THE URBAN FARMING INSTITUTE OF BOSTONINC

EDUCATION: IN 2023 "FIT AROUND THE FARM: A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTH PROMOTION FOR ELDERS," HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN SSM - QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH. THIS IS A HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT AND HONOR FOR A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN EXPANDING SINCE 2019. FIT AROUND THE FARM (FATF): UFI DEVELOPS PROGRAMMING FOR SENIORS THAT FOCUSES ON HEALTHY EATING, HEALTHY COOKING AND EXERCISE. A 2023 HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR SENIORS WAS A FARM TO TABLE MEAL IN BEVERLY MASSACHUSETTS AT A LOCAL FARM. TWICE A WEEK THERE WERE 50-60 PARTICIPANTS FOR CHAIR YOGA, DANCING, FITNESS AND DEMONSTRATIONS BY GUEST CHEFS. OUR SENIORS VOLUNTEER, GROW FOOD, ATTEND OUR FARM STAND FOR HEALTHY VEGETABLES AND HERBS, PARTICIPATE IN OUR ANNUAL SEEDLING SALE AND ATTEND OUR SPECIAL EVENTS. UFI HAS CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT TO PROMOTE HEALTH THROUGH LOCAL ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD. THE MEN'S BLACK GATHERING: A NEW PROGRAM WAS ADDED TO THE BLACK MEN'S GATHERING CALLED BARBERSHOP TALK. MEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO STOP BY FOR A MEAL AND A FREE HAIRCUT. THIS PROGRAM INCREASES NETWORKING AMONG SENIOR MEN, STAVES OFF ISOLATION AND CREATES A SAFE SPACE TO LEARN ABOUT WAYS TO INCREASE THEIR OVERALL HEALTH. MEN CONTINUE TO GATHER TWICE A MONTH FOR TAI CHI, GENERAL FITNESS, HEALTHY FOOD AND DISCUSSION OF HEALTHY EATING. FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM: UFI STARTED A 2-YEAR REVAMP OF THE FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM IN 2025. PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT PLANTING, SEEDS, WEEDING, PATHWAY CONSTRUCTION, CROP ROTATION, ORGANIC METHODS FOR PEST CONTROL, HARVESTING, AND FARM BUSINESS PLANNING. OTHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE MUSHROOM WORKSHOPS, BUILDING RAISED BEDS, GROWING TECHNIQUES ETC. IN THE AREA OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT UFI HAS ENCOURAGED ALL STAFF TO INCREASE THEIR LEARNING. THE GROWING TEAM WENT TO PUERTO RICO TO LEARN THE BEST GROWING PRACTICES BY VOLUNTEERING AT LOCAL FARMS. THEY RETURNED WITH A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY SUBSEQUENTLY WILL APPLY FOR THE 2024 GROWING SEASON.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS/NPO PARTNER OUTREACH/ CORPORATE CONNECTIONS: "LIVE MUSIC: OVER 22 PLUS JAZZ, AFRO-LATIN JAZZ, BOMBA AND BRAZILIAN PERFORMANCES OCCURRED AT THE UFI FARM STAND TO ATTRACT THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE TO SHOP, PARTICIPATE IN ARTS & CRAFTS AND MEET GUEST CHEFS. "UFI COMPLETED BUILDING AND INSTALLING ADDITIONAL GROW BOXES IN 2023, MAKING THE TOTAL 129 TO DATE SINCE COVID-19. THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE GROWING HEALTHY FOOD IN THEIR BACKYARDS, FRONT YARDS AND PORCHES. GUIDANCE OCCURRED FOR THESE AT THE SEEDLING SALE AND IN-PERSON AT FCEF. UFI PLANS TO CREATE A 'GROW SERIES' FOR 2024 TO FURTHER TEACH RESIDENTS ALL THE STEPS OF GROWING FOOD. "OVER 2250 COMMUNITY MEAL BAGS FOOD DELIVERY CONTINUED INTO 2023. EACH MEAL BAG FEEDS A FAMILY OF 3. FUNDED BY DONORS COMMITTED TO FIGHTING HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY THE MEALS WERE PREPARED BY BIPOC CHEFS AND CONSISTED OF FRESH VEGETABLES, STARCH, AND A PROTEIN WITH ENOUGH FOOD FOR A FAMILY OF THREE, "THE 2023 THANKSGIVING / INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S CELEBRATION FOOD DISTRIBUTION OF 400 TURKEYS (WITH ALL THE FIXINGS) FOR FAMILIES IN NEED NOMINATED BY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORS, "THE UFI FOOD DAY AND GARLIC FEST WAS HELD IN OCTOBER OF 2023. THIS IS A FREE EVENT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY WITH DEMONSTRATIONS OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOOD BY DIVERSE CHEFS (VEGGIE SOUP, HERBAL TEAS ETC.), AN APPLE CIDER-PRESS AND ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILY HEALTH EDUCATION DISCUSSIONS AND WORKSHOPS, AND A FREE BOOK GIVE AWAY, "550 VOLUNTEERS CONTINUED TO HELP UFI WITH FARMING AND WEEDING. AN AVERAGE VOLUNTEER WORKS FOR THREE HOURS PER PERSON (VOLUNTEERS CONSISTED OF CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS, NEIGHBORS, STUDENTS AND YOUTH), "COLLABORATING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE ABCD (NEW PARTNER), BOWDOIN STREET HEALTH CENTER, SPORTSMEN'S TENNIS CLUB AND ENRICHMENT CENTER, DORCHESTER FOOD COOP, BETHEL AME CHURCH, THE FOOD PROJECT, AND MATTAPAN FOOD AND FITNESS "SCHOOL PROGRAMS CONTINUED AT THE JOSEPH LEE SCHOOL, PAULINE A. SHAW SCHOOL, CODMAN ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL, BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL, ELLISON PARKS SCHOOL, AND MILTON ACADEMY TO NAME A FEW.