FOOD INSECURITY COALITION (EBR)
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in EBR, The Walls Project has been hosting bi-weekly video calls with leaders of nonprofits, foundations, city government, and local businesses from across the parish. The intention of this coalition is to gather information and resources to grow the Baton Rouge community's food access in response to the pandemic.
With transparent effort, we are providing notes and action items to not only continue moving the needle but to inspire others to similar steps.
Food Insecurity Coalition Meeting Notes
(#10—November 4, 2020)
2:00-2:20: Large Group Discussion and Presentation
1. Presentation from CPEX, Urban Footprint and Feeding Louisiana
a. Beta tool with goals of: using data and analysis to drive decisions, tactical distribution, and allocation of resources
b. Key piece of data is demographic zip code area. Use it to validate information or to think outside the box. Thinking about the overall need of what is need vs. what is targeted.
c. Looks at factors by parish: unemployment rate, jobless claims, poverty rate, household income, food security index
d. Food Index: social vulnerability (demographic disposition), economic stress, health risk, accessibility
e. Tool looks at changes over time and in the future may be able to layer data on top of other data and resources
f. Next Steps: Camille sent a link to members to test out the tool and provide feedback (email sent).
2:20-3:15: Breakout Groups
1. Deeper Dive into Data Breakout with Presenters
a. Discussion on the potential of the tool and asked questions of the presenters
b. Can use the tool to re-think or confirm working in the right geographic and/or use to rethink distribution areas based on the data
c. Policy priorities from Feeding Louisiana: increase in SNAP benefit amount
d. Tool/data provides us a common starting point as a coalition to work from
e. In the future: may be able to layer governmental services or organizations. Also want to focus on what “products” can came out of this tool: white papers, etc., look at lifestyle trends, seasonal trends, how to narrow in on marketing strategy
f. Use this tool to strengthen the safety net.
g. Look at adding more personal questions: How many jobs do you work, economic factors, wages of the those jobs, where do you purchase food, how often do you purchase it, fast food locations, diabetes, health indicator rates.
h. CPEX/Urban Footprint to consider creating a dashboard with the updated data so the coalition can easily see what is trending up or down across the region. Can then follow up with anecdotal data to see what is that trend representing in that area.
i. Proposed next step:
i. Create a small advisory group to aid in creating the dashboard and KPIs
2. What to Fund and How Breakout
a. Started a list of potential national funders for FIC and local/state. Next step is for Work Group A to finalize this list and prioritize by pre-existing relationships with Wilson, CAUW, BRAF and Pennington.
b. The Walls and partner org grant writers will take this list to research grant cycles, evaluate open/closed funding invites, and put together a road map of funding opportunities in December. Work Group A will use this list starting in January 2021 to begin strategizing outreach to each individual funding sources. Lois, Jan, George and Lori will make initial introductions to the work followed by strategic introductions with coalition member organizations.
c. Initial goal of 2021 outreach will be to secure national funding to layer on top of existing benefits like SNAP and USDA feeding program and leverage with local philanthropic investments into FIC and the partner provider network (practitioners, distributors, data, policy).
d. Need a draft of the Case For Support in November to be finalized in December. This will become the narrative for the national funding outreach in 2021 and initial grant LOI/apps. Also in December-January Work Groups A, B and C need to work together to develop FIC budget(s).
e. Settle on fiscal agent for FIC.
3. Take Action Now Breakout
a. General Discussion on Food Truck proof of concept.
b. Created list of questions for members to create greater understanding of overlap in service areas
c. Look at creating comprehensive calendar of events related to food insecurity to be a one place to go to for events and dsitributions
3:15-3:30: Open Forum for current events and challenges
Food Insecurity Coalition Meeting Notes
(Meeting #9—October 21, 2020)
2:00-2:15: Large Group Discussion
1. Reviewed the Case for Support with added statistics and figures.
2. Discussed purpose of subcommittees merging together around data.
3. CAUW to send out meeting dates for November 4th and 18th and December 2nd and 16th.
2:15-3:15: Subcommittee Breakouts (merged breakouts)
1. Group B (distributors and growers) and Group C (data and policy)
a. Discussion Questions:
i. What are your organizations currently doing with services, and who is your target audience?
ii. How are you measuring what your organizations are doing? (i.e. data collected for services provided, clients served, mission related, etc.)
iii. What are you missing in terms of service, data, or support?
b. Each organization described their own services (notes available as needed)
c. Commonality among types of data collected: location, # of people, pounds of food
d. Some organizations track EBT usage and free or reduced lunch numbers.
e. Recommendation: Start in overlapping zip codes to analyze the data and see where those zip codes are with each service provider.
f. Focused on “What’s missing”: mental health support, basic essentials like electricity or cooking supplies, transportation needs, special food needs (medical issues), stigma
g. Want to also capture anecdotal data about the actual experience. What do the numbers really mean? How do we paint the picture of food insecurity?
2. Overarching Themes of Group B and C Merge:
a. Geographic data is key to showing the need and help paint the picture of where services are being delivered, where people live, etc.
b. Understanding additional stressors for food insecure people and how to meet their needs with access: literacy, transportation, mental health, etc. when trying to address basic needs. Paint the whole client picture.
c. Being able to expand partnerships and leverage non-traditional partners in elevating food insecurity and pair that with program expansion. Moving from point of understanding food insecurity is an issue only to how do we support folks supporting with these issues by providing access, resources, talking about issues, reduce stigma.
