Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County is using a new state grant to create the “Grow Chautauqua Food System Program.”
The $800,000 in funding is coming from the New York Food for New York Families program.
CCE has posted a position for program coordination, seeking a person to oversee the project, work with county and regional farmers, dairy producers, and other NYS ag producers to procure produce, dairy products, meat products, baked goods, and other local foods.
Over $500,000 will be invested in state products. Brigiotta’s Farmland Produce has agreed to be the lead partner in packaging state procured foods into boxes for up to 500 individual boxes per week.
Distribution events will include collaborative sites. Partners will include the Office of the Aging’s Local Roots Program which will service senior citizens in areas such as Brocton, Cassadaga, and Fredonia; St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and the Jamestown Public Market’s Mobile Market program will serve low-income and minority communities; Rural Ministries of Dunkirk will serve food insecure individuals; and Five Loaves + 20 Fish Ministries will serve the ‘food desert’ area of Sherman/Clymer, specifically youth and families.
Distribution of NYS food boxes will be at no cost to community members, first come, first serve. Distribution sites will be hosted for a total of 40 weeks between June 2024 and August 2025, and promoted via social media, print media, and traditional outreach. Community members will not be required to pre-register or provide identification or other means of documentation to receive a box of NYS grown/produced food. Each box will average 10-12 pounds, and include a variety of produce, meats and other products.
CCE said food insecurity is a high concern for Chautauqua County, with 17% of residents living below the poverty line.
The goal of the project is to increase access to healthy, local foods, while providing a guaranteed income for local farms and NYS producers. Longer-term impacts of the project include deeper connection between local farms and wholesale outlets, such as Brigiotta’s; a better understanding of the food access needs of county residents; and a sustainable food distribution model that could be replicated across the county at churches, schools, or other community service organizations.
For more information on the Grow Chautauqua Food System Project, visit https://chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/
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