The Department of Agriculture has released 27 grants to local organizations to build community food systems and fight hunger and food insecurity. The new projects, totaling 4.8-million dollars in funding, include a teen-run community kitchen incubator, faith-based community food assessments, a program to help indigenous people return to healthful eating, and a youth-led food security movement. The awards were made by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through its Community Food Projects program.

The primary goals of the Community Food Projects program are to (1) meet the food needs of low-income individuals; (2) increase the food self-reliance of low-income communities; (3) promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm and nutrition issues; and (4) meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs.

Last year, 17.2-million households faced food insecurity—meaning they lacked consistent access to adequate food. According to USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon, – the grants supported by the Community Food Projects empower local organizations to respond to food and nutrition needs in their own communities.

Courtesy: NAFB News