3. Group A (philanthropy) and Group C (data and policy)
a. General Discussion on Data and What Funders are looking to measure for success:
i. Look at food insecurity as tied to larger issues. So, you can use it as a main issue or as a byproduct depending on the goal of the funder and what they focus on. For example: job creation/employment assistance that has a tie to food insecurity.
ii. Cost of food insecurity and outcomes impacted by food insecurity: Healthcare costs due to obesity, etc., economic impact with farmers, low cost processed items vs. fresh food, learning ability for hungry children, economic development.
iii. How do concepts like economic multipliers translate in asks to donors? EX: $1 invested in FIC translates into $3 in economic growth
iv. Leveraging this group to be able to make a larger impact with pulled dollars and resources. All work towards the same 1-3 goals to multiply the impact and create sustainable change.
v. How do you provide solutions for the most disadvantaged populations?
vi. Can we get data on the block level or neighborhood level? Census tracts possible?
vii. Who will own the data long term? What organization will be managing this? Open source? How will house it? Making it accessible? CPEX interested in keeping it going.
viii. As long as we are not paying people living wages, we will have poverty. People should not have to have 3 jobs to make ends meet. This should be a priority in our advocacy efforts
4. Additional Discussion of Group B:
a. % of schools buying local produce and putting it into their meals. How much local produce is being used locally?
b. Legislation to incentivize purchasing of locally grown produce
c. Misunderstanding the distributors are sourcing from local growers
d. Economics of local food systems?
e. Evaluation post- service?
f. AHA has form survey for students after class for qualitative and quantitative and survey is anonymous.
g. Students open up about home living and community situation and how it affects
h. It’s hard for funders to want the data years from now.
i. Obesity and food data from City Key is not current
j. Affects of COVID on data and funding:
i. LSU: Started enrolling participants and full by end of September. Had to double up on cooking classes. So many people trying to enroll scheduled a month out. Now has interns from FranU and they are looking to adapt their model. COVID has identified an even greater need for this type of program. Lots of people who have been homeless and have finally gotten shelter.
ii. 3 O’Clock Project: Home delivery long term is not sustainable
5. Additional Discussion of Group A:
a. Who could provide pictorial representations of food insecurity data. Does USDA, SU Ag, or LSU Ag have this pictorial data?
b. Short term what are solutions that can be deployed to then tie-in to the long term solution.
c. Focus on the data that jumps out and start writing the narrative from there.
d. Who is the face we want to put as the need? Is it Alice? If so who is that? Everyone seniors to kids are Alice. What will reflect a food secure community and what does that look like?
e. There are funds at the state that have not been spent during CARES. And potentially federal funding as well.
f. Action Items or Additional Steps:
i. Let's listen to the finding during the download session today. What are the additional questions we need to ask growers, distributors, and food education/literacy/healthy living practitioners? Great opportunity for practitioners, funders and evaluation all in real time vs. GGH
ii. Get a list of potential national funders for FIC and local/state. Create a strategy for outreach on behalf of the CAUW, Wilson, Pennington, BRAF, etc to bring into the FIC. Then have development team go out, research grants and put together a road map of grant deadlines. focus on a list of individual funders/donors as well
iii. Where will the funds be parked in 2021-2025?
iv. Who else needs to be at the table for Work Group A?
3:15-3:30: Open Forum for current events and challenges
1. Out of State Practices to explore:
a. Great article on the community fridges: https://www.eater.com/2020/6/17/21291849/community-fridges-food-insecurity-coronavirus-covid-19-impact
b. UW Bluegrass with Heatmaps study: Patrick Tuck will provide information; Jonathon Kohn.
