food insecurity, community and donation gardens

Community/Donation Gardens

Carolyn ScherfLocal Food Coordinator

Dubuque County ISU Extension & Outreach563 583 6496 cscherf@iastate.edu

Laura KlavitterHorticulture Educatorklavitte@iastate.edu

Understanding and Addressing Food Insecurity

What images come to mind when you think about food insecurity?

WHAT IS THE FACE OF HUNGER?

SOURCE

● Its interconnectedness to other problems● Incomplete or contradictory knowledge● The number of people and opinions involved

Food Insecurity is a wicked problemA social or cultural problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because

of…

Social Determinants of Health

Source

Social Determinants of Health

Source: Gathering Wisdom First Nations Health Conference in Canada

Agenda

Explore FACTS about Hunger & Food Insecurity locally

Discuss multi-level STRATEGIES which seek to:Reduce the negative impacts of hungerIncrease equityEmpower people on a small, LOCAL level to

CREATE CHANGE

Introduce Community & Donation Gardens

Definitions:

Food InsecurityLimited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Who is Hungry in Dubuque County? Out of ~95,000 people12.3% are considered “Food Insecure” ~11,750 people

Source: Food Insecurity by County - Feeding America

PUBLICHEALTH IMPACTS

Across the United States - the following types of households experience a higher prevalence of food insecurity: ● Single women with Children● Black - non hispanic● Outside Metropolitan areas

Who is Hungry in Dubuque County?

SOURCE: ISU Community Indicators Poverty & Food Needs by County

IMPACTS

Reducing the Negative Impacts of Hunger Multi-tiered strategies

Federal

State

Local / Community

Federal Food Assistance Programs

Dubuque Food Assistance Participation

Food Assistance Program Average Monthly Participation

Dubuque County Iowa

Number of Recipients

10,984 387,781

Payment Per Recipient

$111 $124.8

Free Lunch Number of eligible students

3,957 166,350

Reduced Price Lunch

880 34,310

Eligible percentage of enrollment (3 year average)

35.2% 41.3%

Free & Reduced Price LunchQualifying students are from families near or below poverty levels

Audobon 88.8% Fulton - 85.7%Prescott - 87.5% Lincoln - 80.9%

Despite these programs...

“Let food be thy medicine”

Community/Donation Gardens

Local Strategies to address food insecurity

Milestones In a short period of time, we have accomplished a lot!

January 2016MGs learned about Food Security in Iowa

March 2016Received 1st SNAP-Ed. Grant to grow food for donation

June 2016Dem Greens garden and Westminster Church Garden

July 2016Washington Neighborhood Garden worked with neighbors to grow extra food

October 2016Over 1,800 pounds of produce were grown and donated.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

SNAP-Ed Mini Grant Highlights

7 model donation

gardens at ISU Research Stations

90 Master Gardener

Volunteers, over 860 hours

47 food pantries and meal sites received

donations

More than 67,000 pounds of produce

donated across Iowa!

$5,000To grow food for food pantries and free meal sites!

This year...

Dem GreensDubuque

Rescue Mission Garden

Washington Neighborhood

Garden

Westminster Church Garden

This year, 4 Gardens teamed up to grow food for donation to food pantries and free meal sites.

Want to join us?

Grow FoodOne plant at a time

Find a pantryWe have a growing list!

Donate produce!Any amount is helpful.

GAP (Good Agricultural Practices)

“Clean Soil”Clean Water

Clean Hands

Clean Surfaces

Donate produce... you would want to eat!

What now?Grow a plantGrow a rowGrow a garden

dbqcommunitygardens.com

Questions?

CONTACT US! Carolyn Scherf

Local Food CoordinatorDubuque County ISU Extension & Outreach

563 583 6496 cscherf@iastate.edu

Laura KlavitterHorticulture Educator/Master Gardener

Coordinatorklavitte@iastate.edu