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TO: Mayor Robert J. O'Connor
FROM: John Russell, Grant Writer
DATE: 12/12/2016
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of a Grant Agreement with the Wholesome Wave Foundation, to accept a $25,000 grant to Aurora's Farmers Market.
PURPOSE:
Wholesome Wave, a national foundation promoting improved nutrition for low-income residents across America, has selected the Aurora's Farmers Market for a $25,000 grant to provide $10 vouchers each week during the Market season to about 75 client families of the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, to be redeemed for fresh fruits and vegetables at the Farmers Market. VNA Health Care is partnering in this grant by recruiting the Food Pantry client families to take part in free, bilingual, drop-in nutrition classes at the VNA clinic. Grant funds also will be used for a gleaning program at the Market, where farm vendors will provide their leftover produce each Saturday for pick-up by the Food Pantry. We hope to glean at least 200 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables each week to be distributed to Food Pantry clients.
BACKGROUND:
Wholesome Wave's Nutrition Incentive Program Support and Innovation Grants support "innovative solutions that increase access and affordability of healthy food for all Americans." The total amount of grant funding available nationwide was $200,000, with a maximum award of $25,000. Aurora's Farmers Market received the maximum award for its proposal to improve the health of some of Aurora's neediest families, in cooperation with the Interfaith Food Pantry and VNA Health Care
DISCUSSION:
This collaboration with the Interfaith Food Pantry is an extension of the previous Farmer's Market Fresh First Prescription program, which provides Market vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables to clients of the VNA Clinic's Childhood Obesity, Pre-and Post-Natal Mothers, and Healthy Families programs. More than 100 families in these VNA programs receive the weekly vouchers, which encourage them to add fresh produce to their fa...
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