the green machine routing meeting
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Promoting Food Security in Memphis’ Poorest
Neighborhoods
Saint Patrick Community Outreach Center, Vance Avenue Choice Neighborhood, U of M,
Healthy Memphis Common Table, and MATA
The Memphis Green Machine: A Mobile Food Market for the Bluff City
Origins of the Proposal Memphis was successful in
securing a HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant for the Vance Avenue community
The goal of this grant is to create and implement a comprehensive transformation plan designed to improve the overall quality of life
Food access was identified by local stakeholders as one of the neighborhood’s top three redevelopment issues at its very first meeting in July of 2011
What do we know?
Tennessee is 47th in overall health
4 of 10 top causes of death within TN are food-related diseases
Health challenges facing the state are most profound in high-poverty areas such as Vance Avenue
Memphis: The Sahara of Urban Food Deserts
A Snapshot of Vance Avenue Total population of 3,800 Median income is less than one –
third that of the state Approximately three in four
families live in poverty Less than one in three families have
access to private automobiles Nearest groceries are located 2.5
and 3.0 miles from the neighborhood
Families are forced to purchase a disproportionate share of their groceries from local convenience stores – not a great option!
Impressive Gains Achieved by the Memphis Food Security Movement!
Increase in community gardening New neighborhood-based farmers
markets Higher rate of CSA participation New efforts to attract full service
supermarkets Removal of cumbersome
regulatory barriers – UDC Changes Still, many poor families lack
basic access to fresh, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods, especially fruits and vegetables
Why a mobile food Market?
Steering Committee Formation
Creation of Research Design
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Visioning
Goal FormationSelection of
Specific Objectives
Design of Action Plan
Implement the Plan
Increasing Awareness
Evaluation
Intelligence
Design
Choice
Community Nutrition InitiativeImmediateYear 1 & 2
IntermediateYear 3 & 4
Long TermYears 4-7
Common Ground GardenOrganized local parish
members and community residents to develop a
cooperatively produced and managed community garden. Local re-entry program helps tend the garden in return for
fresh herbs. Youth sell canned items at South
Memphis Farmers Market. There is no fence!
Spring Health FairOrganize local community,
health, and cultural organizations for an annual
spring fair where residents of Foote Homes have the opportunity to listen to music, receive health
information, participate in health screenings, and get referrals to local providers.
Local Foods InitiativeProvide access to healthy
foods and culturally-appropriate nutrition
information via a mobile food store. Use this program to meet an initial need and
demonstrate the existence of a local market. Build upon
this success to create a cooperatively owned food
store that could be replicated.
We have Oprah to Thank! Vance Avenue Choice Neighborhood
Initiative formed a Food Security Taskforce under the leadership of Cathy Winterburn to investigate “best practices”
Initial research focused on “pop-up” retail stores
Through Oprah Magazine the group learned about Chicago’s highly successful FRESH MOVES – mobile food market
The Taskforce subsequently contacted Fresh Moves, established a relationship and began benchmarking and strategic business planning
FRESH MOVES in a Nutshell!
Newly organized non-profit dedicated to addressing food access in Chicago
Secured a retired CTA bus With the help of Architecture for
Humanity transformed it into an attractive mobile food market
Makes fifteen stops each week at public and non-profit agencies where they sell high quality, farm fresh, fruits and vegetables to those without access to full service markets
Hopes to be self-sufficient in three years.
The Green Machine Scheme Retrofit a MATA bus to serve as a mobile farmers
market and nutrition/wellness teaching/learning space (ADA Accessible)
Make regular stops (2-3 hours) at three locations each day, within underserved city neighborhoods, Mondays Through Fridays
Sell high quality, farm fresh, culturally appropriate fruits, vegetables, and dried goods
Offer regular give-aways to encourage families to try new (healthy) choices
Also, provide attractive and easy to read nutritional, health, and wellness information and counseling
Accept all forms of payment via a wireless EBT system
Make a serious effort to monitor and evaluate the impact of the bus adjusting our goods and services accordingly (participatory formative evaluation)
The Green Machine
Getting the Bus Rolling in Memphis!