c. Kentucky Dept of Ag: Participating restaurants may be reimbursed for 15% of all or part of the cost of eligible Kentucky Proud purchases depending on the amount of direct Kentucky farm impact. Link: https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/buy-local.html
d. New York Dept of Ed and Ag: SFAs that spend at least thirty percent of total food costs for the school lunch program on NYS food products in the preceding school year are eligible for additional State reimbursement that, combined with any existing State reimbursement, will not exceed twenty-five cents for any school lunch meal. Link: http://www.cn.nysed.gov/content/additional-state-subsidy-purchasing-new-york-state-food-products
e. Very interesting case study by Ecolab. Within this, it points out that the following states all give the following amount of funding to schools who purchase local: CA ($.13), WA ($.04), PA ($.13), IN ($.07), MA ($.06), WI ($.05) it also includes at the end, the House bill's they tried to pass in Oregon (I think this study is ten years old but incredibly relevant) Link: https://ecotrust.org/media/7-Cents-Report_FINAL_110630.pdf
FOOD INSECURITY COALITION (EBR) - Meeting #6 (9.02.20)
The meeting began with the Capital Area United Way presenting their scope of service to the coalition. The scope was approved by the coalition. CAUW will provide the services for the first three months as an in-kind investment and contribution to the coalition with an opportunity to renegotiate for the next 3 months or longer depending on where the coalition is and the amount of hours each month dedicated to the coalition. Notes from work groups breakouts below:
(A) Food Access Resource Support
(B) Growing & Distributing Food
(C) Data, Evaluation, & Policy
Work Group (A) - Food Access Resource Support
Co-facilitated: Jan Ross (Wilson Foundation) + George Bell (CAUW)
Need for data from work group (c)
Jared has created a google doc https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd860VJZwuHMGy5KCKkgXNjPte1gSyma_6B02TLZwmETVgV5A/viewform?usp=send_form
Full text here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t-3RgSYW_Zbeiz86yHwuCB3rtQwB0yNvoJIsnHVGUqw/edit?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NgIIoGufmT7YNhR0ilQ_8NdPnr9-tS57/view?usp=sharing
Is it asking for information that is not a duplication of what DEP is searching for
Everyone else to fill it out to provide information of what you can provide service for
Information to make us a bit more familiar w/ ea. other
USDA waiver extended allowing feeding for school children until Dec 31, 2020
Asking Dept of Health to ease restrictions on distributions to provide access to food
General terms and driving down as we determine more data for funding and research opportunities
Growing & Distribution work group (b)
USDA 1000 of boxes/wk of fresh produce
Purchasing from local growers
Planning out the opportunities in advance
What is the distribution plan to get the boxes out
Idea of providing more than just a fresh produce box, complete meal kits
3 O’Clock project will have a sign up Oct 1
Home deliveries by partnering w/ BREC, FF, Kids Orchestra, etc after school programs
Planning a meeting to go out for orgs to join
Collecting the data from families
5 dinners and a snack for “after school”
BR, NOLA, Acadiana
Feeding Louisiana - Opportunities in SNAP 15% increase package to increase the benefits
Getting more conservative members to ok increasing SNAP
Looking for as much support as possible (closing today 9/2)
Dept of Education applied for a statewide CEP waiver
Allowing for state to receive free lunch
If there’s going to be a package, it’s going to happen in the next 2 wks
Work Group (B) - Growing & Distributing Food
Co-facilitated: Casey Phillips (Walls Project) + Edy Addison(CAUW)
· 3 O’Clock projects- roadblocks solved
o 5 meals a week will be delivered to students through the fall along with fresh produce
o Door to door delivery
· Mike Manning reports these are mostly pantry clients
· Top Box
o Approved for USDA program
o Distributing 1,000 boxes a week (approximately)
o Working with Baton Roots farm to get local produce, and other local farmers
o Piloting boxes that cater to 3 recipes (includes dry goods, spices, etc.)
o Previously sold produce at Florida Blvd. bus station- very successful
· Questions for farmers:
o What qualifications needed to participate?
o What is farmer capacity?
o Helpful to schedule out produce calendar in advance
· Geaux Get Healthy
o Launching RFP style process for partners
Work Group (C) - Data, Evaluation & Policy
Co-facilitated: TBD (TBD) + Katie Pritchett (CAUW)
· Reviewed types of data looking for: zip code level disaggregated if possible. Look at race, gender, etc. if possible. · A couple of sources being released this week and then some that already exist: Map the Gap (Sept. 9th), Urban Footprint, Unemployment Claims Data, 211, SNAP, local data from pantries, how do we track evacuees, BR City Key, BR Open Data · Will compile all the data and then categorize the types of data we have to see where the gaps are. This matrix would lead to policy discussions, and help other groups with problem statement and what we are doing about it.
FOOD INSECURITY COALITION (EBR) - Meeting #5 (8.19.20) Many thanks to Janet Tharp, Edy Addison and Katie Pritchett for facilitating the work groups last week.
Work Group A - Food Access Resource Support - w/ Janet Tharp (CPEX) and George Bell (CAUW)
NOLA FEMA Grant - opportunity to piggy back on this grant
Understand and quantify the need in the region
United Way CPEX Insight platform, Baton Rouge General and other providers to quantify and map those resources to understand what part of the region experiencing the greatest need
Corporate and philanthropic dollars and opportunity for partnership
BREC, LSU, BR General, UW have programs to move the food distribution forward
3 buckets of help
Growing
Distributing
Education
Work Group B ‘Growing & Distributing Food’ Notes w/ Casey Phillips (Walls Project) & Edy Addison (CAUW) EBR Schools Child Nutrition Department · Nutrition employee count is down significantly for various reasons · Parents having trouble picking up food during the work day so a late distribution was started on 8/19 from 3-5:30pm. Waiver from the state was required to change time. · Currently reaching 4,500 children, down from 20,000 · Shifting from hot meals to semi-shelf stable food distribution to last 10 days · EBR would like to distribute semi-shelf stable food via bus routes since drivers are being paid and cannot work. o Waiver from the state is required. ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITY with LDE and LDH · Schools donated over $40,000 worth of food after COVID shutdown to nonprofits 3 O’Clock Project · In a sit and wait phase · Waiting on USDA grant approval to continue food distribution as it was done this summer · Dept. of Health of changing licensing requirements, making it more difficult for prep kitchens. Edy Addison, MS Director, Community Impact and Initiatives Capital Area United Way | 700 Laurel Street | Baton Rouge, LA 70802 O: 225.382.3503 C: 214.505.2064 | F: 225.382.3523 | E: edya@cauw.org | W: www.cauw.org Work Group C ‘Data, Evaluation & Policy Work Group’ Notes w/ Manny Patole (Co-City) & Katie Pritchett (CAUW) : · Overview of a few different data points and Urban Footprints work: SNAP Gap work · Brainstorm resources that exist: o 211 as an entry point and data point for food requests by zip o Areas more · Brainstorm metrics that will help show how we move the needle: o Purpose of these data points particularly around SNAP enrollmentàWhere do we want to get to? o Use data to communicate the What and the Why of the coalition and help us that to address gaps and address policy. o What are the barriers to people accessing food or becoming and sustaining food security. How effective are we as organizations in providing resources? o Start with what we already know, then scale to what the other needs and groups might need and be. · Are we the group that should be talking best practices in schools (resource officers), etc. when it comes to addressing food insecurity? · Data Buckets: o What do we currently know about population and underserved? o What is the impact? What data are we capturing collectively? How much food do we grow and supply, how many people, how much resources? o Build the Case for Support for the Coalition overall o What policy implications does this data lead us to? · Data inventory for all coalition members of what each of us has that we can use for the baseline. · And then what are the data points that the other groups will be looking for? · QUESTION FOR LARGER COALITION: Are we in charge of data for every subgroup? Are we doing data first or policy first? · How are we used by the other groups?
