FOOD DESERTS IN THE UNITED STATES…

76,777 Residents Of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties Received Emergency Food Assistance In 2011 From the 16 largest pantries Leave No One Unfed

The Population of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties combined is 448,991 Leave No One Unfed

That’s 17.1% of the Escambia and Santa Rosa County population. 1 in 6 of our neighbors did not have enough to eat last year. * The Population of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties combined is 448,991

 The Toronto Food Policy Council warns that food banks, considered an emergency stop-gap service, have become “one of the cornerstones of society’s anti-hunger and antipoverty strategy – private charity has surmounted public policy as the primary response to hunger.” Leave No One Unfed

“We don’t think of community gardens as an anti- hunger strategy, because we don’t think gardens can meet all food security needs. We see community gardens themselves as community development. They create a community where people can come together and problem solve, and come up with the next step toward food security. Community gardening makes the food system visible in urban areas.” o -Sean Cosgrove of the Toronto Food Security Council Leave No One Unfed

 AK Suter  Bellview Elementary  Bellview Middle  Blue Angels Elementary  Bratt Elementary  Brown Barge Middle  C. A. Weis  Cordova Park Elementary  Creative Learning Academy  Episcopal Day  Escambia Westgate  Ferry Pass Middle  Global Learning Academy  Gulf Breeze Elementary  Head Start Program Office  Holm Elementary  Jim Allen Elementary  Lipscomb Elementary  McArthur Elementary  NB Cook Elementary  O. J. Semmes Elementary  Oakcrest Elementary  Ransom Middle  Warrington Middle  Woodham Middle  Workman Middle Existing School Gardens (26) Leave No One Unfed

Self-Reliance and Teamwork Leave No One Unfed Pensacola Montessori Head Start Pre-K Oakcrest Elementary

Entrepreneurship Leave No One Unfed Fundraising Opportunity Marketing, pricing, salesmanship, and money handling skills Community involvement

Giving Back: Sharing the Abundance Donate Extra Produce to Neighbors or Families in Need Leave No One Unfed

BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY GARDENS Improve the quality of life for people in the garden Provide a catalyst for neighborhood and community development Stimulate social interaction Encourage self- reliance Beautify neighborhoods Provide nutritious food Reduce family food budgets Conserve resources Create opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education Reduce crime Preserve green space Create income opportunities and economic development Reduce city heat from streets and parking lots Provide opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections Leave No One Unfed * Source: American Community Gardening Association

Existing Community Gardens (15)  Aragon Court Community Garden  CDAC Community Garden  Ever’man Natural Grocery Community Garden  Gadsden Street United Methodist Church Garden  Government Street Community Garden  GROW / Eastside Community Garden  Gulf Breeze Community Garden  Hollice T. Williams Community Garden  IHMC Community Garden  Julian & Callie Harris Memorial Community Garden  MANNA Pantry Garden  Movement For Change Community Garden  New Hope Home Community Garden  Perdido Bay Community Center Garden  Sacred Heart Hospital Community Garden  UWF Student Garden Leave No One Unfed

DEFINITION OF A FOOD DESERT * To qualify as a “low-income community,” a census tract must have either: 1) a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, OR 2) a median family income at or below 80 percent of the area's median family income… Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) defines a food desert as, “…low-income urban areas that are more than a mile from a supermarket OR low-income rural areas that are more than 10 miles from a supermarket.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ESCAMBIA COUNTY? The Food Desert locator of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) displays 12 defined food deserts within 9 Escambia county zip codes. *Escambia County zip codes

CHALLENGES… Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are not being utilized on nutritious foods. Lack of transportation restricts food purchasing opportunity - Consequences… --Convenient stores and Fast Food restaurants are main food distribution centers. -- Higher food costs and malnutrition ___________________________________ Lack of independence ………………….Lack of individual empowerment

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

WHAT WE ARE CONSIDERING… Health & Environmental Education Maintains an environment where everyone is both a teacher and a student Education on WIC and SNAP Benefits & Use Applied to both local retail and community members Mobile Market A mobile market would supply local produce once or twice a week and accept SNAP credit from local community members. Community Garden Projects Develops food security of a given community Provides a space for community and leadership development Public Transportation Reliable and consistent public transportation and/or ride sharing may be provided so that community members can make weekly or bi-weekly trips to the nearest grocery store.

PARTICIPANTS…EVERYONE!  Community Members  Local organizations - Manna - Florida Dept. of Children and Families - etc.  Schools  Churches  City and County Government

Major Partners  Ever’man Natural Grocery  Leadership Pensacola Class of 2011  City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation  Escambia County Health Department  Escambia County School District  Food Services, Administration, Schools  Escambia County Extension  Pensacola State College  Sacred Heart Hospital  Unite Escambia Health Solutions Team  University of West Florida Leave No One Unfed

FOOD SECURITY Who needs food? ………. EVERYONE !

Food Security  People have "food security" when they have both physical and economic access to enough food to lead a healthy and active life. Leave No One Unfed

Availability Adequate food availability through agricultural production, imports, and government policies Leave No One Unfed

Access Conditions that give people access to food in stores, farmers’ markets, and other outlets Leave No One Unfed

Utilization Full utilization of food through adequate, balanced diet, safe water, sanitation, education, and health care. Leave No One Unfed

 ”Growing our own food is going to make our food stamps last longer.”  “Many food stamp recipients who do home gardening make it a family activity.”  “…gardening has had a positive effect on the eating habits of the children…they like to eat whatever they take care of, even spinach”  “Many of the Saratoga and Mechanicville gardeners had enough produce to freeze or can for winter meals.”  “This year, like last, Ms. Garland preserved squash and beans.” * SNAPGARDENS.org

Manna Food Gardens Project Sarah Bossa - Garden Program Director P: F: