Regional Food Bank Of Northeast Florida Inc

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

MATERNAL PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM - FEEDING NORTHEAST FLORIDA'S MATERNAL PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM (MP3) WILL IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING COMPOUNDING VULNERABILITIES: FOOD AND NUTRITION INSECURITY AS WELL AS DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH HEALTH DISPARITIES. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH BY REDUCING BARRIERS TO HEALTHY EATING DURING PREGNANCY AND THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD THROUGH A COORDINATED FOOD IS MEDICINE INTERVENTION THAT INTEGRATES HEALTHCARE REFERRALS, HOME-DELIVERED HEALTHY FOOD, AND EVIDENCE-BASED NUTRITION EDUCATION. THE PROJECT WILL LAUNCH IN DUVAL COUNTY DURING YEAR 1, SERVING APPROXIMATELY 350 PARTICIPANTS REFERRED BY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND EXISTING COMMUNITY PARTNERS. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ENROLLED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE DURING PREGNANCY AND WILL RECEIVE UP TO 20 DELIVERIES OF FRESH PRODUCE AND NUTRITIOUS GROCERIES OVER APPROXIMATELY 24 WEEKS, ALONG WITH CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE NUTRITION EDUCATION FOCUSED ON HEALTHY PREGNANCY, MATERNAL NUTRITION, BREASTFEEDING, POSTPARTUM RECOVERY, AND LONG-TERM FAMILY HEALTH. FOOD DELIVERIES WILL BE COORDINATED THROUGH THE FOOD BANK'S DISTRIBUTION NETWORK AND CURRENT HOME DELIVERY PARTNERS TO ELIMINATE TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER ACCESS BARRIERS THAT OFTEN PREVENT AT-RISK FAMILIES FROM OBTAINING HEALTHY FOODS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONVENE SAFETY-NET HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER REFERRAL PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS, COORDINATE REFERRALS, AND CONNECT FAMILIES WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT LONG-TERM HEALTH AND STABILITY. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING THE PROGRAM WILL TRANSITION TO COMMUNITY FOOD ASSISTANCE AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HELP SUSTAIN HEALTHY EATING BEHAVIORS BEYOND THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDES DEVELOPING STANDARDIZED REFERRAL PROTOCOLS, ESTABLISHING DATA-SHARING AGREEMENTS, OBTAINING INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) APPROVAL OR EXEMPTION, IMPLEMENTING SECURE PARTICIPANT DATA SYSTEMS, AND CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING PROGRAM PERFORMANCE TO ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY. PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES WILL BE EVALUATED USING NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION METHODS TO MEASURE PROGRAM REACH, PARTICIPANT ENGAGEMENT, FOOD SECURITY, HEALTHY FOOD UTILIZATION, NUTRITION EDUCATION PARTICIPATION, AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION DELIVERIES. EVALUATION FINDINGS WILL BE USED TO IMPROVE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE, SUPPORT CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, AND INFORM FUTURE EXPANSION. BEGINNING IN YEAR 2, THE PROGRAM WILL EXPAND INTO ALACHUA COUNTY WHILE MAINTAINING SERVICES IN DUVAL COUNTY. DURING YEARS 3 AND 4, FEEDING NORTHEAST FLORIDA WILL CONTINUE EXPANDING REACH, STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS WITH HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED WITH REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS, AND IMPLEMENT A LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION SERVICES AFTER THE FEDERAL FUNDING PERIOD. BY INTEGRATING HEALTHCARE, NUTRITION EDUCATION, AND RELIABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOODS, THE FEEDING NORTHEAST FLORIDA MATERNAL PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM WILL IMPROVE NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY AND THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD, REDUCE HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY, PROMOTE HEALTHIER BIRTH OUTCOMES, AND STRENGTHEN THE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF FAMILIES ACROSS NORTHEAST FLORIDA.

REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA INC. WILL COMPLETE A COMPREHENSIVE BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT PLAN TO IMPROVE THE JACKSONVILLE FARMERS MARKET. THE PROJECT WILL REESTABLISH THE MARKET AS A LEADING SALES VENUE FOCUSING ON BOOSTING THE INVOLVEMENT OF LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS AND EXPANDING MARKET ACCESS FOR FARMERS RANCHERS AND PROCESSORS. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT PLAN. THIS PLAN WILL ADDRESS THE MARKETS NEED FOR IMPROVED AGGREGATION AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS ENSURING THAT LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS CAN EFFECTIVELY REACH CONSUMERS. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOME IS A REVITALIZED MARKET THAT SERVES AS A KEY HUB FOR THE REGIONS FOOD SYSTEM DIRECTLY BENEFITING FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS BY PROVIDING A ROBUST SALES OUTLET.