Local Environmental Agriculture Project Incorporated

THIS PROJECT WILL HELP VIRGINIA FRESH MATCH (VFM) INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES (FV) BY SNAP PARTICIPANTS AND ENHANCE THE RESILIENCE OF OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS. IN PARTICULAR, THE PROJECT WILL (1) DOUBLE THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF OUTLETS OFFERING VFM SNAP INCENTIVES; (2) REACH ADDITIONAL SNAP AND P-EBT PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE THEM WITH VFM INCENTIVES AND OUTLETS; (3) IMPROVE THE OPERATIONS AND USER EXPERIENCE OF VFM THROUGH INNOVATIVE INCENTIVE TECHNOLOGIES; AND (4) FURTHER INTEGRATE VFM INCENTIVES INTO COVID-19 RESPONSE EFFORTS AND FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCY PLANNING.OUR CURRENT PROJECT REPRESENTS A NETWORK OF 85 OUTLETS (81 IN OPPORTUNITY ZONES) AND 10 REGIONAL FOOD ACCESS ORGANIZATIONS, ALL WITH SIGNIFICANT TRACK RECORDS IN IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. THE EXPANDED PROJECT WILL GROW OUR NETWORK TO OVER 160 OUTLETS, 90% OF WHICH PROVIDE LOCAL FV AND 50% OF WHICH WILL OFFER INCENTIVES ONLY ON SNAP F&V PURCHASES. GUSCRR FUNDS WILL BE USED TO EMPLOYDIRECT-TO-CONSUMER SALES MARKETING (SOCIAL MEDIA, DIGITAL, PRINT) IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICE AND FOOD SECURITY PARTNERS AND PILOT INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES (COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR MODEL) TO ATTRACT NEW SNAP CUSTOMERS TO VFM OUTLETS, MANY OF WHICH ARE OPEN DAILY, HAVE EXTENDED HOURS, AND OFFER CURBSIDE AND DELIVERY SERVICES.VFM WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO VIRGINIA'S INCREASED FOOD SECURITY NEEDS WITH COVID-19 RELIEF, AS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY OUR UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH OVER THE PAST YEAR (176% INCREASE IN INCENTIVES IN 2020). EMPLOYING A FOOD SYSTEM APPROACH TO OUR COLLABORATIVE WORK, VFM WORKS CLOSELY WITH VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SNAP-ED (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION EDUCATION), VIRGINIA FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION (TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE), VIRGINIA FOOD SYSTEM COUNCIL (FOOD RESILIENCY PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING), AND FEDERATION OF VIRGINIA FOOD BANKS

VIRGINIA FRESH MATCH: A REGIONAL APPROACH TO PROPEL STATEWIDE SNAP INCENTIVE GROWTH

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** VIRGINIA FRESH MATCH (VFM) IS A STATEWIDE, COLLABORATIVE NETWORK OF FOOD SYSTEM LEADERS AND COMMUNITY FOOD RETAILERS. VFM FUNDS INNOVATIVE NUTRITION INCENTIVE (NI) PROGRAMS AND PROVIDES RESOURCES TO LOWER THE COST OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES (FV) FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING NUTRITION INSECURITY. THE VFM NETWORK CURRENTLY REPRESENTS 117 OUTLETS, 10 REGIONAL FOOD ACCESS LEADERS, AND OVER 20 COLLABORATIVE STAKEHOLDERS AND STATE PARTNERS.THE VFM PLAN BUILDS UPON A DECADE OF SHARED EXPERIENCE GROWING STRONG NI PROGRAMS USING A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, REGIONAL LEADERSHIP AND CENTRALIZED SUPPORT. WHILE PARTNERING WITH CURRENT AND NEW FIRMS IN UNDERSERVED AREAS, VFM WILL ENHANCE NETWORK RESOURCES AND REACH IN ORDER TO INCREASE AWARENESS, PURCHASE, AND CONSUMPTION OF LOCALLY GROWN FV AMONG VIRGINIA SNAP PARTICIPANTS. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND THE VFM NETWORK TO OVER 160 COMMUNITY FOOD OUTLETS, BUILD INCOME FOR LOCAL FARMERS, AND SERVE ADDITIONAL SNAP HOUSEHOLDS IN LOW ACCESS AREAS.TO ADAPT, EXPAND AND SUSTAIN THE NETWORK, VFM WILL TAKE A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS OF FOOD INSECURITY, FOOD ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY. TO CONNECT CONSUMERS AND PRODUCERS, VFM WILL COLLABORATE WITH DIVERSE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PARTNERS, STATE AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY FOOD OUTLETS ACROSS THE STATE TO ENHANCE NI USE IN VIRGINIA.

THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGRICULTURE PROJECT COOP WILL ADVANCE THE ROANOKE FOODSHED NETWORKS RFN THREEYEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BUILDING UPON THE NETWORKS ESTABLISHED FOUNDATION OF COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND SYSTEMS THINKING. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO BOLSTER THE ROANOKE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM BY FACILITATING IDEA SHARING AND STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS AMONG FARMERS RANCHERS PROCESSORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON CREATING A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM THROUGH SEVERAL KEY INITIATIVES EXPANDING FARMER NETWORKS COORDINATING VALUE CHAINS AND SUPPORTING THE VIABILITY OF REGIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO DRIVE AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR THE ROANOKE REGIONAL FOOD ECONOMIES THROUGH COLLECTIVE MARKETING AND BRANDING EFFORTS. FURTHERMORE THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGRICULTURE PROJECT COOP WILL COMPILE DATA ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIC LEVERAGE POINTS FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND TO BUILD A COMPELLING CASE FOR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM INVESTMENT.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA PRODUCE RX (SWPRX) IS A REGIONAL, COLLABORATIVE PROJECT LED BY FOOD ACCESS, HEALTHCARE, UNIVERSITY, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE PROJECT'S GOALS ARE TO 1) EXPAND SWPRX THAT PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD AND HEALTH RESOURCES IN RURAL AND URBAN LOCALITIES IN SW VIRGINIA, 2) EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS OF SWPRX TO ENGAGE THE TARGET AUDIENCE, INCREASE FOOD SECURITY, IMPROVE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION, AND IMPROVE PARTICIPANT HEALTH, 3) IMPROVE PARTICIPANT-LEVEL OUTCOMES AND HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION, AND 4) ESTABLISH FLEXIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES.THE SWPRX PROJECT BUILDS ON OVER TEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IMPLEMENTING AND REFINING SMALL SCALE PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAMS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN ROANOKE CITY. SWPRX FOOD AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS PARTNERS' STRONG AND INTEGRATED INFRASTRUCTURE WILL SUPPORT EXPANSION ACROSS DIVERSE, UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. PATIENTS RECEIVING CARE IN ROANOKE CITY, FRANKLIN COUNTY, FLOYD COUNTY, AND RADFORD CITY WHO ARE ENROLLED IN MEDICAID AND HAVE ELEVATED HBA1C AND/OR BLOOD PRESSURE WILL BE IDENTIFIED BY THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND REFERRED TO THE SWPRX PROGRAM.OVER THREE YEARS, THE SWPRX PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE 300+ PARTICIPANTS WITH A SIX-MONTH INTERVENTION THAT INCLUDES ONGOING SUPPORT, NUTRITION EDUCATION, AND WEEKLY FRESH PRODUCE RX TO BE REDEEMED ON-SITE AT NUTRITION EDUCATION CLASSES, AT PARTICIPATING VIRGINIA FRESH MATCH FIRMS, AND/OR AT PARTICIPATING FOOD PANTRY SITES. SWPRX PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN ABOUT AND INTEGRATE INTO COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR LONG-TERM HEALTH AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS. LEARNINGS FROM THE SWPRX EXPANSION WILL HIGHLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES OF INTEGRATING PRODUCE RX PROGRAMS INTO COMMUNITY FOOD AND HEALTH SYSTEMS.

STRONG FARM AND FOOD FUTURE: PLANNING FOR A COLLABORATIVE REIONAL ECONOMY IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY

LEAP COMMUNITY KITCHEN INCUBATOR AND KIT

LEAP COMMUNITY KITCHEN INCUBATOR AND KIT

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

LEAP COMMUNITY INCUBATOR KITCHEN AND LOCAL FOOD HUB. TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD BUSINESS ENTERPRISES WHILE