FEED IOWA FIRST

GROW, SHARE, NOURISH IS A GRASSROOTS PROGRAM ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY. WE GROW PRODUCE IN TWO WAYS. FIRST, FEED IOWA FIRST MANAGES WANATEE FARM, AN 11-ACRE, CHEMICAL FREE FARM IN MARION. SECOND, WE TEND TO URBAN FIELDS, SECURED THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND CORPORATIONS TO TRANSFORM THEIR UNDERUTILIZED LAND INTO PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND. WE THEN DISTRIBUTE VEGETABLES IN TWO WAYS: DIRECTLY TO PANTRIES AND THROUGH OUR MOBILE PANTRY, THE VEGGIE VAN. WE WORK WITH OVER 37 PANTRIES, DIRECTLY DISTRIBUTING PRODUCE CATERED TO THE DESIRES OF THE POPULATIONS THEY SERVE. VEGETABLE PRODUCTION WANATEE:FEED IOWA FIRST MANAGES AN 11-ACRE FARM IN MARION. HERE WE ENGAGES OVER 100 LOCAL VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY TO CULTIVATE FRESH PRODUCE, IN TOTAL YIELDING 10,000-15,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE ANNUALLY. WE PARTNER WITH LINN COUNTY CONSERVATION ON A 20-YEAR LAND LEASE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE INVESTMENT IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS. VEGETABLE PRODUCTION URBAN FIELDS: FEED IOWA FIRST MANAGES 9 URBAN FIELDS. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TEND, WATER, WEED, AND HARVEST PRODUCE, WHICH IS THEN DISTRIBUTED TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. FEED IOWA FIRST WILL PURCHASE AND PLANT SEEDS, TILL, HARVEST, AND PROVIDE OTHER ESSENTIAL FIELD SERVICE MAINTENANCE SERVICES TO PARTNERS.DISTRIBUTION: WE DISTRIBUTE BETWEEN 30,000-45,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE ANNUALLY, THROUGH VEGETABLE PRODUCTION AT WANATEE FARM, URBAN FIELDS, AND VEGETABLE DONATION. ALL PRODUCE GROWN OR DONATED THROUGH GROW SHARE NOURISH IS DISTRIBUTED TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR FREE. THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO INCREASE FOOD SECURITY BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO NUTRIENT-DENSE PRODUCE AT NO COST TO ANY FAMILY IN NEED. WE DO NOT REQUIRE PAPERWORK OR ID, CREATING LOW BARRIERS FOR PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROGRAM. WE WORK WITH OVER 37 PANTRY PARTNERS, INCLUDING APARTMENT COMPLEXES, LOW-INCOME HEALTH CLINICS, FOOD PANTRIES, SCHOOL PANTRIES, AND 24-HOURS ACCESS TO COMMUNITY FRIDGES. THROUGH HIS MODEL FEED IOWA FIRST IS THE ONLY PROGRAM PROVIDING CONSISTENT VEGETABLES TO FOOD PANTRIES AND FAMILIES IN NEED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON PROVIDING HEALTH EQUITY THROUGH FOOD. VEGETABLE DONATION:FEED IOWA FIRST PARTNERS WITH SEVERAL COMMERCIAL FARMERS TO REDIRECT EXCESS PRODUCE TO LINN COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT LACK ACCESS TO FRESH LOCALLY GROWN AND CHEMICAL-FREE PRODUCE. OUR DONATED PRODUCE DOES NOT ORIGINATE FROM SUPERMARKETS WHERE THE PRODUCE MAY ALREADY BE PASSED THE 'BEST BEFORE' DATE. FEED IOWA FIRST WILL ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM ANY GROWER OF PRODUCE IN LINN COUNTY OR SURROUNDING AREAS. VEGGIERX :VEGGIE RX IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOCAL FREE CLINIC WHICH OFFERS VEGETABLES FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS AT THE CLINIC, AS PART OF A TREATMENT PROGRAMTHE VEGGIERX PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR UNDERSERVED DIABETICS IN LINN COUNTY EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY. THE VEGGIERX PROGRAM OFFERS A PERSONALLY AND MEDICALLY TAILORED WEEKLY PRODUCE PICKUP FOR UNDERSERVED DIABETICS. VEGGIERX WILL ALLOW ACCESS TO CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOOD THAT PATIENTS KNOW HOW TO COOK AND ENJOY EATING. THE PROGRAM WILL RUN FOR A MINIMUM OF 12 WEEKS, PROVIDING REGULAR VEGETABLE DISTRIBUTION AS A HEALTH INTERVENTION.