Check back regularly for the latest on local foods connection!
check out the 2020 Local foods connection annual report!
Farming in 2021: A conversation with LFC farmers
After a year filled with so much turmoil and uncertainty, how are local farmers preparing for the 2021 season?
A Farmer’s perspective: the importance of local, farm-fresh eggs by sandy durr of G&S farms
A Farmer’s Perspective: Local Food Essay REcommendations from jordan scheibel of Middle way farm!
NOVEMBER 2020: LOCAL FOODS CONNECTION RECEIVES $11,300 TELLIGEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE GRANT TO INCREASE LOCAL FOOD ACCESS, SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS IN POWESHIEK COUNTY
GRINNELL, IA – Local Foods Connection announced today it has received an $11,300 grant from Telligen Community Initiative (TCI), a private, Iowa-based charitable foundation. These funds will be used to increase direct local food access, promote healthy nutrition habits, and facilitate connections between members of Poweshiek County and their local farmers.
Fitting with LFC’s mission to enhance Grinnell’s sustainable food system by increasing opportunities for community members to enjoy fresh, healthy food, connect with local farmers, and expand their skills and knowledge of cooking and nutrition, this grant will cover the cost of 14 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and the purchase/processing fees of two whole steers. The CSAs will be purchased from Compass Plant CSA and Middle Way Farm, the beef will be purchased from B&B Farms. Each CSA share provides 20-24 weeks of fresh produce for LFC clients/families. The beef will be distributed to Mid Iowa Community Action (MICA), the Grinnell-Newburg school district, and LFC clients. Funds from TCI will allow LFC to build upon its prior impact and reach a wider client base in the coming months.
Executive Director, Laurel Tuggle Lacina says, “We are thrilled to receive this competitive grant funding to expand our client base in 2021. We have seen food insecurity increase in the midst of the pandemic and aftermath of the derecho and will use the funds from TCI to include more families in our program.”
Local Foods Connection’s CSA/Meat Access Project was one of only 18 grants selected for TCI’s 2020 Iowa and Illinois-based funding cycle, which awarded a total of $700,590 in grants to nonprofit organizations in these states ($359,290 to Iowa and $341,300 to Illinois).
“Local Foods Connection is doing amazing work harnessing the efforts of local farmers and producers to make fresh, healthy food available to those in need,” said Matt McGarvey, executive director of Telligen Community Initiative. “TCI is proud to support their efforts in feeding and educating those in Poweshiek County through this sustainable process.” TCI works to support projects in the priority funding areas of health innovation, health care workforce development and access to care for the underserved. Since 2014, TCI has awarded more than $11 million to 269 organizations and projects in Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma and Colorado.
About Local Foods Connection
In 1999, Local Foods Connection (LFC) was established in Iowa City before moving operations to Grinnell, IA, in 2017 to better address the economic and social barriers specific to a rural community. LFC’s mission is to enhance sustainable food systems by making them more accessible to families and individuals in need. To reach clients, LFC works with several community organizations and referral partners: Mid-Iowa Community Action, Grinnell-Newburg school district, faith leaders, physicians, etc. LFC’s clients are matched with a farmer and receive a weekly box of fresh vegetables and any needed kitchen supplies. The majority of funding is allocated toward food purchase/distribution, nutrition/cooking education, and community events. LFC regularly serves families, individuals, MICA, the Grinnell-Newburg School District, and Station Clubhouse. For more information about LFC, please visit https://www.localfoodsconnection.com/.
About Telligen Community Initiative
Telligen Community Initiative (TCI) is the charitable foundation of Telligen, Inc., a private, nonprofit health care intelligence company. TCI seeks to empower organizations and citizens to improve their individual and overall community health. TCI funding is designed to initiate and support innovative health-related projects designed to improve health, social well-being, and educational attainment. The foundation’s funding focuses on project support in Iowa, Illinois, and Oklahoma within the areas of health innovation, health for the underserved and healthcare workforce development. For more information about TCI, please visit www.telligenci.org