FRESH MOVES and AFH has provided invaluable technical assistance regarding adapting the bus, sourcing, staffing, and pricing
MATA has leased us a bus for $1 a year and provided critical technical assistance in terms of retrofitting, ADA compliance, security, servicing and advertising info
St. Patrick Community Outreach Center has agreed to manage the bus project
Archer-Malmo has helped with naming, branding, and promotion of the bus
Additional Help From Our Friends! Looney Ricks Kiss has provided
alternative retrofit designs and has prepared detailed construction drawings
Annie Bass, an African American/women owned firm, has agreed to undertake the actual retrofitting
UT Nursing Program is providing health data, a workable evaluation framework, and nutrition education materials
Channel Five, the Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Flyer have provided excellent news coverage
Met with Urban Farms/BCDC to explore collaboration on supply
Healthy Memphis Common Table has offered to serve as the project’s fiscal agent
Mid-South Food Bank has agreed to offer some free food items, nutrition education materials, as well as supply and logistics assistance
Met with Tony Geraci of the MCS regarding cooperation on siting and education
Easy Way has agreed to work with us as our primary supplier
The City has agreed to help with siting, marketing, and electrical supply to reduce idling emissions
Growing list of financial supports – The Community Fund and FedEX
Estimated Project CostsExpenses
Bus Retrofit $60,000Start-up $15,000Launch $15,000Operations $250,000Total $340,000
Income
Advertising $40,000Foundations $175,000Corporate $75,000Sales $60,000Total $350,000
THE PROCESS
Finalizing market research using Population and Business Census Data and GIS
Tweaking the business model as a social enterprise with a Year Four Break-Even Point
Established An Advisory Group: SPOC, HMCT, U of M, and UT Nursing (MSFB) to oversee operations
Identified a physical home for the business: St. Patrick Learning Center Finalize supply arrangements Complete the needed fundraising Determine initial routing and stops Recruit, hire, and train staff (Regional farmers and wholesalers) Prepare for launch (September 17, 2012)
Final Take – Our USP It addresses a critical need in a creative manner that has already been tested It emerged from a community-based and resident-led process (buy-in) A unique partnership of public, private, non-profit organizations have come together to make
it happen We have an experienced and able sponsor with inspired leadership – St. Patrick’s (50 years of
food ministry in the heart of the city) The University has demonstrated an ability to get these projects done (South Memphis
Farmers Market) The project is unique in its ability to become self-sustaining Advances other critical community development objectives: living wage employment,
neighborhood stabilization, place-making Its flexibility allows us to respond to changing needs; what if we get a store in Uptown –
Great! Shift the bus to another neighborhood! Potential to add new services: diabetes education and exchange; the bread truck? Lays the foundation for a community-based, neighborhood-controlled producer/consumer
food coop – WeBe’s (Inspired by DuBois call for a cooperative approach to economic development within the African American community.
Routing Criterion Minimum density threshold – 1,000 family
per Census Tracts High poverty areas – Census Tracts
exceeding 40% below poverty Distance from healthy food sources- full
service supermarkets, farmers markets and Easy Ways
High density affordable housing complexes Major arterials easy for buses to travel and
offering high visibility (Existing MATA routes)
5 Weekly Routes3 – 5 Stops Daily
1. Center City2. South Memphis3. Midtown East4. Uptown/North Memphis5. Raleigh/Frayser
?
Funding OpportunitiesAny we’ve missed?
Community Foundation
Baptist Foundation First Tennessee Assisi Grizzlies Boardman Hyde Plough Foundation Memphis Bioworks
Poplar Foundation United Way Memphis
Leadership International
Paper Rise FedEx Autozone Kemmons Wilson Women’s
Foundation Belz Foundation Reginald Wurzburn John Dustin
Buckman Hope Christian Hershey Rose Blue Cross Blue
Shield BNSF
Advertising Opportunities Who do you suggest?
For More Information
The Memphis Green Machine A project of the Vance Avenue Choice Neighborhood
Initiative
Saint Patrick Community Outreach Center Inc.277 South Fourth Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38126901-527-2542
www.stpatsmemphis.org