Wholesome Wave Georgia Incorporated

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH, WHOLESOME, FOOD FOR ALL GEORGIANS WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY. THROUGH OUR GEORGIA FRESH FOR LESS PROGRAM, WE MATCH EACH FEDERAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE DOLLARS SPENT AT OUR PARTNER FARMERS MARKETS AND FARMS WITH AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR TO SPEND ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, LEVERAGING EXISTING GOVERNMENT FOOD NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE SHOPPING AT LOCAL FOOD OUTLETS AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF PARTICIPATING SNAP RECIPIENTS. IN SHORT, GF4L DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE GUSNIPGOAL TO INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AMONG LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS PARTICIPATING IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE.

WHOLESOME WAVE GEORGIA (WWG) HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN $3.6 MILLION IN FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE TO GEORGIA'S FOOD-INSECURE FAMILIES THROUGH ITS GEORGIA FRESH FOR LESS (GF4L) PROGRAM. DUE TO STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WWG HAS GROWN GF4L FROM 3 PARTNER FARMERS MARKETS IN 2009 TO A NETWORK OF 74 FARMERS MARKETS AND DIRECT-MARKETING FARMS IN 2021. WWG EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN 2020 THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, OBSERVING A 38% INCREASE IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INCENTIVE REDEMPTION OVER 2019 AND 142% GROWTH IN NEW SNAP/EBT CUSTOMERS OVER 2019.WWG BELIEVES THERE IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE SNAP RECIPIENTS TO GF4L AS A RESULT OF THE NEED AND UNCERTAINTY SPURRED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE OBSERVED SURGE IN NEW CUSTOMERS AND REDEMPTIONS CAN BE SUSTAINED AND AMPLIFIED THROUGH PARTICIPANT-FOCUSED OUTREACH AND COMMITTED AND DIVERSE EFFORTS TO RETAIN THE NEW GF4L CUSTOMERS GAINED SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC. WWG EXPECTS THESE STEEPLY UPWARD TRENDS TO BE UNINTERRUPTED THROUGH AND BEYOND THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.WWG WILL DEVELOP SNAP PARTICIPANT CENTERED PRINT AND DIGITAL MATERIALS THAT WILL INCREASE 1) AWARENESS OF AND PARTICIPATION IN GF4L AND 2) THE PURCHASE OF FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BY LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS PARTICIPATING IN SNAP. THE INCREASED UTILIZATION FROM PARTICIPANT FOCUSED PROGRAMMING WILL HAVE THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF DECREASING FOOD INSECURITY AND IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND NUTRITION OF LOW-INCOME GEORGIANS.

WHOLESOME WAVE GEORGIA BELIEVES THAT ALL GEORGIANS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD, WHOLESOME AND LOCALLY GROWN FOOD. THIS LETTER SERVES AS AN ASSURANCE THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO, AND HAS FUNDING FROM NON-FEDERAL SOURCES FOR, THE GUS SCHUMACHER NUTRITION INCENTIVE (GUSNIP)GRANTPROGRAM AS OUTLINED IN OUR ATTACHED PROPOSAL.OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH, WHOLESOME, FOOD FOR ALL GEORGIANS WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY. THROUGH OUR GEORGIA FRESH FOR LESS PROGRAM, WE MATCH EACH FEDERAL NUTRITION BENEFIT DOLLARS SPENT AT OUR PARTNER FARMERS MARKETS AND FARMS, LEVERAGING EXISTING GOVERNMENT FOOD NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE SHOPPING AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS AND FARMS AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF PARTICIPATING SNAP RECIPIENTS. IN SHORT, GF4L DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE FINI GOAL TO INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AMONG LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS PARTICIPATING IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GEORGIA FOOD FOR HEALTH

GEORGIA FRESH FOR LESS NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM