designing and planning for holistic outreach to city departments and community members at large. However, this year was a little different with COVID-19 pandemic response taking up the bulk of planning. Outreach and collaborative planning with resident leaders was still pursued with the focus on COVID-19 pandemic response planning and emergency needs as well as continuing whatever movement possible towards implementation of the long-term solutions inherit in the Food Equity Initiative’s work. Below is a high-level overview of the implementation timeline. Developing Equity & Inclusion Metrics & Tracking Actions Twenty Equity & Inclusion Metrics, Thirty-Two Recommendations Equity and inclusion are both a process and an outcome. Year one of the Food Equity Initiative, worked to bolster under-represented voices in the design and decision-making process. Inherit to these processes were prompts that asked people what they wanted to see in their community and specific actions that could be taken to realize this vision. With funding for implementation, the second year of the Food Equity Initiative initially began with developing metrics to keep track of progress towards community defined goals and activities. The overall goal was to further develop deeper understanding of activities and the extent of their impacts through a lens of racial equity and inclusion. The outcome of the process to track our actions and develop equity and inclusion metrics demonstrated that equitable approaches and outcomes occur on a spectrum. These approaches range from community engagement avenues that include diverse voices on a voluntary basis, to compensating people for their time and expertise, to developing new positions for staff to ensure community feedback is accurately implemented. From the Food Equity Initiative implementation year, we’re excited to see that people and organizations are starting to move differently. As previously mentioned metrics were developed to hold stakeholders accountable to measuring success. Below is an overview of the indicators and definitions for how they’re used. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 2 ! Equity Indicators: Equity is a process and an outcome. The equity indicators in this report seek to measure concrete, Measuring Success health, social, and economic assets accrued to key Equity Inclusion community entities (Charlottesville City Schools, Public and Metric Indicator Indicator Status Subsidized Housing Orgs) or Black and brown residents # of youth able to engage in visioning and decision-making X 58 seeking to grow wealth or build healthier lives, as well as # of youth defined recommendations 4 out concrete policies that would enable future cultivation of for healthy school meals X of 6 assets. # of new, healthier menu items offered X ! Inclusion Indicators: Inclusion is a process and an outcome. % Increase in Enrollment X 0% The inclusion indicators in this report seek to measure Fig 1. Example of Equity and Inclusion Metrics Developed Healthy participation in the process, decision making, as well as School Foods access to assets. Tracking Actions Thirty-two recommendations were suggested by community members, city departments, and nonprofit organizations for our City to undertake. When we sprung into action, we quickly realized that implementing one recommendation or strategy often requires multiple actions. Below is an example table of this breakdown from the Health School Foods: Goal Goal Description Recommendation Description Implementation Description Actions 1 Intentionally transform 1.1 Revamp school lunch line infrastructure and 1.1.1 CSG- Applied & Received Funding for 5 year Charlottesville City central kitchen cooking equipment to create more program at about 50% of program Schools’ meal program to appetizing serving lines and support the implementation. Purchased equipment to increase participation for implementation of increased from scratch facilitate meal delivery during COVID (coolers) as all students, especially cooking as well as proper storage of locally well as replacing a stove at Johnson Elementary students eligible for the sourced produce and meat. (CCS, Youth, Non- for fresh meal preparation across the schools. federal meals program. Profit Partners) 1.2 Develop strategies to resolve the annual student 1.2.1 N/A In 2020-2021 school year USDA passed a meal debt in ways that are financially sustainable, waiver permitting schools to receive 100% promote increased participation in CCS meal reimbursement for meals distributed during programs, decrease in-school hunger, and reduce COVID, regardless of enrollment in the federal free stress for families with limited financial resources. and reduced meal program. (CCS, Non-Profit Partners) Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 3 2 Catalyze student 2.1 Hire a Farm to School Coordinator to increase 2.1.1 CSG- Applied & Received Funding | Jordan leadership and leverage capacity for implementation of food equity Johnson is now the City Schoolyard Garden and collaborative practices that will lead to healthier school meal Farm to School Program Director. We are partnerships as central to options, robust student and partner engagement, currently interviewing for a Youth Engagement building food equity. and increased participation in meal programs. and Garden Coordinator that will supplement this (CCS, Non-Profit Partners) work. 2.2 Work with student leadership to design healthy 2.2.1 2019 CSG Food Justice Interns Drafted school food program options in a way that Recommendations for Student Survey. 10 supports their cultural and health needs, while Students engaged in summer Healthy School Food also educating about nutrition and healthy living unit. Met 6 times. To further develop plans, learn skills. (CCS, Youth,Non-Profit Partners, LFLP) about nutrition, etc. At the request of the cadre of interns, Cultivate is continuing this program throughout the academic year with twice weekly intern work sessions. (Additional $50K to operate this program.) 2.2.2 CCS Teachers distributed survey at CHS |Put on hold with COVID 2.2.3 2020 Food Justice interns develop menu and additional survey/outreach for school meal transformation. Developed additional survey outreach materials and focusing on designing healthy foods information items for when school returns. Work Action Advocacy Areas Due to COVID and shifting leadership roles in the City. The bulk of progress in the first implementation year occurred in Healthy School Foods, Urban Agriculture, Affordable Housing and Neighborhood Food Access. Leadership at Charlottesville-Albemarle Transportation is still dedicated to ensuring high quality transportation system, and the Food Justice Network is a member of the Comprehensive Plan, Affordable Housing Strategy, and Zoning Rewrite Steering Committee. While much work is still underway with the Comprehensive Plan Consultants, integrating food justice principles into city plans looks promising. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 4 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 5 Healthy School Foods The Healthy School Foods strategy of the Food Equity Initiative is focused on improving food security and health outcomes for Charlottesville youth through increased access to and consumption of healthy school meals, engagement in school gardens, and cultivating leadership and life-long healthy living skills. This plan, developed with leadership by Charlottesville High School students, includes five core strategies: 1. Equity Through Access: Increase student participation in the school meal program 2. Staff & Equipment Capacity Building: Upgrade needed infrastructure, resources, and capacity for Charlottesville City Schools (CCS) Nutrition Department to provide healthier food 3. Fresh, Scratch, Local Menu Items: Increase access to healthy foods in Charlottesville City Schools 4. Youth Voice & Choice: Invest in engaging youth and community leadership and decision-making to drive programming. 5. Youth Nutrition Education: Increase youth nutrition education and healthy living skills through robust schoolyard garden lessons These strategies align closely with the MAPP2HEALTH goals to: 1. Promote healthy eating and active living— Healthy School Foods increases the healthy food options available to students in CCS, the majority of whom are enrolled in the federal meals program. Engaging in schoolyard garden learning provides social supports and experience to choose healthy food and increase physical activity. 2. Improve health disparities and increase access to care—Food insecurity is one of the main determinants of poor health outcomes. Increasing access to fresh, healthy foods, particularly for youth of color and low-wealth, addresses this disparity. 3. Foster a healthy and connected community—Youth (98%) engaged in CSG garden programs indicate they feel happy, connected, confident, and peaceful in the garden. 4. Address mental health and substance use issues—Providing youth with a place to relax and become grounded during their stressful day builds mental health and resilience. The COVID-19 crisis and widespread lockdowns that began in March 2020 had immediate impacts on the timeline of the healthy schools initiative. Governor Northam closed all Virginia schools on March 23, 2020. One area that we focused our efforts during this time was in bridging the service gap in the school nutrition department during school closures. Cultivate, in collaboration with other community partners prepared and sourced meals to support Charlottesville City Schools students during school breaks when CCS was not providing meals such as Spring Break Week, Memorial Day and Labor Day meals. While the COVID-19 crisis has required us to reevaluate our timelines on projects and respond to the needs for social distancing and online learning we have been able to continue the bulk of our work and maintain robust progress towards our goals. The Food Justice Internship Summer program was a success, with 10 paid youth interns, the school nutrition program is still working towards increasing from-scratch meals, and we have continued to our youth garden programming into the 2020/21 school year. Following are updates on each of the Healthy School Foods Milestones. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 6 Milestone 1: Equity Through Access The first part of the year we focused on establishing baseline data on current school meal participation. We also worked with youth to survey their peers and learn what barriers there were to food access and participating in school meals. Students wanted to be able to access the lunch line easier, have more vegetarian and fresh options, have more culturally appropriate options, “I usually don’t eat lunch at school. The lines are and overall know more about the food that was being too long and the food isn’t very good. I’d like to served. Until COVID hit, students worked with Cultivate have more options that include foods my family team to host Harvest of the Month table sharing the eats at home.” various crops with their peers. — Charlottesville High School student, Grade 10 Beginning in March, CCS began home distribution of meals. As part of the Food Equity Initiative, Cultivate set up a volunteer system to help the schools deliver meals, and we provided meals during gaps in service including the first week of stay at home learning, Memorial day, Fourth of July and Labor Day school breaks. During this time we partnered with local restaurants, Frontline Foods, Cville Community Cares and other partners to distribute over 4,000 meals to the five distribution sites across the city including Hearthwood Apartments, South First Street Apartments, Friendship Court, Greenstone on Fifth and Westhaven Apartments. Through these and other outreach efforts, the school nutrition program has been able to increase the number of meals distributed into neighborhoods from 500 meals per day during the summer, to 700 meals per day at the start of school. Cultivate also worked with the Youth Food Justice Interns and community partners to meet with Delegate Sally Hudson of District 57 and Senator Creigh Deeds of the 25th district to advocate to support the extension of the federal meals waiver program through the end of the year to remove barriers to food for Charlottesville’s low-wealth neighborhoods. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 7 Milestone 2: Staff & Equipment Capacity Building The first part of the year, Cultivate worked with Charlottesville City Schools to purchase $6,000 worth of small wares equipment to facilitate processing fresh foods. This included knives, cutting boards and other similar tools. During the summer, we purchased nine coolers to help CCS distributed fresh foods across the 5 sites and 5 routes that meals are being distributed. For these sites “The equipment purchases have been critical to and routes, CCS is using 2 different schools to prepare allow us to continue to provide fresh meals for the meals: Charlottesville High School and Johnson students during stay at home learning. Partnering Elementary School. CCS is preparing for 1,400 meals with Cultivate has given us the opportunity for to each day (700 breakfasts & 700 lunches). Because of adapt more quickly to the changing this increase in meal preparation at Johnson Elementary, circumstances.” CCS and Cultivate Charlottesville have committed to — Charlottesville City Schools Nutrition Staff purchasing an additional double oven for roasting and baking more from scratch items. The purchase of this oven will improve the process of food preparation for meal deliveries during virtual learning as well improve the process of scratch cooking when in-person education resumes at Johnson Elementary. Milestone 3: Fresh, Scratch, Local Foods Throughout the year we have worked with CCS to continue the Harvest of the Month programming and Farm to School programming that brings fresh, from scratch, and local foods to students. Because the traditional method for completing these programs involve in-person taste-tests and garden lessons, we have been strategic in figuring out ways to be impactful and continue the programs since stay at home learning. “Wow! The fresh collard greens we received in our school meal deliveries were delicious!” This school year, Harvest of the Month will continue to — Charlottesville City School Parent be hosted on the first Thursday of each month and we will bring the initiative to students home. We are also continuing the student-illustrated posters and backpack fliers in English, Spanish, and Arabic. In lieu of in-person taste-tests we are trying to engage students and families in tastings in other ways. New additions to the program include: Cultivate and CCS are collaborating with PB&J fund and Local Food Hub to incorporate the Harvest of the Month and backpack flier into their produce bags and Fresh Farmacy bags. We are also hoping to highlight the produce in the lunch distributions throughout the school year. For October’s Harvest of the Month, which also fell on Farm to School week, we highlighted collard greens. We purchased 500 bunches of Collards from local growers to distribute with the school lunch on Thursday, October 8th. We attached a backpack flier to the bag that Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 8 included a greens recipe from a seasoned cook in the community. The flier also connected people to our Youtube channel where we had Dr. Leni Sorensen, a culinary historian, giving a cooking tutorial for her favorite collard greens recipe. As part of Farm to School week, CCS also prepared a from scratch menu on Friday October 9th, highlighting fresh-baked chicken and potatoes with a side of local roasted zucchini and summer squash. Staff worked for 2 days preparing the fresh meal option. This meal was distributed out 700 students with a card promoting the meal as being prepared from-scratch. Milestone 4: Youth Voice & Choice Shortly after our 2019 report to City Council, a cadre of our 2019 Youth Food Justice Interns headed to Savannah, Georgia to present at the national Community Food Systems Conference. Youth presented on how they surveyed their peers and developed the plan for healthy school foods, their presentation to the School Board and City Council, and what they have learned about food “The youth from were very impressive! They justice leadership. For summer 2020, we had increased demonstrated great leadership and maturity. I interest in the intern program and expanded the program especially appreciated the quotes from the survey to include 10 Food Justice Interns (following safety they conducted on what their peers wanted from COVID protocols). After an intensive six-week summer school meals and I learned a lot. Thank you!” programs, the interns requested to extend the program — Community Food Systems Participant Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 9 into the school year. We currently have two 3-hour shifts weekly after school. Interns are continuing to maintain the school gardens, the UAC farm plot, as well as continuing the Healthy Schools meetings monthly. Our September Healthy Schools session was focused on signage in the school cafeterias. In response to feedback this summer, Jordan Johnson is working with a graphic designer to create informational signage and materials for the cafeteria. Before the fabrication of the signs, the Food Justice Interns provided feedback on whether the reflected the information originally requested from them. As it stands, signs to be designed and fabricated are mostly templates to be filled in with information regarding that day’s meals. The signs highlight different cafeteria processes in purchasing, storing, and preparing fresh meal options; indicate when a dish is homemade; indicate when a dish is Virginia grown; indicate when a dish is made from scratch; and, indicate vegetarian and halal options. After the signs have been designed, students will provide feedback on the design and execution. As part of the youth internship experience, five Food Justice interns also did a virtual lobby session with Delegate Sally Hudson, of Albemarle County, advocating for food equity in our district. Cultivate Charlottesville staff prepared five of the Food Justice Interns to meet with Charlottesville’s state delegate to discuss the importance of school food in the conversation around equity. We requested that Delegate Hudson advocate for the previously mentioned mandate to be continued through the end of the 2020-2021 school year to support the low-wealth families--impacted disproportionately by the COVID-19 pandemic— by removing this barrier to food access for students of low-wealth families. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 10 Milestone 5: Youth Nutrition Education The first part of the year we were able to host robust student engagement. One hundred percent of students from Johnson elementary engaged in their garden and other schools were also hosting numerous classes each week. While this was halted briefly from March to June, we began to re- engage with students in small cohorts. The team has prioritized engagement of students residing in low-wealth “My favorite part of garden club is crossing the neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color. stream in our rain boots! I also liked harvesting and eating the carrots.” As of October, we have hosted ten student garden clubs. ● We are hosting 4 garden engagement sessions (10 — Youth engaged in Garden Club at Greenbrier Elementary th students maximum) in the UAC garden on 6 th Street. This includes students who live in Friendship Court as well as 6 Street Apartments. ● We are also engaging students in Hearthwood Apartments, three times weekly. ● We are hosting a garden lunch session in the Garden at City of Promise weekly. ● We are hosting two weekly sessions with students engaging in tutoring services with Abundant Life Ministries in the City Schoolyard Garden at Buford Middle School th Cultivate Charlottesville and CCS also hosted Farm to School week October 5-October 9 . In addition to the Harvest of the Month initiative. We hosted farm animal visits in our small garden programming and students had the opportunity to learn about chickens and goats on the farm. We were also able to record garden tour videos to distribute out to teachers and students who haven’t been able to see the school garden during the fall harvests and highlight a read-aloud of a Harvest of the Month book with one of the Charlottesville City School Board Members. Links to the Farm to School videos can be found on our website Stories Page. https://cultivatecharlottesville.org/stories/multimedia/ Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 11 Healthy School Foods Purpose: Intentionally transform Charlottesville City Schools’ meal program to increase enrollment and participation for all students by catalyzing youth leadership and leveraging collaboration in the development of locally sourced healthier from scratch meal options. Implementation Team Measuring Success Stakeholder Lead Abbrevation Metric Equity Indicator Inclusion Indicator Status Charlottesville City Schools Carlton Jones CCS # of youth able to engage in visioning and decision-making X 46 Jeanette Abi-Nader CC # of youth defined recommendations for healthy Cultivate Charlottesville school meals X 4 out of 6 Kristen Suokko LFH # of new, healthier menu items Local Food Hub offered X Laura Brown 0% % Increase in Enrollment X Alex London-Gross PB&J % Increase in Utilization (CCS PB&J Fund Meal Consumption) X 0% % Increase in Healthier Meal Options on the line X 10% Goal Goal Description Recommendation Rec. Description Implementation Implementation Actions Description Goal Status 1 Intentionally transform 1.1 Revamp school lunch line 1.1.1 CSG- Applied & Charlottesville City Schools’ infrastructure and central kitchen Received Funding for meal program to increase cooking equipment to create more 5 year program at participation for all appetizing serving lines and support about 50% of students, especially the implementation of increased program 20% students eligible for the from scratch cooking as well as implementation. federal meals program. proper storage of locally sourced Purchased equipment to facilitate meal produce and meat. (CCS, Youth, Non- delivery during Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 12 Profit Partners) COVID (coolers) as well as replacing a stove at Johnson Elementary for fresh meal preparation across the schools. 1.2 Develop strategies to resolve the 1.2.1 N/A In 2020-2021 annual student meal debt in ways school year USDA that are financially sustainable, passed a waiver promote increased participation in permitting schools to CCS meal programs, decrease in- receive 100% school hunger, and reduce stress for reimbursement for families with limited financial meals distributed during COVID, resources. (CCS, Non-Profit Partners) regardless of enrollment in the federal free and reduced meal program. 2 Catalyze student leadership 2.1 Hire a Farm to School Coordinator to 2.1.1 CSG- Applied & and leverage collaborative increase capacity for implementation Received Funding | partnerships as central to of food equity practices that will lead Jordan Johnson is building food equity. to healthier school meal options, now the City robust student and partner Schoolyard Garden engagement, and increased and Farm to School participation in meal programs. (CCS, Program Director. We are currently 25% Non-Profit Partners) interviewing for a Youth Engagement and Garden Coordinator that will supplement this work. 2.2 Work with student leadership to 2.2.1 2019 CSG Food design healthy school food program Justice Interns options in a way that supports their Drafted cultural and health needs, while also Recommendations educating about nutrition and for Student Survey. healthy living skills. (CCS, Youth,Non- 10 Students engaged Profit Partners, LFLP) in summer Healthy School Food unit. Met 6 times. To Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 13 further develop plans, learn about nutrition, etc. At the request of the cadre of interns, Cultivate is continuing this program throughout the academic year with twice weekly intern work sessions. (Additional $50K to operate this program.) 2.2.2 CCS Teachers distributed survey at CHS |Put on hold with COVID 2.2.3 2020 Food Justice interns develop menu and additional survey/outreach for school meal transformation. Developed additional survey outreach materials and focusing on designing healthy foods information items for when school returns. 2.3 Develop and implement an outreach 2.3.1 CFJN conducted and feedback plan that engages community ranked students and families in school food choice voting in equity practices and changes. (CCS, Westhaven, South Youth, Non-Profit Partners,LFLP) 1st Street, Crescent Halls, and Unity Days. Healthier schools meals ranked 1st Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 14 3 Improve meal offerings to 3.1 Establish and practice a new local 3.1.1 2019 CSG Food include increased fresh, standard for healthy school meals Justice Interns & from scratch, and local that goes beyond the current USDA CFJN Food Justice menu items that are regulations, which CCS is meeting, Advocates created healthier and provide and significantly increase fresh, from goals and 30% energy for students scratch locally sourced, and healthier recommendations meal options in the next five years. for food standards (CCS, Youth, Non-Profit Partners) 3.1.2 Interns & Advocates Presented to School Board in August 2019 3.1.3 CSG, PB&J, LFH, lead writing of healthy school foods chapter incorporated student and community member recommendations and funding sources 3.1.4 CSG presented plan to School Board in November 2019 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 15 Urban Agriculture Grassroots food production emerged as a key practice for neighborhood food access with the start of Quality Control Council Farms in 2007. More than a decade later, resident access to green space for urban farms and gardens provide food security, community gathering spaces, beautification, and a number of benefits to the environments and people engaged with them. Unfortunately, they are competing for finite space with other critical needs like improved, affordable housing as well as general development pressure, putting a greater burden on our City to promote and protect community food security assets. Through housing redevelopment and general private development pressure, several established agricultural locations are either under imminent threat or are unsecured. For example, the spaces managed by the Urban Agriculture Collaborative of Charlottesville (UACC) will be reduced from a total area of 25,000 ft2 which provide approximately 10,000 pounds of fresh produce to neighbors at no cost to 4,400 ft2 by early 2020. Additionally, land used for the International Rescue Committee’s New Roots farmer program is privately owned, in a flood plain, and annually at risk. Though investing in urban agriculture is a critical part of our sustainable food system, we don’t advocate for urban agriculture and food justice in unison nor has the city taken initiative to consider them together. Access to food is a multifaceted issue that should involve urban agriculture, not as a sole means for producing the city’s food but as a way to make our food system more sustainable, inclusive, and accessible. F.E.I. Community Established Goals & Progress 1. Cultivate food equity within the urban environmental sustainability space by promoting and preserving permanent land for green infrastructure dedicated to achieving community food security in the neighborhood areas slated for future housing redevelopment. 