Grow Local, Feed Local
Project of Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin
The Community Action Coalition (CAC) planned to purchase local commodities for distribution to partner pantries, addressing the increased demand for food due to the end of pandemic-era benefits and rising inflation. The project, called Grow Local, Feed Local, aimed to bridge the gap between local producers and food access sites in Dane, Jefferson, and Waukesha counties. CAC partnered with REAP Food Group and Fairshare to source foods from eligible local producers and provide them with supportive services.
The initiative addressed challenges faced by families in accessing locally grown foods and supported historically underserved producers. Key outcomes included increased availability and access to local produce at food access sites, greater consumption of local foods by underserved households, and increased sales opportunities for local producers. The project focused on offering a variety of produce based on pantry needs and supported communication and tracking through various tools. Grow Local, Feed Local aimed to strengthen partnerships within the food system and create opportunities for collaboration among local non-profits and pantries.
PROJECT UPDATE 1
Community Action Coalition engaged with both contracted and new vendors, initiated purchases, and made deliveries to four pantries. The team met with project partners, FairShare and REAP, to discuss vendor needs and secured assistance for additional vendor outreach. Key insights include the need for more communication and adjusted expectations when purchasing from smaller vendors compared to larger ones. Challenges included limited product availability from contracted vendors and deviations from the initial distribution plan, with more frequent purchases and expanded vendor lists than anticipated. Solutions involved reserving funds for future purchases with contracted vendors and planning to use remaining funds with other vendors if needed. Major upcoming activities include continuing purchases from available produce vendors and maintaining distributions to pantry partners.
PROJECT UPDATE 2
The Community Action Coalition (CAC) successfully purchased and distributed $46,363.54 worth of meat and produce from five local vendors to five pantries, while continuing to engage with Fairshare and REAP to support socially disadvantaged farmers. CAC established a new meat vendor and developed feedback surveys for pantries and farmers. While many products, like bok choy, were popular, some less common items faced challenges in distribution. The coalition adapted by reallocating funds from produce to meat purchases due to limited availability from produce farmers, and they are actively seeking additional vendors. Moving forward, they plan to continue purchasing from existing partners and gathering feedback to improve their efforts.
PROJECT UPDATE 3
The Community Action Coalition (CAC) continued to purchase from both contracted and new vendors, completing final distribution activities to the Goodman Community Center and Waukesha Food Pantry. CAC met with REAP and Fairshare representatives, as well as farmers and vendors, to discuss product availability and project progress. Despite challenges with vendor and product availability, as well as pantry capacity, the project extended longer than initially planned. During quarter 4, $40,123.93 was spent on meat and produce from five local vendors, which was distributed to five pantries. The team also connected with a new produce vendor and integrated them into the accounting system. A key takeaway from this quarter was that each pantry and vendor has unique needs, highlighting the importance of a tailored approach. Due to limited produce availability, CAC sourced more meat than initially planned and collaborated with REAP and Fairshare to find additional produce vendors to support the program.