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Food Insecurity Coalition (EBR)
Meeting #4 Notes
8.05.20
Looking at the state metrics and making moves in ways we can make effective change in Baton Rouge. A longterm view on food access.
Framing our processes and thinking around answering that question
Evaluating national dollars, not just disaster-related
Dependent on the other activities
Data observed and presented
Showing the needle has moved
Food Access Resource Support Work Group (A)
Governmental programs available
GGH will share an access google doc to track what is available
Looking at funding opportunity with FEMA understanding it is a short term process
Looking toward long term solutions
Capital Area United Way has been nominated to co-manage the Food Insecurity Coalition with Walls for the next 12 months as part of the United We Feed initiative.
Fresh Food Growth and Distribution Work Group (B)
Reimagine how food is grown and distributed for the working poor in low-income communities in our city.
Education is using fresh food and utilizing it in your own health. People need that they are food insecure in order to take advantage of the federal programs out there.Food Literacy -the understanding of the impact of your food choices on your health, the environment, and our economy.
How do you create equity around food and access. People who are growing food that are not getting paid equitable. And how the people purchasing food (marketplace) have access to quality and healthy offerings
Data, Evaluation, and Policy Work Group (C)
Compiling baseline data conclusive to pre-COVID and current
CPEX/Urban Footprint + United Way 211 + LPHI + Pennington + American Heart Association + LSU + SU
Food insecurity knowledge center
resources available for EBR residents for food access
getting us all on the same page on defining - access/insecurity
The Working Poor/ALICE households have incomes above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but struggle to afford basic household necessities.ALICE households continue to face challenges from low wages, reduced work hours, depleted savings, and increasing costs. The ALICE threshold is the average income that a household needs to afford the basic necessities defined by the Household Survival Budget for each parish in Louisiana.
FOOD INSECURITY COALITION (EBR)
Meeting #3
7.22.20
Many thanks to Jan Ross for facilitating the Federal Funding & National Philanthropy breakout discussion.
On future calls Walls will provide a a note taker and tech assistant in each breakout room.
Federal Funding & National Philanthropy breakout group discussion:
Prepared By: Jan Ross (Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation)
Presentation by Andy Kopplin of GNOF on the process New Orleans went through to determine need and fit for the FEMA Mass Feeding Initiative funding opportunity, one of two sites in the country at that time. A working group consisting of a wide array of partners from nonprofits, feeding providers, NOHSEP, NORD, schools, etc. participated. Trepwise was hired to coordinate the due diligence. McKinsey & Co gratuitously completed a gaps analysis. New Orleans was addressing the longterm gaps in food insecurity and committed to integrating eligible restaurants into feeding. The Mayor committed the money received from the CARES Act towards the 25% match required. The application was submitted estimating over 30,000 being food insecure. They currently have about 7,100 people qualified after 3 weeks in operation. The funding is available to feed people who are food insecure but do not receive governmental assistance, ie: SNAP, Medicaid/Medicare, or school meals.
The City handles all qualifying of participants through 311 and 211 who then informs the contractor(Revolution Foods) who then delivers meals. The funding is for 2 meals a day, lunch and dinner. Meals are delivered for home bound recipients or picked up at distribution sites throughout the city. Allowable cost is $10 per meal for product, preparation, packaging, and delivery. They matched restaurants in neighborhoods for food delivery.
The breakout group will focus on 1) data collection to determine gaps and need and 2) the implementation of such an effort.
See attached for the RFP and VENDOR QUESTIONS for the FEMA opportunity in NOLA.
(POTENTIAL) COMMITTEE LONG-TERM FOCUS: Evaluate large-scale federal funding and collective social impact investment opportunities into the EBR Food Insecurity ecosystem?