2. Increase community resident sufficiency by creating more equitable processes for acquiring and accessing land/garden rental space. 3. Integrate food equity practices such as urban agriculture, edible landscaping, and water conservation into city policy including the City’s Comprehensive Plan, City Council Strategic Plan and the Parks & Recreation Strategic Master Plan. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 16 Urban Agriculture Purpose: Cultivate food equity within the urban environmental sustainability space by promoting and preserving permanent land for green infrastructure dedicated to achieving community food security for low-income residents through urban agriculture. Implementation Team Measuring Success Abbrevati Equity Inclusion Stakeholder Lead on Metric Indicator Indicator Status Parks & Recreation Chris Gensic PR # of square feet of - community based urban 21,000 agriculture sites in City X SQFT Riaan Anthony - # of LBs. of fresh foods 5,000LB and produce distributed X s Richard Morris UAC % of land reserved for In Urban Agriculture urban agriculture by Parks progres Collective & Rec X s # of policies created in the zoning ordinance to In International Rescue protect and promote progres Committee Brooke Ray IRC urban ag X s 13,000S QFT # of square feet reserved (Down for urban ag by housing 12,000 VA Foodshed Capital Michael Reilly VFC developers X SQFT) Laura Brown LFH # of residents co-planning urban ag productions Local Food Hub spaces X 87 Food Justice Network Tamara Wright FJN Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 17 Jennifer Koch & Latoya Thomas RHI / B&S City Comprehensive Planning Consultants Public Works Susan Elliot PW Neighborhood Alex Ikefuna NDS Development Services Goal Goal Description Recomme Rec. Description Implementatio Implementati Goal ndation n Actions on Status Description 1 Cultivate food equity within the urban 1.1 Integrate food equity practices 1.1.1 P&R, UACC, IRC environmental sustainability space by such as urban agriculture, explore land promoting and preserving permanent edible landscaping, and water opportunities land for green infrastructure conservation into the Parks & 40% dedicated to achieving community Recreation Strategic Master food security for low-income Plan. (PR) residents. 1.1.2 P&R participants in LFLP tour and community workshops to develop concrete steps 1.1.3 CFJN representatives (UACC, IRC) invited to present at the Parks & Rec advisory meeting March 12 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 18 1.2 Update public land policy to 1.2.1 RHI / B&S meet require a percentage of land be with Food reserved by the city for urban Equity Initiative agriculture and affordable food coordinators market vending for low income (CFJN reps) and communities. (PR) invite CFJN to sit on steering committee 1.3 Use comprehensive plan and 1.3.1 RHI / B&S meet zoning updates currently with Food underway to incentivize private Equity Initiative landowners and developers to coordinators preserve or create urban (CFJN reps) and agricultural space (LFLP) invite CFJN to sit on steering committee. Confirmed that previous comments will be incorporated into plan 1.4 Encourage Neighborhood 1.4.1 Parks and Rec Development Services to create Advisory Parks Chapter within the City committee Comprehensive Plan, so that meeting went the City of Charlottesville can positively. strategically invest in Consideration preserving green space for food was given to the security purposes.(PR) master planning process and incorporating Urban Agriculture into the planning Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 19 2 Create a more equitable processes for 2.1 Utilize a community based- 2.1.1 LFLP action acquiring and accessing land/garden approach that leverages public planning rental space and private partnerships as well designated as resident leadership in spaces for conducting an urban urban agriculture land availability agriculture in assessment and prioritization. community 35% (PR) mapping, IRC New Roots land matrix contains more than 50 sites for urban agriculture 2.2 Hire an Urban Ag Director to 2.2.1 No action taken review, clarify, and simplify the process of garden space rentals for community organizations, and low income community members to grow food on city land, as well as coordinate efforts with private landowners who may donate land for community food security purposes. (PR) 2.3 Identify assets, priorities and 2.3.1 targets for long term Chris Gensic permanent land access and tour of city infrastructure for both food owned land for production and access points urban including existing city parks and agriculture w/ cityowned UAC & IRC land. (LFLP) partners Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 20 2.3 2.3.1 CRHA redevelopment meetings and PHA design meeting presentation to work with developers and residents on land for urban agriculture 3 Promote awareness and utilization of 3.1 Continue to utilize a 3.1.1 No action taken edible trails in Parks & Rec. community-based approach that leverages public and private partnerships as well as resident leadership in 0% conducting a bike and pedestrian pathway assessment and prioritization, especially to key food resources. (NDS) Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 21 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 22 Affordable Housing & Neighborhood Food Access Where People Live is Where They Eat In 2016, 49.6% of the Charlottesville population made an annual salary less than $40K (39.2% of this population made earnings between <$1K-$30K). Additionally 17.5%, or 1 in 6 residents, face food insecurity, a trend that outpaces Virginia’s average of 11.9%. Between 2001-2016, the number of households receiving SNAP benefits in Charlottesville increased 160% . Creating a food secure city where each citizen has the power of self-determination, requires us to take a closer look at our city’s affordable housing availability, the location of that housing, and accessibility to nutritious foods in the surrounding food environment. For residents living at 50% AMI in Charlottesville, approximately 43% of their income was required to cover housing costs for the year 2017. This figure is more disparaging for citizens living at 30% AMI in Charlottesville, where 71.3% of their income is needed to cover housing. For a city where 1 in 4 citizens live below the federal poverty line, housing cost play an instrumental role in determining household food budgets and dependency on emergency food programs. In a Thomas Jefferson Health District (TJHD) 2012 report on Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships, a food environment assessment found that grocery stores accounted for only 8% of food venues, while fast food restaurants accounted for 41% of food venues in the city . Furthermore, the data indicates the rapid growth of high-end markets, and full service restaurants that do not cater to low income individuals despite our city’s high poverty rate of 25.9% . The combination of neighborhood locations and surrounding food environments in low income neighborhoods has given way to resident-led urban agriculture in many public and subsidized housing sites. Public Housing Association of Residents and Food Justice Network Community Advocates visit Friendly City Co-op Grocery Store in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The second co-op grocery store they visited in October 2019 following a Legal Aid Conference. Residents are looking to explore their options, for creating avenues to cultivate community health assets. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 23 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 24 Purpose: Align efforts to increase affordable living in Charlottesville for low-income residents, by strategically supporting organizations and city departments working to build affordable food markets alongside affordable housing (0-70% AMI). Implementation Team Measuring Success Equity Inclusion Stakeholder Lead Abbrevation Metric Indicator Indicator Status Charlottesville Kathleen Glenn- CRHA # of residents engaged in Redevelopmen Mathews planning & envisioning t Housing of Neighborhood Authority Markets/ Access points X 27 Shantell CFJN % increase of developers Charlottesville Bingham considering food access Food Justice in planning of affordable Network housing X 100% Joy Johnson, PHAR # of food Emily Dreyfus, policies/recommendatio Brandon Collins ns incorporated in the Public Housing affordable housing Association of chapter of Residents comprehensive plan X 3 Piedmont Sunshine Piedmont Housing Mathon, Alliance Charlene Green Friendship Tamara Wright FCAC Court Advisory Committee Riverbend Ashley Davies RD Development City Jennifer Koch & RHI / B&S Comprehensiv Latoya Thomas e Planning Consultants Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 25 Goal Goal Recommendatio Rec. Description Implementatio Implementatio Goal Descriptio n n Actions n Description Status n 1 Support 1.1 Build from existing food 1.1.1 PHAR, Friendship resident security events in low- Court and FJN leadership in income communities to representatives the engage residents on visited CO-Ops in development discussions of health and Durham, NC and of affordable food access, learn about Harrisonburg, VA food access barriers impacting access (garden to services, and share spaces or information on programs. 15% small grocery stores) throughout the redevelopmen t process of public and subsidized housing sites. 1.1.2 In support of residents, applied for a VDHCD grant in partnership with CRHA and Riverbend Development and won. $2 million dollar investment in low-income affordable housing efforts. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 26 1.1.3 Presentations at PHA and CRHA redevelopment meetings in support of affordable food access 1.2 Amend the city’s In progress, comprehensive plan and recommendations zoning ordinance to have been sent to include definitions of and Comp Plan actions to advance food consultants. equity and healthy affordable housing. 2 Develop an 2.1 Require housing 2.1.1 Action linked to infrastructure developers to conduct a comprehensive of Health Impact Assessment plan process. accountability (HIA) which includes a full to incentivize review of all neighborhood housing food and beverage access, developers to and plans to offset 20% consider negative health impacts of health creating housing in low- impacts of food access areas through affordable urban agriculture or store- housing front space dedicated to development healthy and affordable projects food markets. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 27 Neighborhood Food Access Purpose: Commit to dissolving food apartheid within the urban ring, through strategic support and collaboration of organizations, community members, health institutions and city departments cultivating healthy food access through programs and building affordable markets in low income neighborhoods. Implementatio n Team Measuring Success Equity Inclusion Statu Stakeholder Lead Abbreviation Metric Indicator Indicator s Charlottesville Kathleen CRHA Am ount of Cash routed Redevelopm ent Glenn- to BIPOC community in $3.2 Housing Mathews direct support of FEI M illio Authority and LFLP initiatives X X n Shantell CFJN # of Bingham organizations/funders directly engaged in uplifting BIPOC Charlottesville com m unity resilience Food Justice (referring to this Network category) X 14 Joy Johnson, PHAR # of policies developed, Emily approved, and Public Housing Dreyfus, implemented in the City Association of Brandon of Charlottesville’s Residents Collins Com prehensive Plan X X 0 Sunshine PHA # of residents engaged Mathon, in planning & Piedmont Charlene envisioning of Housing Green Neighborhood M arkets/ Alliance Access points X 27 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 28 Tamara # of recommendations Wright City departm ents utilize Friendship that increase food Court Advisory access programming or Com m ittee change environm ents X 21/32 Habitat for HH Humanity City Jennifer Koch RHI / B&S Com prehensive & Latoya Planning Thomas Consultants City of Brenda Kelly City Charlottesville Redevelopm ent City of Kaki Dimock, DHS Charlottesville Misty Graves Human Services City of Jason Ness OED Charlottesville Office of Economic Developm ent Goal Goal Recommendatio Rec. Description Implementatio Implementatio Goal Descriptio n n Actions n Description Statu n s 1 Intentionally 1.1 Utilize city department-non 1.1.1 *Applied for the create profit partnerships to VDHCD Vibrant opportunities collaboratively pursue Community Grant for financial funding opportunities such alongside CRHA investment as as Agriculture and Forestry and Riverbend and 15% well as Industries Development won $2 million mechanisms grants (through VDACS) or in funds to build planning grants in order to capital to promote local business Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 29 finance the expansion and create transformatio opportunity for increased n of our food access. (LFLP, OED) inequitable food environment 1.1.2 Applied for Kresge grant of $400,000 in partnership with City manager of redevelopment as well as CRHA, PHA, PHAR, JSAAHC, FJN, Habitat, UACC 1.1.3 *Applied and received funding for School Meal program transformation. $500K from CACF. (*repost from school meals) 1.1.4 Worked with Frontline Foods/ World Central Kitchen to oversee equitable roll out of restaurant business efforts. Developed a steering, where Office of Economic Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 30 Development played a key role in supporting Black and Minority owned business participation. Routed $519,000 to business and $183,000 to 9 Minority owned businesses during covid 1.3 Work with funders to 1.2.1 Working with a develop a deeper group of understanding of food anonymous donors equity work and long-term to launch a Food solutions, to drive in-kind Equity Fund. donations towards the long- Current term avenues projection to start $175K. 1.4 Expand the farmer’s market No action taken network to reach each due to COVID neighborhood and include or support grassroot market efforts that cultivate and promote diversity in entrepreneurship. 