August 2, 2017
Transporting Healthy Food Grant Applications Now Being Accepted
ARLINGTON, Va. —Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 Grant Program for Transporting Healthy Food, presented in partnership by CSX and The Conservation Fund.
The Grant Program for Transporting Healthy Food is designed to support and strengthen local transportation and distribution of healthy food to communities in need. The grants enable charitable producers and retailers to acquire equipment and resources needed to sustain food quality and safety as they sell, store, package and distribute fresh produce and other foods. As a result, the program enhances delivery capabilities and improves the availability of healthy food for nearby consumers.
Since the program began in 2014, more than $300,000 has been awarded through 33 grants, enabling recipients to serve an additional 90,000 families with more than 33 million pounds of food.
In 2017, grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 will be made available to charitable entities that distribute fresh produce and perishable food in the 22 states where CSX operates—Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
The grants can support a range of activities related to transportation and food distribution, including:
CSX has long been a supporter of The Conservation Fund’s work in creating environmental solutions that benefit communities. Most recently, two focused grant programs in underserved counties in West Virginia and North Carolina were created to enhance delivery capabilities of food producers, processors and distributors as well as improve and sustain both access to and supply of healthy, fresh food at local farmers markets and schools.
“Local and regional food organizations play a vital role in their communities by providing healthy food that is convenient, practical and affordable to everyone, but they are often working with limited resources,” said Katie Allen, director of the Conservation Leadership Network at The Conservation Fund. “Through this program, we’re not only helping these groups expand their reach and enhance their efforts, but we’re also supporting our local farmers and working farms—improving the entire food chain from the field to the fork.”
Grant applications are due by Friday, September 29, 2017. To download a grant application and learn more information about the program, please visit http://www.conservationfund.org/projects/transporting-healthy-food-grant-program or contact Margarita Carey at mcarey@conservationfund.org.
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect nearly eight million acres of land.
Contact
Ann Simonelli | The Conservation Fund | 703-908-5809 | asimonelli@conservationfund.org
The Grant Program for Transporting Healthy Food is designed to support and strengthen local transportation and distribution of healthy food to communities in need. The grants enable charitable producers and retailers to acquire equipment and resources needed to sustain food quality and safety as they sell, store, package and distribute fresh produce and other foods. As a result, the program enhances delivery capabilities and improves the availability of healthy food for nearby consumers.
Since the program began in 2014, more than $300,000 has been awarded through 33 grants, enabling recipients to serve an additional 90,000 families with more than 33 million pounds of food.
In 2017, grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 will be made available to charitable entities that distribute fresh produce and perishable food in the 22 states where CSX operates—Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
The grants can support a range of activities related to transportation and food distribution, including:
- acquiring refrigerated vehicles for direct delivery to markets, food hubs or distribution centers;
- financing mobile market trucks and food stands to bring fresh food to isolated communities;
- improving on-site and mobile processing and storage—freezing, drying or refrigeration—of meats and seafood needed for distribution; and
- purchasing produce boxes and cold storage bins to keep unsold food fresh for the next day’s farmers market or wholesale purchase.
CSX has long been a supporter of The Conservation Fund’s work in creating environmental solutions that benefit communities. Most recently, two focused grant programs in underserved counties in West Virginia and North Carolina were created to enhance delivery capabilities of food producers, processors and distributors as well as improve and sustain both access to and supply of healthy, fresh food at local farmers markets and schools.
“Local and regional food organizations play a vital role in their communities by providing healthy food that is convenient, practical and affordable to everyone, but they are often working with limited resources,” said Katie Allen, director of the Conservation Leadership Network at The Conservation Fund. “Through this program, we’re not only helping these groups expand their reach and enhance their efforts, but we’re also supporting our local farmers and working farms—improving the entire food chain from the field to the fork.”
Grant applications are due by Friday, September 29, 2017. To download a grant application and learn more information about the program, please visit http://www.conservationfund.org/projects/transporting-healthy-food-grant-program or contact Margarita Carey at mcarey@conservationfund.org.
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect nearly eight million acres of land.
Contact
Ann Simonelli | The Conservation Fund | 703-908-5809 | asimonelli@conservationfund.org
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