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FRESH FOOD GROWERS & DISTRIBUTION breakout group discussion:
Prepared By: Casey Phillips (Walls Project)
Three Community Needs To Focus On:
1. Connor - Repurposed facility to create a fresh food distribution center with modest refrigeration (16x16’ ideal). Local farmers with varying harvest cycles can bring produce to one centralized place to box and distribute that day/week right to people’s doorsteps via Topbox delivery service. Location & Operator TBD.
2. Edy - Identify nontraditional food pantries in food desert neighborhoods via 211 data (70802, 70805, 70806, 70816, 70820, 70815, 70811, 70810, 70807) and the advisement of the data/evaluation/policy committee. Take facilities and infrastructure already in place and pump resources through these locations. Chelsea/AHA also interested at converting strategic schools in NorthBR.
3. Andrea - pop-up farmers & arts markets this fall that are spread out at parks across the parish to avoid concentrated gatherings at one location (i.e Red Stick Farmers Market in Downtown).
Additional Discussion Points:
Our focus will be for The Working Poor (ALICE Population)
Need to support the work of the Farm Bureau to direct federal dollars to fresh food grow & distribution ( Kacie Luckett)
(POTENTIAL) COMMITTEE LONG-TERM FOCUS: Evaluate large-scale federal funding and collective social impact investment opportunities into the EBR Food Insecurity ecosystem?
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Data, Evaluation & Policy breakout group discussion:
Prepared By: Manny Patole (Co-City) proxy Helena Williams (Walls Project)
Looking at existing metrics:
Urban Footprint - LA Food Insecurity Analysis (CPEX)
Tier 1 - Fresh Food
Tier 2 - Packaged food
Tier 3 - Convenience store foods
Joblessness claims
Distribution centers maps (shared by CPEX)
ALICE metrics? Map?
211 call metrics - how many people are calling to people in those zip codes and whether there is a service provider in that area or not
How are asking ALICE populations? Hard to ask income questions for those calling in for assistance via 211
Exporting for Urban Footprint
SNAP benefit metrics by zipcode
Additional layer - % of SNAP benefits expended before month’s end (via DCFS?)
Food Bank metrics by zipcode
# or % of closed pantries
Many calls are due to pantries no longer operating - looking for additional access points
What metrics will accomplish:
Areas of Policy to influence the most
State level vs civic level
What is the end goal? Access? Defining access (food? fresh food?)
Supply/Demand conversation
Demand - What is the need?
Awareness around where fresh food is - that they are taking SNAP
Newly food insecure vs. food insecurity as a pervasive issue throughout life
Information demonstrating that individuals not being able to access to food
Working with corporate partners and employee assistance programs in HR departments
Supply - SNAP participation
Increase in SNAP benefits - for every meal that a Food Bank is able to provide SNAP provides 9 + economic benefit of shopping stores
Boost in SNAP benefits - unemployment benefits coming to an end
Distribution centers
Policy opportunities for schools - focus on
Defining:
Access (Kelli from GGH will send their definitions)
Food Insecurity (Kelli from GGH will send their definitions)
Distribution locations
ALICE populations
Additional Notes:
FEMA - Sense of what NO undertook - talking to Andy on the questions to answer - learning session
Food purchase dollars through the FEMA network
Fresh food distribution center - reutilizing existing facility 1-2 coolers
BREC partnering with BRETA with pop up farmers markets
Getting food to the working poor - every layer of solution
Finding under utilized ways to get food to people
FRAC report From https://frac.org/news/frac-report-reveals-covid-19-exacerbating-already-alarming-food-insecurity-rates-in-southern-states
Identifying school campions is difficult - schools need to be convinced the is not a big lift
“Establishing Focus & Finding Our Lanes” Meeting #2
Notes Prepared by Helena Williams (Walls Project) + Edward Anthony (CPEX)
Attendees / Organization / Role In the Coalition: Connor DeLoach / Top Box Foods / Distribution Lauren Hebert / HealthyBR / Distribution Jared Hymowitz / HealthyBR / Distribution Manny Patole / Co-City Baton Rouge / Data/Evaluation/Policy Shivonne Marshall / Baton Roots / Growing Fresh Food Mitchell Provensal / Baton Roots / Growing Fresh Food Camille Manning Broom & Edward Anthony / CPEX / Data and analysis, policy—state and local Mike Manning / GBR Food Bank / Distribution, Transportation, Foodbanks Leslie Clay / Louisiana Public Health Institute/Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living / Data & Evaluation Traci Birch / LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio / Data and analysis, policy Paul Sawyer / Cong. Garret Graves (LA-06 / Policy Emily Chatelain / Three Oclock Project / Food prep, distribution, transportation Shayne Figueroa / New School Food Studies / Preparation & Distribution Carl Motsenbocker / LSU Ag Center, Louisiana Farm to School Program, Grow Louisiana beginning farmer training program / Data & Evaluation, Policy, implementation of local food sourcing/promotion Chelsea Morgan and Coretta LaGarde / American Heart Association / can provide resource support to expanding urban farming and food pantries as well as after school/USDA meal programs / Policy Jan Ross & Tristi Charpentier / Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation / Philanthropy Casey Phillips / Baton Roots / Facilitator I. Need to find our lanes (Casey Phillips)
Grow Food
Distribution/Transportation
Food banks/pantries
Healthy food prep
Data/evals
Policy
Lead Agencies (TBD - Potential partnership of United We Feed, Three O’Clock, Walls, HealthyBR)
II. Looking at FEMA in New Orleans for Structure (Jan Ross)
New Orleans getting FEMA money for food distribution
$8 million food distribution, qualifying through the city
Person’s home, congregate sites, or a location
People who do not qualify for other government assistance
Seniors, families with kids, medical needs, needing meal delivery, recovering from COVID
$10/meal deliver lunch or dinner with 1 hot or heated back up
FEMA process - approved through FEMA, New Orleans is the second site awarded nationally.