2 Protect and 2.1 Develop policies, incentives, 2.1.1 Incorporate a food Promote or programs that support equity chapter into initiatives and enable local community the City’s 20% that tackle store co-ops to start and Comprehensive food remain open, particularly in Plan. apartheid low-income communities of Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 31 through city color. development policy and zoning. 2.2 2.2.1 Utilize MAPP2Health to measure progress towards cultivating city-wide food security and decreasing health inequities. 3 Work 3.1 3.1.1 30% 3.1.2 3.1.3 3.1.4 Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 32 COVID-19 Response The Charlottesville Food Justice Network has been a centralizing stakeholder in the immediate food security response to the Covid- 19 Pandemic in Charlottesville and surrounding areas. We have developed and continue to define a short-term emergency food security communications structure and short-term operational plan support among our 30+ networks organizations including non- profits, local government and others. While the extent and duration of the disruption that the pandemic has caused is still unknown, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this is not a short-term problem and that as the weeks and months go on, more durable and long-term efforts will need to be enacted to protect the food security of Charlottesville's most vulnerable. The City of Charlottesville Human Services has worked closely with Charlottesville Food Justice Network to take a central role in developing a longer-term food security strategy for the Charlottesville community. The implementation table below sums of the work over the course of the 7 month response. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 33 COVID-19 Food Security Response Purpose: To build an equitable, wrap around food security infrastructure to bear the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in Charlottesville and surrounding areas. Implementation Team Measuring Success Equity Stakeholder Lead Abbrevation Metric Indicator Inclusion Indicator Status Food Justice Shantell Bingham FJN # of meals Network & Gabby Levet distributed to high- need communities x 50,000 meals UVA Equity Brooke Ray # of network Center partners/community orgs supported by our COVID infrastructure x 14/25 Jeanette Abi-Nader Cultivate # of people enrolled in text Food Cultivate security text Charlottesville message program x In progress Kaki Dimock DHS # of small, minority owned businesses 9 ($183,000 Department of enrolled/onboarded invested in Human Services in FLF x business) Denise Bonds, BRHD # of people Rebecca Schmidt, supported by COVID Blue Ridge Health Putnam Ivey De- Wrap Around 50 cases; 185 District Cortez Services x individuals Office of Economic Jason Ness OED Development Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 34 Siri Russell OEI Office of Equity & Inclusion John Kluge FF Frontline Foods Goal Goal Recommendation Rec. Description Implementation Implementation Description Action Description Goal Status 1 Developing 1.1 Communicate needs of 1.1.1 UVA Equity Center COVID-19 Food network partners and team conducts weekly Security frontline food needs assessments and Infrastructure: organizations up to situation reports; CFJN Build an Regional Emergency team compiles needs emergency food Operations Center / City assessment with security response Depts ongoing research and infrastructure that community insights for enables the bi-weekly City Charlottesville Reporting community to effectively respond to expanding food insecurity during the COVID-19 shelter in place orders. 1.2 Track and Share 1.1.2 Creating and information around disseminating weekly COVID-19 Food Community Calendars Resources for Frontline for City and County Organizations programs in English and Spanish, 1.1.3 compiling and updating Expanded List of Food Resources, designing Flow Charts and creating Health Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 35 Guidelines for Food Organizations, 1.1.4 building out Food Security Text Message Program 1.1.5 Partnering with County to expand frontline organization needs assessment, developed food system mapping tool, assessing/supporting migrant farmworker needs, sharing informational resources 2 Building a 2.1 Support CCS with 2.1.1 COVID Response: Safety Net for School Meal Advocating for CCS to COVID-19 Cases Distribution during be a vendor/partner & COVID-19 via with Frontline Foods Organizations: advocacy, restaurant meal Develop and programmatic and initiative; implement organizational “failsafe” mechanisms mechanisms within the COVID food security response that minimize disruptions in food access support for organizations Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 36 facing volunteer/resource shortages. 2.1.2 Implemented Spring Break Meal distribution program @ 5 community centers; Supported CCS with volunteer recruitment 2.2 Build Food Security 2.2.1 Providing volunteer Infrastructure for pipeline for weekly Volunteer, Resource PACEM meal deliveries and Programmatic Support for Frontline Organizations 2.2.2 Creating a Wrap Around Food Resources Program for COVID testing at Crescent Halls and future testing initiatives 2.2.3 Developing process to source and pair organizations with needed resources (example: frontline foods & support for local partner after WCK closed chapters) Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 37 3 Building 3.1 Build scalable model for 3.1.1 Partnering with City, Infrastructure Wrap Around Services County, TJHD, UVA, for COVID to COVID-19 positive Sentara, and Positive Case households community-based Support: organizations to Designed, sourced, provide food (shelf implemented, and stable, prepared meals scaled wrap and produce), around services for medications, finances, COVID positive housing, residents to safely PPE/Sanitation and shelter in place, additional needs to contain the COVID positive patients spread, and and their families. recover. 4 Equitably 4.1 Provide Food Equity 4.1.1 Organizing and leading Governing Advocacy / Thought Frontline Food Steering Resources: Leadership to Committee with Racial Establish philanthropic and Equity Framework as a mechanisms for humanitarian response foundation, advocating equitably efforts for an equitable, governing food community-based security resources approach to restaurant that minimizes meal initiatives impacts of COVID exacerbated social and economic inequities. 4.1.2 Partnering with Office of Economic Development to target minority business owners and ensure equitable participation. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 38 FUNDING Cultivate is requesting $155,000 for FY22 as matching funds for year 3 of our USDA Community Food Project grant ($125,000), Just Food for US, and year one of our Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth grant ($30,000), Food Justice Leaders & Healthy School Foods. Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 39 APPENDIX 1. City Department Food Equity Profiles Complete with Updates on Department Progress 2. Food Equity Initiative Chapter 2: At the Intersection of Urban Agriculture & Food Equity Cultivate Charlottesville- Food Justice Network Food Equity Initiative: Year Two 40 City Council’s Food Equity Initiative Food Equity Profile & Recommendations Charlottesville City Schools CCS alignment with CFJN Equity Justice & Strong Healthy People FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS Framework and Advocacy Issue Areas Fairness Communities RECOMMENDATIONS Charlottesville City Schools’ Food Equity Vision Statement 1. Developed five-year plan with five core strate- We recognize that healthy school food is a priority equity strategy to providing a safe and gies: healthy school environment for all our students to thrive. A key piece of achieving food equity for our community, a. Equity through increased access/partici hinges upon the support and cultivation of infrastructure to advance healthier school meals in Charlottesville City Schools pation in school meals by 24% increase (CCS). Over half (54%) of youth in our city schools are at risk of childhood food insecurity, putting a greater burden on the b. Upgrade staff and equipment for breakfast and lunch services provided by CCS to nourish students so they can perform at their academic and social best. increased capacity Food Equity Goals c. Increase fresh, from scratch and local “I don’t know if we are going to get as many academic foods by 60% gains as we want – until we address nutrition along Intentionally transform Charlottesville City Schools’ meal with the achievement gap. We need to move past the # 1 program to increase participation for all students, d. Increase youth voice and choice in meal selection USDA requirements and significantly move beyond the especially students eligible for the federal meals program. e. Increase youth nutrition education fresh fruits and vegetables that we have right now to Catalyze student leadership and leverage make those impacts.” # 2 collaborative partnerships as central to 2. Farm to School Coordinator roles are being building food equity. implemented by Cultivate's City Schoolyard - Dr. Rosa Atkins, Superintendent Charlo�esville City Garden Program Director, Jordan Johnson. Improve meal offerings to include increased Schools # 3 fresh, from scratch, and local menu items that are 3. Youth Food Justice Interns meet weekly for healthier and provide robust. ongoing design (12 meetings). 4. This will be re-established when school is back Food Equity Recommendations in person. 1. Establish and practice a new local standard for healthy school meals that goes beyond the current USDA regulations, 5. Purchased small kitchen wares for all 9 schools which CCS is meeting, and significantly increase fresh, from scratch locally sourced, and healthier meal options in the next and coolers for meal delivery during COVID. five years. 6. This will be re-established when school is back 2. Hire a Farm to School Coordinator to increase capacity for implementation of food equity practices that will lead to in person. healthier school meal options, robust student and partner engagement, and increased participation in meal programs. 3. Work with student leadership to design healthy school food program options in a way that supports their cultural and health needs, while also educating about nutrition and healthy living skills. Supporting Partners 4. Develop and implement a robust outreach and feedback plan that engages students and families in school food equity practices and changes. CCS Nutrition Services | Cultivate 5. Revamp school lunch line infrastructure and central kitchen cooking equipment to create more appetizing serving lines Charlottesville: City Schoolyard Garden | Local Food Hub | PB & J Fund | CATEC | and support the implementation of increased from scratch cooking as well as proper storage of locally sourced produce City of Charlottesville Economic Development and meat. Services “Go Program” | PVCC 6. Develop strategies to resolve the annual student meal debt in ways that are financially sustainable, promote increased Network2Work participation in CCS meal programs, decrease in-school hunger, and reduce stress for families with limited financial resources. City Council’s Food Equity Initiative Food Equity Profile & Recommendations Parks and Recreation FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Parks & Recreation Strategic plan process will Parks and Recreation Food Equity Vision Statement be launched in January 2021. Cultivate presented Grassroots food production emerged as a key practice for neighborhood food access with the start of QCC Farms in 2007. initial, proposal to Advisory Committee in March More than a decade later, resident access to green space for urban farms and gardens provide food security, community 2020. gathering spaces, beautification, and a number of benefits to the environments and people engaged with them. 2. Participating on Comphrensive Plan Steering Unfortunately, they are competing for finite space with other critical needs like improved, affordable housing as well as general development pressure, Committee. Food Equity Goals 3. Hosted Local Food Local Places process that “We envision affordable living - not just affordable Cultivate food equity within the urban environmental integrated input from over 1,200 community housing in Charlottesville. So for P&R, we see the focus # 1 sustainability space by promoting and preserving members. on trails and parks as an equity piece of the puzzle. permanent land for green infrastructure dedicated to 4. Policy recommendations are being integrated Making people who walk, ride bikes and buses equally achieving community food security for low-income into city comprehensive and strategic plans. safe, convenient, enjoyable and get you to the right residents. 