Harvest Home Farmers Market Inc

THE ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO INCREASING ACCESS TO LOCAL FARM-FRESH PRODUCE, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HEALTH AND NUTRITION AND SUPPORTING REGIONAL AGRICULTURE.

FARMERS MARKETS - DESPITE THE MANY CHALLENGES WE CONTINUED TO OPERATE 13 FARMERS MARKETS IN 2021. THESE MARKETS INCREASED THE BUYING POWER OF LOW-INCOME NYC RESIDENTS TO PURCHASE OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS($280,000) OF FRESH PRODUCE THROUGH CONSUMER PAYMENT OPTIONS USING SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP/EBT) DOLLARS, FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM (FMNP)COUPONS, WOMEN,INFANT & CHILDREN (WIC) COUPONS, AND NYC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE(NYCDOHMH)HEALTH BUCKS.

HEALTHY EATING/LIVING - OUR COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS SERVED 27,000 CUSTOMERS, DISTRIBUTED 17,000 GOOD-TO-GO BAGS TOTALING 35,000 POUNDS OF THE PRODUCE USED IN EACH RECIPE AND PURCHASED $47,000 OF PRODUCE FROM FAMILY OWNED FARMS. THROUGH OUR NEW YORK STATE-FUNDED NOURISH NY PROGRAM AND IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS, WE PURCHASED $245,241 IN LOCAL PRODUCE THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED FOR "FREE" TO MORE THAN 35,000 FAMILIES. MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED TONS (400,000 LBS.) OF FREE PRODUCE, INCLUDING DURING THE THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, WAS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, FARMERS MARKET CUSTOMERS RECEIVED $21,000 IN FREE COUPONS TO PURCHASE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED A MUCH NEEDED FINANCIAL RESOURCE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS A SECURE REVENUE STREAM FOR SMALL FARMS WHO WERE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY DUE TO REDUCED TRAFFIC AND SALES AT MARKETS ACROSS THE CITY DURING THE PANDEMIC. HARVEST HOME'S COUPON AND VOUCHER PROGRAMS ACHIEVE A NUMBER OF FAR-REACHING GOALS AND OUTCOMES, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: -LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE OR ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO DO RECEIVE THESE BENEFITS, DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF FRESH PRODUCE THEY PURCHASED AT OUR FARMER'S MARKETS, WITH NO MAXIMUM OR MINIMUM SPENDING LIMITS. -FARMERS AND VENDORS FROM THE NEW YORK REGION, WHO HAVE SUFFERED MAJOR ECONOMIC LOSSES DUE TO PANDEMIC-RELATED CLOSURES OF THEIR MOST RELIABLE SOURCES OF INCOME (RESTAURANTS, SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL CAFETERIAS, ETC.), WERE ABLE TO OFFSET SOME OF THESE LOSSES WITH THE REDEMPTION OF THE COUPONS AND VOUCHERS. ADDITIONALLY, OUR FOOD TALK NEWSLETTER REACHED MORE THAN 6,000 READERS WITH QUICK, LOW-COST, SEASONALLY BASED RECIPES AND NUTRITION INFORMATION THROUGH THE FOOD TALK NEWSLETTER.