The city has to apply for it, the city submits an RFP for provider
Coordinating all of scoping with Isaac McDonald - coordinator and data collection
Meeting last week with Isaac, Jared, and Clay to understand what the discussions are at a city level.
Mike Manning and Congressman Graves office applied for different aid
The city seems to be wanting to let others apply, can draft request for City or BR Food Bank
Provides FEMA greater authority to work with and contract with Food Banks during disasters, FEMA now is taking advantage of this
Feeding Louisiana and BR Food Bank with Mike Manning to get FEMA’s attention onto Baton Rouge Area.
FEMA can either provide products and distribute meals through food banks and distribute through Food Banks networks or provide funding to Food Banks. FEMA has not taken advantage of this
FEMA Region 6 Administrator finalizing agreement with BR area.
Public assistance response (mitigation and recovery, physical property), not individual assistance response (health help).
CFAP (meat/dairy) program boxes mitigated the urgency with the federal government with thought processes and discussions.
GOSEP and FEMA Region 6
Reimbursed - FEMA 75% City 25% - can ask FEMA 100%
Caution: NOLA not as effective because of the severe limitations bc of the duplication of benefits issues (no other Fed feeding programs)
The big issue - funding, with FEMA $ comes to the conditions, pushing really hard for justification of food from COVID
Connor (Top Box)
Over-projected how many could take advantage of this - not to replace other forms assisting people (EBT, etc). Supporting other individuals, not on benefits at the moment.
1600/4000 meals week 1
III. City of Baton Rouge Update: Jared Hymowitz (Healthy BR)
Community testing sites - paid out of pocket. A lot of funding has gone toward this match. Dollars are a real challenge, most cities are struggling with funding.
New Orleans is full-time council members, huge capacity. BR has 7-10 Mayor’s Office who oversees all of City-Parish
Challenge: backbone person driving work
Put out a survey, asset map
What does it look like, who’s doing what, what are the gaps
Ask to the philanthropic/private businesses to back this
Post-Katrina organizations solely focused on this, helped a lot.
How do we bring in larger funders outside of BRAF and Wilson Foundation?
IV. Building the Playbook: Emily Chatelain (3 O'Clock Project)
Worked with Solomon Group to build for New Orleans
Logistics
Food/Menu
Set up and structure for meals for Students
Still trying to find where their roles are in the fall
V. Next Steps:
We will do breakout rooms next call - based on the silos
Jan Ross will organize ongoing conversation re: FEMA funding & will invite Andy Kopplin from GNOF
One person assigned to develop questions for breakout groups Casey Goal: Policy – data evaluation, used as the initial driver for national funding, built into the infrastructure
Manny Goal: Build a job description for the type of role desire (Casey build out a working draft for the job description)
Camille/CPEX: Survey that was used available - might wait till the next meeting. Looking at the data around school closures. How many are single parents working, living in poverty, unemployment, food security, etc? Anecdotal data or info or ideas - reach out and let them know
Tristi - Goal: To establish what this coalition is working toward before the job description is presented
Distribution: more mobile nontraditional distribution models (school pantries, etc.) · Casey Goal: Distribution (Conner, etc.) More nontraditional mobile distribution
VI. Goals listed in the chat: · From Camille, CPEX to Everyone: 02:50 PM Goal: Build a structure for collaboration; build long-term capacity; use common data on demand to coordinate distribution of resources, use common supply data points to understand the impact and reduce replication, build capacity for governance around food security and the built environment that perpetuates it. · From Chelsea Morgan to Everyone: 02:52 PM Do we asset map in our break out meetings? Bring our policy guidance and opportunities to the table? · From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: 02:52 PM We would have the capacity to play a role since our summer meals should be slowing down the end of July · From Jared Hymowitz to Everyone: 02:53 PM Create a structure for the coalition and begin to identify how we can asset map the people/ organizations and locations that people are providing access to food. · From Mike Manning to Everyone: 02:54 PM The key is to define what we want to accomplish and find the right person to help us lead that effort · From Connor Deloach to Everyone: 02:56 PM In addition to developing structure, I think it would be helpful for everyone to be clear and have a shared understanding of the challenges/ shortcomings of the organizations that engaged in physical food distribution VII. Additional Notes / Helena:
Mike Manning: Don’t limit to looking at this FEMA, look bigger and broader to address this (looking at holistic nature of food access)
Work on solidifying and galvanizing food growing and distribution outside of what BR Food Bank is doing
Emily/3 Oclock: USDA has not waived for children to take home after school supper
AHA: Worked with Atlanta FEMA and Mayors Office, has information from that experience. Can provide public support if we push forward. Publicly speak out, testimonies, information for those voting. Emailing anyone who needs to be emailed. Preferential language around initiatives like this.