5. This is a future goal. places. And If you can’t bring the people to the grocery store, then bring food access to the neighborhoods... for # 2 Create a more equitable processes for acquiring and Additional Actions some that’s through gardening.” accessing land/garden rental space 6. Working with CATEC to establish urban agriculture - Chris Gensic, Parks & Trails Planner Promote awareness and utilization of edible trails in Parks City of Charlo esville # 3 & Rec. farm at the school. CATEC Board approved development of MOU with Cultivate Charlottes- ville. Food Equity Recommendations 7. Working with anonymous donor to fund urban farm 1. Integrate food equity practices such as urban agriculture, edible landscaping, and water conservation into the Parks & park development. Recreation Strategic Master Plan. 8. Listed position for a Cultivate Urban Agricul- 2. Encourage NDS to create Parks Chapter within the City Comprehensive Plan, so that the City of Charlottesville can ture Collective Associate (dependent on donor strategically invest in preserving green space for food security purposes. funding) 3. Utilize a community based-approach that leverages public and private partnerships as well as resident leadership in conducting an urban agriculture land availability assessment and prioritize. Supporting Partners 4. Update public land policy to require a percentage of land be reserved by the city for urban agriculture and affordable Cultivate Charlottesville's Urban Agriculture Collective | International Rescue Committee New Roots | Virginia food market vending for low income communities. Foodshed Capital | Piedmont Environmental Council | 5. Hire an Urban Ag Director to review, clarify, and simplify the process of garden space rentals for community Neighborhood Development Services | Thomas organizations, and low income community members to grow food on city land, as well as coordinate efforts with private Jefferson Planning District Commission | City of landowners who may donate land for community food security purposes. Charlottesville Human Services | EPA City Council’s Food Equity Initiative Food Equity Profile & Recommendations Office of Economic Development FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Worked with World Central Kitchen/Frontline Office of Economic Development Food Equity Vision Statement Foods to identify minority owned business that The Office of Economic Development recognizes that investing in food equity and community ownership within the were not initially included and ensure their minority business space, presents an opportunity to cultivate wealth within low-income communities as it relates to inclusion and prioritized in the community meal food. We have started this investment with the Minority Business Program and the Business Equity Fund. Food responses. Awarded $750K business grant that equity represents progress towards achieving economic equity alongside community health. included 50% set aside for socially disadvantaged businesses. Many food service Food Equity Goals related. “The Office of Economic Development supports # 1 Work with community partners to increase the knowledge minority business owners and workforce of how a food economy fits within Charlottesville with a 2. To be re-established after businesses are development within our food system. We will focus on the financial challenges, organization reopened. continue to support entrepreneurs and local relationships, community wants/needs and feasible sourcing of food that contributes to a sound possibilities 3. Community engaged research into cooperative economy that works for everyone.” owned – Jason Ness, Business Development Manager # 2 Continue to leverage opportunities to cultivate deeper support for minority business owners within the grocery store through two visits (Raleigh & Harrisonburg). Office of Economic Development Charlottesville food economy by building more partnerships with organizations 5. Participating in Virginia Food Access Innova- tion Fund Steering Committee, Virginia Good Food Fund Steering Committee Food Equity Recommendations 1. Continue to use funding opportunities and resources, such as the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development grants (through VDACS) and the Virginia Community Capital’s Fresh Food Loan fund to assist local business expansion and create opportunity for increased food access. Supporting Partners 2. Utilize existing programs, resources and incentives (Business Equity Fund, ACE Program, GO Hire Program, Minority Business Program) that support and enable local community food stores, particularly in low-income Community Investment Collaborative | Virginia communities. Community Capital | Public Housing Association of 3. Continue to actively support development of business plans and funding for affordable brick and mortar, as well Residents | Cultivate Charlottesville Food Justice as mobile markets that can serve public housing residents and other lowincome neighbors. Network | Virginia Foodshed Capital | VA Housing & Community Development City Council’s Food Equity Initiative Food Equity Profile & Recommendations Neighborhood Development Services FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS RECOMMENDATIONS Neighborhood Development Services Food Equity Vision Statement 1. Active on City Comprehensive Plan Steering The City’s zoning codes and comprehensive plan are a point of leverage in the development process. In order to Committee and worked to engage dozens of achieve equitable food access during development, we must strive to include food equity practices explicitly in the community members in community surveys city’s comprehensive plan and zoning codes where it hasn’t been considered before. By actively evaluating and through new online portal. Plan expected to be planning for equitable food resources, the city will begin to address food security issues especially affecting complete in December 2021 and to include Food low-resourced communities and people of color in Charlottesville. Equity. Food Equity Goals 2. Parks & Rec strategic planning process will Increasing access points for food including grocery begin in January 2021. “We need food to survive and most importantly access # 1 stores and home gardens by building on existing 3. Implemented Youth Food Justice Intern to food – quality and nutritious food is very critical for resources. the low-income population. That’s the aspect that NDS program and Community Advocate program. a) Getting people to resources: “Improving transit 4. Will be incorporated into the updated believes that we need to take care of. That will include to the grocery conveniently and in a timely recognition of that need in policies of the comprehensive plan to re-write the Zoning manner.” comprehensive plan, rewriting the zoning ordinances to b) Bringing more local resources to the people: Ordiance and Affordable Housing Strategy. accommodate the need and making it easier for people Make it possible for a local grocer to open within 5. Active on Comprehensive Plan Steering to have urban agriculture and of course livestock.” the city circle. Committee. – Alex Ikefuna, Director Neighborhood Development Services Creating safe access to transportation pathways to food # 2 resources, schools, work etc. by developing and enhancing the city’s understanding of actual use of pathways, especially as it affects utilization among lowincome populations. Food Equity Recommendations 1. Incorporate food equity practices in the City Comprehensive Plan by making food security and improved food pathways a key component in neighborhood development and city department operations 2. Collaborate with Parks & Rec to include in the City Comprehensive pLan strategic investment in preserving green space for food security purposes. Supporting Partners 3. Continue to utilize a community-based approach that leverages public and private partnerships as well as resident Parks & Recreation | Public Works | UVA Health leadership in conducting a bike and pedestrian pathway assessment and prioritization, especially to key food System | Cultivate Charlottesville Urban Agriculture resources. Collective| International Rescue Committee New 4. Update zoning ordinances to encourage units to establish home gardens and edible landscapes on residential Roots | Charlottesville Food Justice Network | EPA properties, as well as local food resources, by streamlining processes. 5. Amend the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance to include definitions of and actions to advance food equity and healthy affordable housing. City Council’s Food Equity Initiative Food Equity Profile & Recommendations Charlottesville- Albemarle Transit FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS RECOMMENDATIONS Charlottesville- Albemarle Transit Food Equity Vision Statement CAT fully supports the City’s Food Equity Initia- In Charlottesville, 27% of those utilizing public transportation are at or below the federal poverty line and 28% are of a tive. minority population (CAT). However, following national trends, public transportation in Charlottesville is designed for commuting to work not for accessing food (RWJF). While Charlottesville Area Transit is increasing its capacity to As a provider of mass transit, it is CAT’s goal to address the population and employment density growth, routes are not yet designed based on consumer demand (CAT). serve the needs of the entire city. Understanding Charlottesville residents have expressed interest in alternate transportation routes (City). that we serve as a lifeline to low-income neigh- borhoods and public housing, CAT continually Food Equity Goals seeks to improve service in these areas. “We’re working to understand pa�erns of community need in order to effec�vely plan Increasing community input in transportation plans in routes that increase u�liza�on and access for # 1 order to eliminate barriers for transit especially among While our paratransit, Jaunt, currently provides low-income popula�ons as it not only relates low-income populations. demandresponse service to commuters and to work needs, but food access as well. ADA-certified individuals (both in the City and in Currently, grocery stores are considered Increasing general utilization and participation in the County), CAT is open to exploring ways to anchor des�na�on points for transporta�on # 2 Charlottesville transportation services including among potentially introduce demandresponse service to planning but there’s more we can do to youth, elderly, and lowincome populations. the region as well. incorporate other food access points across the city.” Build and develop routes with intentionality, including -Juwhan Lee, Assistant Director # 3 giving consideration to specific stops (gardens, parks, A focus on a regional transportation system is Charlo esville-Albemarle Transit grocery stores, resources such as GoodWill) and associated paramount as the City moves forward with its challenges such as distance to stops, shelters, etc. Food Equity Initiative Goals. We will re-establish action on these recommenda- Food Equity Recommendations tions when transit is up to a regular schedule. 1. Adapt/change routes to include specific spaces including gardens, parks, specific sites (ex. GoodWill), etc. that have already been identified as points of interest. 2. Create new travel bus pass at free or subsidized rates for low-income residents that qualify for SNAP or WIC. 3. Revamp the CAT and NDS feedback process to include and increase community input through diverse frameworks including, a formal application or submission of comments online as well as informal avenues such as community-based Supporting Partners events or Townhalls. 