VII. Additional Notes / Edward:
PROJECT SUPPORT LANES - growing, distribution/transportation, food banks/pantries, healthy food preparation/distribution, data & evaluation, policy, and lead agency for this coalition
· Jan Ross – Talks of NOLA receiving FEMA funds, 18 million received for food distribution, rewards funneled through the city, focus on seniors’ families with kids, and those quarantined recovering from COVID. $10 a meal. 1 being hot or rewarm. Each city has to apply for it. Then RFP to provide an activity to the provider.
· CMB – Brought in to work with this coalition, Greater NOLA, been coordinating with Ivory McDonald, setup meeting Office of Emergency Preparedness and Jared Hymowitz to coordinate efforts with the City of BR, Mike Manning and others coordinated efforts to request funding,
· Paul Sawyer: following 2016 floods decided food banks could assist more in disasters. FEMA formerly excluded food banks. Legislation passed in 2018 – provides FEMA greater authority to work and contract with food banks in declared disasters. Feeding LA and BR Food Bank working to get FEMAs attention. FEMA can either provide the product and distribute it through food banks or allocated the funding for others to do the work. Checked in with FEMA Region 6 and finalizing efforts.
· Mike Manning: Meals are being prepared in NOLA. Cannot benefit from other federal programs to be included in this assistance. This is a public assistance response. 2 houses within FEMA (Pubic/Mass care and Individual mitigation/property recovery, etc.) Very challenging across the nation to get FEMA to do this.
o Jared Hym: Paul has been talking to GHOSEP in FEMA Region 6 for a COVID related response. The dollars are a challenge with many cities struggling with funding. Spoke with CMB about the government structure of EBR vs NOLA. EBR does not have the same capacity. Needs to be a backbone person driving this work.
§ We have to put out a survey. We have to asset map. We need to make an ask for support to fund a position that can do this work. Many are spread thin; we need a QB that can focus on this issue.
o Emily Chatelain: Called into the NOLA group involved in that RFP and Proposal for the City of New Orleans; we were tasked with providing the meals to be distributed; called by the Solomon Group. Feels she/they could be the entity that picks it up. Already having built a plan for similar work.
· Jan: Willing to provide coordination of further meetings, etc.
· Mike – Big issues are duplication rule, those not receiving other food assistance qualify and having FEMA put up the money
o Conner – Issue with NOLA is they inaccurately projected how many people would be able to take part in the program
· Emily: Conner how many meals served per day – 40 restaurants are doing 100 meals a day
· CMB: Would like facilitated breakout rooms
· Mike – Also to look at more than FEMA funds. We should be able to identify other sources.
· CMB: Are we hearing the news on schools opening, how many kids living in poverty, single parents, and other data. How can we parse the data for deeper analysis?
o Mike – Can talk about on Friday call
· Emily – 3 o’clock project, about 5k meals a day after school. Concern those kids won’t get supper. USDA has not issued any waivers for those supper for at-risk kids. Policy-wise worried about that issue. Unsure afterschool programs will happen.
· Coretta LaGarde: Can assist with public comment, project support, communication to leadership/officials
o From Manohar Ramkumar Patole to Everyone: 02:46 PM
§ I think Metromorphosis did something like that
§What about AARP? Are they part of this group as well?
§For data on single-family poverty issues
Food Insecurity Coalition - Part II - Zoom Chat
From Casey Phillips to Everyone: (2:00 PM) NEED TO ESTABLISH EVERYONE’S LANES - growing, distribution/transportation, food banks/pantries, healthy food preparation/distribution, data & evaluation, policy, and lead agency for this coalition
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:05 PM) Connor DeLoach (Top Box Foods) - Distribution
From Lauren Hebert to Everyone: (2:05 PM) Lauren Hebert- HealthyBR
From Manohar Ramkumar Patole to Everyone: (2:05 PM) Manny Patole, Co-City Baton Rouge, Data/Evaluation/Policy
From shivonne to Everyone: (2:05 PM) Shivonne Marshall (Baton Roots) Growing
From Camille, CPEX to Everyone: (2:05 PM) Camille & Edward: CPEX, data and analysis, policy—state and local,
From Mike Manning to Everyone: (2:05 PM) Mike Manning GBR Food Bank Food Distribution, Transportation, food banks and pantries
From Leslie Clay to Everyone: (2:06 PM) Leslie Clay - Louisiana Public Health Institute/Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living - Data&Evaluation
From Traci Birch to Everyone: (2:06 PM) Traci Birch, LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio, data and analysis, policy
From psawyer to Everyone: (2:06 PM) Paul Sawyer, Cong. Garret Graves (LA-06)
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:07 PM) Emily Chatelain, Three Oclock Project; healthy food prep, distribution, transportation - focus on kids 18 and under
From Casey Phillips to Everyone: (2:07 PM) If you joined late, please put your name/organization plus what lane in the Food Insecurity coalition you specialize in: growing, distribution/transportation, food banks/pantries, healthy food preparation/distribution, data & evaluation, policy, and lead agency for this coalition
From Manohar Ramkumar Patole to Everyone: (2:08 PM) Shayne Figueroa, New School Food Studies, Healthy food preparation/distribution
From Carl Motsenbocker to Everyone: (2:08 PM) Carl Motsenbocker, LSU Ag Center. Louisiana Farm to School Program, Grow Louisiana beginning farmer training program. Data & evaluation, policy, implementation of local food sourcing/promotion.