4. Design and establish a system/process/position to increase data collection on utilization and route preferences, including Neighborhood Development Services | Public where people come from, get off, etc. for the purposes of developing informed routes. Works | Parks & Recreation | Human Services | 5. Develop a system or position to evaluate bike and pedestrian programs by how well they are reaching people and Cultivate Charlottesville Food Justice Network | collect community feedback. Loaves & Fishes City Council’s Food Equity Initiative FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS Food Equity Profile & Recommendations RECOMMENDATIONS Department of Social Services -Focused efforts to encourage electronic application, including message on digital signature, regular physical presence in public housing communities to support remote engagement. - Worked with state (VADSS) and local (CCPS, CCFJN, com- munity nonprofit) partners to push out messages about expanded assistance during COVID, including: elimination of interview requirement, supplemental allotments to all open Department of Social Services Food Equity Vision Statement SNAP household, supplemental allotments to all children In 2017, 6,033 Charlottesville City residents received SNAP benefits. Program enrollment is declining. Some eligible for free and reduced lunch programs. individuals who may be eligible for SNAP are not receiving SNAP benefits and those who do are limited to $1.06 per meal ($3.18/day per person is average benefit amount in VA). In order to cultivate more equitable food access, -Through the Regional EOC, collaborated with CCFJN to meet it is important to evaluate the utilization and effectiveness of SNAP benefits through disparities in outcomes and the feeding needs of the most vulnerable in our community. user feedback. Community voice in combination with outcomes data is a powerful tool in evaluating and designing -Established a professional development goal for each depart- future outreach and benefits programs for low-income communities, as well as advocating for these changes to city ment employee to participate in at least 12 hours of cultural leadership. DSS can use qualitative and quantitative evaluation data to take more intentional steps to increase humility training per year. and improve food access. - Active participation in the Trauma Informed Community Network, including the steering committee Food Equity Goals - Active participation in the Map to Health process. Estab- “While SNAP may seem straightforward because Pursue food equity by reducing internal and external eligibility for assistance is based on household # 1 barriers to food benefits through effective outreach and lished informal feedback loops via staff participation Residents Services Committee, Crescent Hall Relocation size and income, we are concerned about the communication between DSS and the benefit-eligible staffing committee, TJACH Service Provider Council and racial disproportionality in our caseload. We are community. moving toward s deeper understanding of race Community Case Review, Prisoner Reentry Steering, Commit- and implicit bias at DSS and how this relates to Cultivate deeper inclusivity and cultural humility as an tee and Community Council food security and access.” # 2 organization dedicated to serving a diverse community. RECOMMENDATIONS: √The Local Agency Profile Report published on the agency – Sue Moffett, Director Increase community feedback through developing webpage includes SNAP caseload composition by race. The Department of Social Services # 3 equitable mechanisms to better understand the role DSS Department is still working to establish a process for regular plays in the Charlottesville community through its reporting and analysis of applications and eligibility determi- programs and how they are affecting residents. nations by race. Food Equity Recommendations √The Department actively collaborates with community 1. Analyze and report SNAP application and eligibility determination outcomes by race. partners through TJACH, Prisoner Reentry, TICN, MAPP to 2. Work with community partners to develop and implement strategies to effectively market DSS benefit Health, Parks and Rec Scholarship program, Charlottesville programs including SNAP (and encouraging its use in certain places), camp scholarships, and other activities City Schools, Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing through direct, consistent interactions with low-wealth communities in order to promote selfsufficiency. Authority 3. Work with local and state partners to advocate for available federal policy waivers to expand SNAP √Agency staff continue to be active with the Virginia League program eligibility. of Social Services Employment Services and Legislative Com- Supporting Partners mittees and the Benefit Programs of Virginia Organization Parks & Recreation | International Rescue Committee | Cultivate Charlottesville Urban Agriculture Collective | Benefit Programs Committee. These professional organiza- Virginia Employment Commission | Community Sponsored Re-entry Initiative | Charlottesville Food Justice Network Community Advocates | UVA Health System | Charlottesville City Schools | Child Inform Community Network | tions develop statewide advocacy and legislative initiatives. Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition on Homelessness | Community Resilience Inititiative City Council’s Food Equity Initiative FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS Food Equity Profile & Recommendations RECOMMENDATIONS Public Works Climate Protection GOALS - Equity is identified as a core topic to be addressed in the,Climate Action Plans mitigation & adaptation) and will be structurally incorporated into the plan development process and content. Equity values identified for the mitigation plan will be re-visited during the adaptation planning process. (6-month horizon beginning October 2020 includes a draft mitigation plan and initiating process for Public Works Climate Protection Food Equity Vision Statement adaptation planning) As the city continues to develop rapidly, it is necessary that the City connects with the community to understand - Per City Council resolution (Jul19), the climate action plan will how low-income communities connect with food and how the City can maintain those relationships through address equity in regards to community sectors and sub-goals and is protection of urban agriculture and infrastructure as our environment undergoes drastic change. As a community being structured in response to this aim. cultivating a climate resilient food system, this means proactively addressing these changes through policy. - Attend the November 2020 Soul Fire Farm Uprooting Racism training Food Equity Goals RECOMMENDATIONS Increase the presence and participation of community “What is the experience for an individual, the buildings # 1 voices in climate protection conversations, especially 1. Food equity is one vulnerability that could be identified during the Climate Adaptation Plan development process. The process will that they occupy, and their access to transportation those from marginalized, vulnerable communities. have a steering or advisory committee. Food equity representa- around them? From an urban planning perspective - if tive(s) will be invited to be part of such a group. there are choices that would impact citizens' ability to Strategize avenues to make climate protection services live a healthy life - how do we work in the city to make # 2 (e.g. insulating your home) as well as resources to 2. Included in the proposed November 2018 Comprehensive Plan draft of the Urban Environmental Sustainability chapter is a section those choices easiest for all, not just the lucky ones.” enhance community resiliency equitably accessible to all addressing a Resilient Local Food System with the overarching goal residents regardless of race or income. to “Increase resiliency of and opportunities for local food systems and – Susan Elliott, Climate Protection Program Manager, urban agriculture” supported by four sub-goals. Staff support the Public Works Collaborate with partners to cultivate a deeper # 3 understanding of food equity practices for community currently underway Comprehensive Plan process to incorporate such language in the upcoming drafts as well. resilience. 3. Opportunity remains here for future efforts, perhaps as an Food Equity Recommendations extension of the above Food Equity Goal 3, as working with 1. Incorporate food equity in the draft Climate Action Plan as a vulnerability of the effects of climate change, so that the partners to develop the community-based approach would be City can prioritize food access as a target and develop specific strategies to enhance and sustain our food system. helpful. 2. Include food planning in the Environmental Chapter within the City’s Comprehensive Plan to make food a key 4. In accordance with the authority given to Charlottesville by the component of the City’s planning and regulations as it relates to environmental sustainability and enhance relationships Code of Virginia, Charlottesville enacted a permit fee rate reduction with other City departments doing similar work. for green roofs in April 2009. The definition of a qualifying “green 3. Utilize a community-based approach that leverages public and private organizations as well as roof” is defined in the state code. Green roofs for gardening that resident leadership in understanding how community needs connect with the City’s environmental priorities. meet the state’s definition would be eligible for this rate reduction as 4. Establish a local tax incentive to encourage green roofs (gardening) as an investment in self-sufficient food production well. for low-income residents. 5. It is anticipated that deeper partnerships will be developed 5. Cultivate deeper partnerships with Charlottesville Food Justice Network Partners in order to develop food equity through Climate Protection staff attending the November 2020 practices and frameworks for advancing climate protection for local food system resilience. Soul Fire Farm Uprooting Racism training and the upcoming climate action/adaptation discussions. Supporting Partners Neighborhood Development Services | Parks and Recreation | Cultivate Charlottesville Food Justice Network | Environmental Protection Agency (Regional Reps.) | C3 | UVA Office of Sustainability | Institute of Environmental Negotiation & Engagement | UVA Food Sustainability Task Force City Council’s Food Equity Initiative Food Equity Profile & Recommendations Parks and Recreation: After School Programs FY20 ACTIONS TOWARDS RECOMMENDATIONS Parks and Recreation Food Equity Vision Statement 1. Due to COVID-19, Charlottesville City Schools After school feeding programs are underfunded and not reaching all eligible participants because there are not maintained the summer meals program. CCS enough staff members and resources to supply for all eligible children. The reimbursement processes for after school worked with volunteers from Charlottesville feeding programs and summer feeding programs are different, and food for both is lacking in nutritional value and Community Cares and Cultivate Charlottesville standards. Increasing the funding, staff, and standards for after-school and summer feeding programs will create a Staff to ensure program implementation reached more efficient, far reaching system of food security for Charlottesville youth and children.putting a greater burden on our City as many students as possible. PB&J Fund also to promote and protect community food security assets launched a weekly grocery delivery service to an average of 600 families. Cultivate Charlot- Food Equity Goals tesville worked to provide meals during the school “No kids hungry. No kid should be denied Intentionally integrate food equity practices within all access to food. However that looks and in # 1 Parks & Rec programs. breaks when CCS was not open. 2. Due to COVID-19 we did not get any additional whatever interpretation we’d like to see it staff but we will put in a request again. from, we’re striving to make sure all kids Redesign standards, funding, and protocols for after have access to meals in our afterschool and # 2 school feeding programs in order to increase 3. Cultivate Charlottesville received funding at summer programming.” participation and capacity to serve a larger portion of the Federal (USDA Community Food Projects), the youth community facing food insecurity. State (Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth), – Riaan Anthony, Manager and local (CACF Shaping Futures) level to imple- Parks and Recrea�on # 3 Increase access to nutritious food and meals while developing financial sustainability for program ment the five year plan for healthy school meals. These funds do not focus on summer and after- longevity. school meals they will help to increase participa- tion in school meals. Food Equity Recommendations 4. We developed an app with our IT development 1. Build partnership with Charlottesville City Schools and PB & J Fund to assist in updating policy to raise the local to track participation and it is working very well. standards for food served at after school and summer meal programs and to increase education around food and nutrition. 2. Increase feeding program staff and establish staff procedures to increase the safety and wellbeing of workers while expanding the capacity of the meal programs to increase participation. Supporting Partners 3. Develop new source of sustainable funding, in order to streamline summer and after school meal programs at the Charlottesville City Schools | Blue Ridge Area Food Bank | Piedmont Housing Alliance | Greenstone on same reimbursement model and increase student participation to decrease hunger out of school. 5th | Charlottesville Redevelopment Housing 4. Support the creation and implementation of an evaluation and outreach plan to establish goals of Authority | PB & J Fund | Cultivate Charlottesville meal programs, track progress, and expand program participation through a marketing strategy. Youth Food Justice Interns | Cultivate Charlottesville Food Justice Network Community Advocates The Future of Urban Agriculture in Charlottesville Urban Urban GardensBuild GardensBuild FoodEquity StrongCommunities URBAN GARDENS BUILD EQUITY Urban GardensBuild Urban Micro-Enterprises GardensBuild SelfDetermination CITY SCHOOLYARD GARDEN INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE / NEW ROOTS URBAN AGRICULTURE COLLECTIVE OF CHARLOTTESVILLE CHARLOTTESVILLE FOOD JUSTICE NETWORK A place for Charlottesville residents to grow food and community, together. Urban farms and gardens provide food security, The Future of community gathering spaces, beautification, and a Urban Agriculture number of benefits to the environments and people engaged with them. Unfortunately, they are competing for finite space with other critical needs like improved, affordable housing as well as general development pressure. Through housing redevelopment and general private development pressure, several established agricultural locations are either user imminent threat or unsecured. “We envision affordable living - not just affordable housing in Food Equity Goals Charlottesville. So for P&R, we see the focus on trails and parks Cultivate food equity within the urban as an equity piece of the puzzle. Making people who walk, ride environmental sustainability space by bikes and buses equally safe, convenient, enjoyable and get promoting and preserving permanent land for you to the right places. And If you can’t bring the people to the green infrastructure dedicated to achieving grocery store, then bring food access to the neighborhoods... for community food security for low-income some that’s through gardening.” residents. Chris Gensic, Parks & Trails Planner, City of Charlottesville Create more equitable processes for acquiring and accessing land/garden rental space. Promote awareness and utilization of edible trails in Parks & Recreation. The Urban Agriculture Collective works side by side with residents to grow up to 10,000 pounds of food, annually. In 2019, UACC worked with over 100 resident volunteers and served over 300 families. In 2020, UACC lost almost 90 percent of its land to housing redevelopment. That’s thousands of pounds of food lost and hundreds of families and community volunteers that will be affected. City park land offers the opportunity to provide greens-space for urban agriculture in Charlottesville. The big picture. An overview of urban agriculture in Charlottesville. Current Landscape and Monticello. 2020 will be the last season for this small Today the urban agriculture landscape of Charlottesville consists garden, which is slated for redevelopment in 2021. of a patchwork of public and private land, as well as an assortment of more and less organized systems that support it. The IRC New Roots Program and the Refugee The most prominent and recognizable include the City’s three Community garden rental spaces located in flood plain and one city park; Charlottesville’s refugee residents have and continue to be City Schoolyard Garden which hosts gardens and garden actively involved in urban agriculture in Charlottesville and the programs at 8 public schools, the Urban Agriculture Collective’s surrounding area primarily through the International Rescue remaining garden that supplies many low income families with Committee’s (IRC) New Roots Program. The IRC is fresh food at no cost in the growing season; and the Charlottesville’s only resettlement agency, helping 200+ people International Rescue Committee’s five New Roots garden spaces each year resettle to the area and serving roughly 800 people geared toward providing growing space for home and market annually through its case management, employment, education use for Charlottesville’s refugee population. Other spaces and other programming. include gardens at Trinity Episcopal Church, individual garden plots in the Westhaven originally sponsored by the University of New Roots was established in 2011 and works with Virginia student-led project called Growing for Change; Casa Charlottesville’s refugee and SIV* community in support of their Alma, a Catholic Worker community that includes an urban community connection, wellness and household economics farm; as well many private gardens, shared private spaces and through food and agriculture. The IRC operates 5 gardens with unofficial arrangements between individuals. 1-acre total in production. Sites are rented at a reduced rate or provided for free. The IRC provides technical assistance and The Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville currently serves 68 refugee and immigrant families, some of whom grow food to sell at the neighborhood market on Michie UACC’s mission statement is, “We believe that working together Drive, adjacent to public housing. IRC staff also help their clients to grow and share healthy food helps cultivate healthy access Charlottesville’s public garden rental system, operated by communities.” This local urban farm began as a community the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, and work with action in 2012. It grew out of the 2007 Quality Community Bellair Farm in Southern Albemarle County to link some growers Council’s Farm Initiative. The catalyst for the creation of the farm to additional farming space. Two of the five properties cultivated was to build bridges between Charlottesville neighborhoods are for sale, three are slated for redevelopment, and one where people from across the socio-economic spectrum could location is in flood way and was severely damaged in 2018. Lack grow good food and healthier communities together. In 2019 of land tenure in the face of mounting development pressures UACC managed about an acre of land – across three gardens - directly threatens urban farmers ability to grow fresh food for located adjacent to the public and subsidized housing themselves and others. communities they served. Both UACC and IRC/New Roots work toward alleviating food Operating in the non-profit space, UACC relies on community insecurity and health disparities around food access, by volunteers to support the work of its small staff. Historically providing local, affordable, culturally relevant healthy food. UACC has grown between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds of produce Figure 1 below graphically highlights some local statistics per year. That food is distributed, free of charge, to residents around food access, health, and how UACC engages the every Friday on Market Days during the growing season. community to address these problems. In 2020, after the loss of two of its gardens as part of Charlottesville’s housing redevelopment effort, UACC retains 4,400 square feet of land under management at Sixth Street *SIV’s are “Special Immigrant Visa” holders who worked with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan. The big picture. Challenges for urban agriculture in Charlottesville. Housing redevelopment barriers include cost, proximity to stores where fresh produce is Planning for housing redevelopment in Charlottesville, on both available, and insufficient public transportation. Additionally, the public (CRHA) and private (PHA) side, has been underway many of the children from low-income homes rely heavily on for some time, but in 2020, this work has finally come to school breakfast and lunch programs. When we combine lack of fruition. Construction crews will be breaking ground at access with school food programs that rely too heavily on highly Friendship Court and at South First Street. Both sites are on processed convenience foods, like cereals and pre-cooked pizza, ground, once thriving with UACC food production gardens. This we can observe a correlative rise in childhood obesity and Type II classic tug-of-war between urban agriculture and urban diabetes. development sets up a false dichotomy based on the assumption that urban agriculture and housing are mutually Lack of long-term land-use agreements exclusive. They are not. Affordable housing construction and Both the UACC and IRC programs provide a roadmap and a way healthy food production, can and do, co-exist, but it requires forward. That road was paved by over 12 years of residents reimagining urban agriculture as a component of a healthy city. working side by side, in community meetings, and in the fields. In different ways, they both address issues of health disparities, Lack of long-term land-use agreements garden-based community building, job training, self-reliance, Neither UACC nor IRC/New Roots owns the land that they farm. and entrepreneurship through small-scale food production. But In the case of UACC, in 2019 their largest parcel of for these programs to have the kind of impact that drives real approximately 12,000 sq. ft. of vegetable beds was owned by change, a greater commitment from the city is required. In Piedmont Housing Association (PHA). A second and third parcel, Charlottesville, both PHA and CRHA have commitments to 8000 and 4,400 sq. ft. respectively, are owned by the residents to set aside land for shared garden spaces, but those Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA). commitments are in danger of being minimized or lost in the At Friendship Court, there is an additional 14,000 square feet of cacophony of the redevelopment effort. native species beds, an orchard of pear, cherry, plum, persimmon, and paw paws, and a berry garden of blueberries, Community gardens often arise as a temporary solution to the gooseberries, strawberries, long-term problem of blackberries, and equitable access to fresh raspberries. All of this fruit is produce. Typically, they’re free for residents to pick as Charlottesville has an opportunity to live used as a low-investment they please. When up to the City Council’s vision statement of land use for a vacant lot construction of new housing until market forces and a begins, all of these trees, “A great place to live for all our citizens.” bulldozer wipe them out and many of the berry of existence. This two bushes will be lost. steps forward, two steps back approach to urban Lack of access to fresh produce for low-wealth residents agriculture erodes the communities who come to rely on these There is little doubt that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables gardens. is a powerful causative factor in human health. At Myplate.gov, the recommendation is that one-half of the meal plate should Charlottesville has an opportunity to live up to the City Council’s be made up of fruits and vegetables. Numerous studies show vision statement of “A great place to live for all our citizens,” by that fresh produce consumption correlates well with improved making a long-term investment in urban agriculture. That cardiovascular function, weight management, and is an investment can be realized by thinking of urban agriculture as a excellent source of fiber in the diet. foundational component of a healthy city, embedded in the city plan. Beautiful gardens, healthy food, and better opportunities Sadly, many of our low-wealth residents are missing out on the should not just be for the affluent, but for everyone. benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables due to lack of access. The Case Study: Housing Redevelopment and the UACC Farm Gardens nearly 90 percent of growing space lost in 2020. The Spaces We Grow UACC managed 3 gardens near downtown Charlottesville: Friendship Court, 6th Street, and South 1st Street. We operate 6 rotating Market Days at 6 sites: Friendship Court Friendship Court, Crescent Halls, 6th Street, Midway Manor, Westhaven, and South 1st Street. Our farm shop is located at 405 Avon St. (not shown). Crescent Halls Friendship Court: Vegetable beds (13,000 sq.ft.) + walkways, & staging area: approx. 17,000 sq. ft. (.39 acres.). Total garden area: approx. 31,000 sq. Ft. (.72 acres) 31,000 sq. ft 6th Street: Approx. 4,000 sq. ft. (.09 acres) LOST Farm Shop: Approx. 1,500 sq. ft. South 1st Street: Approx. 8,000 sq. ft. (.18 acres) N 6th Street The Spaces We Develop Redevelopment is underway at all UACC sites. With the right planning, redevelopment can honor both affordable housing and affordable food needs for residents. The acreage of land being developed is as follows. Friendship Court: 11.75 acres 6th Street: 7.34 acres South 1st Street South 1st. St.: 12.26 acres 8,000 sq. ft Crescent Halls: 2.38 acres LOST KEY UACC Garden UACC Market Day Location The Spaces We Volunteer The UACC gardens were created, not just to feed the hungry, but clustering in the 20 - 40 age range. The economic range of our to provide a gathering space to bridge the social, cultural, and volunteers includes college students, young professionals and economic divides that fragment the city of Charlottesville. To that families, and retired residents. The UACC Farm Gardens are one end, the gardens have been very successful. While our resident of the few places in Charlottesville where such a broad swath of customers skew toward middle-age in the 56 - 65+ cohort, our the populace can meet and work toward a common goal. volunteers cover a much broader spectrum, anecdotally Case Study: Washington Park, A place for Charlottesville residents to grow food and community, together. Working with residents, UACC creates opportunities for everyone to parking, and proximity to diverse neighborhoods ensure that a have have access to fresh produce. Booker T. Washington Park has a Washington Park Garden can become a gathering place for residents history of serving the African-American community and is ideally from across the socio-economic spectrum. A place for people to come situated as a potential site for a new urban garden. Its central location, together to grow and share healthy food. Open space : approx 1.25 acres A Community Garden: approx .25 acres Washington visualization Washington visualization UACC Market Day Gardens provide…. • greens-space for residents • Opportunities for self determination • places for residents to grow and share • support for food equity • incubators for entrepreneurs • opportunities for stronger communities • Job training zones • fresh fruits and vegetables No-one should have to choose between housing and food when they can have both. Charlottesville Neighborhoods by the Numbers Charlottesville Food Insecurity by the Numbers 57%students qualify for free and reduced price meals. 