From Chelsea Morgan to Everyone: (2:09 PM) Chelsea Morgan and Coretta LaGarde (American Heart Association) - policy and systems changes focused - can provide resource support to expanding urban farming and food pantries as well as after school/USDA meal programs.
From Tristi to Everyone: (2:10 PM) Tristi Charpentier, Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:16 PM) Jan & Casey - our nonprofit (Three Oclock Project) was involved in that RFP and Proposal for City of New Orleans; we were tasked with providing the meals to be distributed (up to 30K meals/day) if you would like some input from my end, happy to share
From Casey Phillips to Everyone: (2:16 PM) Thank you Emily, I was just about to put you on the spot!
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:17 PM) The Solomon Group bid on it and brought us in; we developed a master plan for accomplishing it with tying in local restaurants
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:17 PM) In New Orleans, the FEMA funding is supporting 40 restaurants which are each producing 40 meals each. New Orleans is currently having a hard time distributing those meals due to the restrictions around who can receive the meals.100* meals/ day From janross to Everyone: (2:18 PM) Thank you Emily. Insight from your experience would be helpful.
From Mike Manning to Everyone: (2:19 PM) I heard the same issues that Emily reported.
From Manohar Ramkumar Patole to Everyone: (2:22 PM) Q: Does that person have to be on the ground/local?
From Coretta LaGarde to Everyone: (2:22 PM) At the appropriate time, the American Heart Association can provide public support for the approval of funding for the feeding program. AHA was not involved in the New Orleans proposal. We were a part of the local food insecurity group and the Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness to secure funding for Seniors in Atlanta.
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:22 PM) Jared, perhaps we have a solution? I'll chime in
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:29 PM) Happy to lend trucks, staff, and volunteers to support
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:32 PM) Connor, are you saying above that they are currently only doing ~100 meals per day?
From Carl Motsenbocker to Everyone: (2:33 PM) SNAP-Ed Program Leader, Dr. Denise Holston-West 225-578-4573, email Dholston@agcenter.lsu.edu
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:34 PM) LANES - growing, distribution/transportation, food banks/pantries, healthy food preparation/distribution, data & evaluation, policy, and lead agency for this coalition
From Jared Hymowitz to Everyone: (2:35 PM) HealthyBR we are interested in support all but can help focus on policy and implementation of local food sourcing/promotion
From Carl Motsenbocker to Everyone: (2:35 PM) De'Shoin A York, Southern U. EFNEP and SNAP-Ed 225-771-2242
From Casey Phillips to Everyone: (2:35 PM) Great idea Camille, we will have facilitators in each group.USDA reps?Farm Bureau?
From psawyer to Everyone: (2:37 PM) Paul Sawyer/Cong. Garret Graves/policy (but I feel we can support each "lane”)
From Tracy Smith to Everyone: (2:37 PM) Tracy Smith, Healthy Blue Community Relations. Interested in supporting outreach initiatives and other needs.
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:39 PM) Agreed - we worked with the BR Restaurant Coalition to incorporate them into our summer meals feeding kids - lots of potential there to support local; also are working with local produce companies etc.
From Manohar Ramkumar Patole to Everyone: (2:41 PM) I think Metromorphosis did something like thatWhat about AARP? Are they part of this group as well?For data on single-family poverty issues
From Camille, CPEX to Everyone: (2:47 PM) United Way is also doing food distribution
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:48 PM) Thanks Casey! If anyone wants to spam me: hello@threeoclockproject.org :)
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:48 PM) United was seems to be constantly looking for partner locations to facilitate their distributions
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:49 PM) Top Box has been providing the food, and they are doing 200-300 boxes (20lbs of produce) almost every weekend. They need to be driven more towards BR in my opinion, though I am sure they have reasons for the locations they are selecting
From Camille, CPEX to Everyone: (2:50 PM) Goal: Build structure for collaboration; build long-term capacity; use common data on demand to coordinate distribution of resources, use common supply data points to understand impact and reduce replication, build capacity for governance around food security and the built environment that perpetuates it.
From Chelsea Morgan to Everyone: (2:52 PM) Do we asset map in our break out meetings? Bring our policy guidance and opportunities to the table?
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:52 PM) We would have the capacity to play a role since our summer meals should be slowing down end of July
From Jared Hymowitz to Everyone: (2:53 PM) Create a structure for the coalition and begin to identify how we can asset map the people/ organizations and locations that people are providing access to food.
From Mike Manning to Everyone: (2:54 PM) THe key is to define what we want to accomplish and find the right person to help us lead that effort
From Connor Deloach to Everyone: (2:56 PM) In addition to developing structure, I think it would helpful for everyone to be clear and have a shared understanding of the challenges/ shortcomings of the organizations that engaged in physical food distribution
From Emily Chatelain to Everyone: (2:57 PM) agreed with Connor - and like the idea of this being a big collab with all the groups
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