82%free/reduced Lunch eligibility at Ridge St./10th & Page 37%3rd&5th 15%or1in7 children are unsure of their next meal. graders classified as overweight/obese. Black residents are 160%increase 4times more likely to die Farm Gardens In SNAP benefits btw. 2001-2016 of diabetes. SUPPORT Neighborhoods, residents, families PROVIDE 380residents Workforce training & education BUILD in40sq.ft. and their families Healthy communities UACC can grow… served. 640carrots 8tons or radishes Over 100lbs. of fresh fruits/vegetables grown. Over 100volunteers of sweet potatoes Racially & economically diverse. UACC by the numbers in 2017 200lbs.tomatoes UACC Farm began as a community action in 2012. It grew out of the 2007 QCC Farm initiative. For 11 years, we have partnered with residents to Gardens also grow… grow good food and healthier neighborhoods. - Youth leadership The South 1st. Street garden is an example of - Places for community gatherings that resident-led partnership. In resident surveys, - Food equity for everyone UACC has maintained strong community support. - Connections with our history “We believe that working together to grow and - Community pride share healthy food helps cultivate healthy - Active living and exercise communities.” #CVilleGardens2020 A way forward. What Charlottesville can do. ShortTerm Cultivate food equity within urban Cultivate food equity within urban spaces by growing and sharing food in spaces by promoting and preserving food insecure communities and across permanent land dedicated for growing the city. and sharing food in neighborhoods slated for future housing redevelopment. Integrate food equity practices such as urban agriculture, edible increase community resident landscaping, and water self determination by creating conservation into city policy including equitable processes for renting city the City’s Comprehensive Plan, City owned community plots. Council Strategic Plan and Vision Statement and the Parks and Recreation Strategic master Plan. LongTerm Utilize a community-based approach Update public land policy to require Hire a City of Charlottesville Urban that leverages public and private a percentage of land be reserved by Agriculture Director to manage the partnerships as well as resident the city for urban agriculture and intersection of land use, food access leadership in conducting an urban affordable food market vending for and urban agriculture. agriculture land availability communities with food insecurity. assessment, prioritization and preferred usage. What do residents have to say about urban agriculture in Charlottesville? BeatriceClark DhanSubba Resident and Farmer/IRC New Roots Resident and UACC Volunteer “Gardening is a way to maintain my “I pick up and deliver vegetables to several health and be a part of a community.” of my elderly friends…Some of them have Gardens Build Community said, ‘I can hardly wait until Friday to see what goodies I will be receiving.’ ” Gardens Build Compassion URBAN GARDENS BUILD JeniferMinor EQUITY Resident and UACC Farm Manager “In my future I’m thinking about running Gardens Build Families my own garden, managing my own garden, “It’s been a great thing. Having access to and my own co-workers. That’s my future healthy foods in our community is not thought. To get my own garden going, always easy. where I can sell my produce and make money off my produce.” Gardens Build Entrepreneurs TamaraWright Resident, PHA Volunteer, UACC Supporter What do residents have to say about urban agriculture in Charlottesville? Five members of the Board and Advisory Council leading by example and providing inspiration in how to have participated in a focus group. Todd Niemeier was also backyard gardens, and that being in the garden represented present. opportunity, engagement, hope, and health. They felt they were more focused on educating people than actually on food Focus Group Summary production. One person spoke of expanding her professional/ Participants spoke of feeling hungry, relaxed, whole, and a personal networking being in the garden. The members got comfortable vibe/sense of community when in the garden. excited talking about writing their vision down and painting a They all spoke of learning about the techniques of gardening mural with it on the walls of the gardens. One person talked of and plant care, including how to plant for pollinators, growing her role in fundraising mailings and swooping in at the last berries, growing native plants, and how to plant in this zone. minute to help out when needed, but most people were focused on knocking on doors and getting people out, being They also all spoke of eating more veggies, and one person spokespeople for the garden and public awareness. said that she now works to make half her plate vegetables. She elaborated, saying that she was pleased to now know the The members got excited talking about writing their vision difference between organic and manufactured food, and how down and painting a mural with it on the walls of the gardens. you have to eat organic food more quickly before it spoils. One person talked of her role in fundraising mailings and swooping in at the last minute to help out when needed, but The participants talked the most about the meaning of the most people were focused on knocking on doors and getting garden for the community, and how it represents the ideal in people out, being spokespeople for the garden and public Charlottesville. They felt full of pride and like they were awareness. Two UACC garden apprentices were interviewed He likes that people in the neighborhood recognize him from individually. the garden and ask him what’s going on in the garden. It feels good helping people and being a part of the goodness. A Interview Summary lot of kids come out to the garden to play in the dirt. She can One apprentice is a Sophomore at CHS and lives in Friendship teach what she has learned to others and the kids. She feels Court. He has been a CAYIP apprentice for two summers with confident, and can put her mind to the work. She can be the AUCC garden. The other apprentice lives in Friendship independent and has recently become the assistant farm Court with her four daughters. She has been a UACC manager. Apprentice for three seasons. Both say the garden really helps the community, and means a He chose the apprenticeship because it was close to home, lot to the community. Little kids come out to help a lot and keeps him busy and out of trouble. She said it was important parents know they are safe. to her to give back to the community. Both have tried new foods and learned about healthy eating. It is peaceful. It keeps him motivated because there’s always He has learned that the things he grows are a lot healthier something that needs to be done. He gets a sense of than the food in the grocery and that most of the things in the accomplishment and there’s always something different to do. grocery are not healthy. Both also look forward to the physical “I can go hours and not even know.” activity – and associated weight loss – that comes with working in the garden in the summer. Resident Feedback from an International Rescue Committee/New Roots survey from 2019. The refugee and SIV community in Charlottesville is estimated many grow independently at their own homes or those of at roughly 4000 people, though many of them have since neighbors, 68 families are active urban growers through the become naturalized citizens. Many of these families, especially International Rescue Committee’s New Roots program (IRC). those from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burundi, D.R. Congo, and Myanmar arrived with agrarian skills and desire to continue to The IRC conducts programmatic evaluations each year to exercise those skills for a number of reasons: as a matter of understand the value of land access and urban agriculture for cultural identity; to save money on groceries; to access organic its program participants. From the 2019 surveying of food and varieties of produce not readily available in local participants we learned: stores; and for social and mental health motivations. While Respondents reported saving an average $411 on groceries per household in the 2019 growing season through their gardens. The five “micro-producers” making sales through their gardens grossed nearly $8000 from less than a half-acre of land. Accessing more healthful food, learning new skills, saving money top the reasons that growers participate in the New Roots land access programs (Community Gardening and Micro-Producer Program). Resident Feedback on Gardens at Friendship Court 2017 UACC Redevelopment Survey Results In March of 2017, UACC asked 49 Friendship Court residents to rate their support for three ideas related to UACC's role in the redeveloped community. - Survey conducted by Todd Niemeier “Notes from a design m thoughts ab eeting, detai out open sp ling residen aces in thei ts’ r future nei ghborhood .” Image comes from “The Reimagining of Friendship Court,” by Jordy Yager, 1.11.2019, Charlottesville Tomorrow. What Residents Value. 2019/2016 UACC Survey Results. Results of a 2019 Market Day survey of 71 resident-customers. 90% of people surveyed either agreed or strongly agreed with the above statements. Market Day Resident Survey Data The community speaks Market Day Data - Survey conducted by Todd Niemeier There have been 21 Market Days between 5/12/17 and 9/29/17. In total 337people have come to Market Days to receive food. 37 people completed surveys. All but one respondent was female. As a note, in March 2017, UACC went door-to-door in Friendship Court to ask folks their opinions about including a community garden in the redevelopment. UACC collected 49 surveys, and 44 strongly agreed, and another 4 agreed, that a community garden should be included in the redevelopment. Only one person said they strongly disagreed that a community garden should be included. Graph Summary: Most people (825) completing surveys at Market Days are over the age of 55. When interviewed, UACC Board members said this graph reflected the age distribution, as they have seen it, at Market Days. Flashback July-September 2015: People who come to Market Days tend to be 45 or older (80% 45 or older). The largest groups are aged 45-54 (29%) and over 65 (37%). Graph Summary: More than half (57%) of Market Day survey respondents were African American and another third (33%) were Caucasian. Flashback July-September 2015: People who come to Market Days are most often African American (57%) and White/Caucasian (29%). Graph Summary: Most (70%) of Market Day survey respondents came from outside the core of the lower-income neighborhoods. Flashback July-September 2015: 53% of Market Day survey respondents came from “other” neighborhoods. Graph Summary: People were most likely coming to their first season on Market Days (45% first time or <6 months), or had been coming for more than 2 years (48%). Flashback July-September 2015: People who come to Market Days tend to come for less than 3 months (48%) or for years (44%). It seems like people come one season and then not usually again, or come season after season. Graph Summary: 77% of people come to Market Days 3 to 4 times per month. Flashback July-September 2015: Almost half of the people come to Market Days every week (47%). Graph Summary: 78% of people have an excellent experience at Market Day, and another 22% rate it as good. No one reported having a fair/poor experience. Flashback July-September 2015: The vast majority of people have excellent experiences at Market Days (78%). 95% have excellent or good experiences. Graph Summary: Overall, there were very few negative comments about Market Days, with 100% of people saying they like the food they get. 92% said that it helps them eat more vegetables (89% say they eat new types of food), and 95% said that they eat all the food they get on Market Days. 86% said the food lasts them all week. 100% says that they meet new people from other communities on Market Days. 84% say that Market Day helps them spend less money on food, and 92% are better able to meet their health needs. Most people also think more about how their eating affects the environment (86%), and about how their health is affected by what they eat (84%). Flashback July-September 2015: People report Market Days very often help them meet new people and eat more fruits and vegetables (75%). They also share what they get (97%), try new ways of eating the food they get (94%), and know more about how what they eat affects the environments (97%). They are better able to provide healthy food to their families (94%), and spend less on food (94%). At least 80% of people report eating less packaged and fast food, as well as eating new types of food. Everyone meets people from different races or ethnicities from themselves.