Just Harvest Education Fund

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FRESH ACCESS - JUST HARVESTS FRESH ACCESS PROGRAM ENABLES FOOD STAMP (SNAP) USERS TO USE THEIR BENEFITS FOR HIGH-QUALITY FOODS AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS BY PROVIDING ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CAPACITY AND A TOKEN-BASED REDEMPTION SYSTEM AT 14 LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS. THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS THE CONVENIENCE OF CREDIT AND DEBIT PAYMENT AT THESE MARKETS FOR NON-FOOD STAMP SHOPPERS, EXPANDING ITS IMPACT FOR LOCAL FARMERS/VENDORS AND PREVENTING THE SYSTEM FROM STIGMATIZING LOW-INCOME SHOPPERS. THE PROGRAM ALSO ENABLES SNAP USERS TO STRETCH THEIR FOOD DOLLARS FURTHER BY RECEIVING HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVES WITH THEIR PURCHASES. THE SERVICES PROCESSED NEARLY 16,000 INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS, THE MOST IN OUR HISTORY. MORE THAN 1,400 INDIVIDUAL FOOD STAMP HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED AT THE 10 MARKETS WITH JUST HARVESTS DIRECT ON-SITE PRESENCE. MORE THAN 2,700 OTHER CUSTOMERS ALSO USED THE SERVICE DURING THE YEAR. MANY MORE WERE SERVED BY FOUR PARTNER MARKETS THAT RECEIVE MARKETING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM JUST HARVESTS FRESH ACCESS PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THE EXPANSION OF SNAP AND PANDEMIC-EBT BENEFITS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, AND BY CONTINUED SAFETY PROTOCOLS AT MARKETS.

JUST HARVEST EDUCATION FUND CONDUCTS COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING TO INFORM AND EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE CAUSES AND EXTENT OF HUNGER AND TO CHALLENGE INCORRECT STEREOTYPES ABOUT PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH HUNGER. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SPEAKING PRESENTATIONS, POVERTY SIMULATION EXERCISES, FACT SHEETS, NEWSLETTERS, WORK WITH NEWS MEDIA, AND WEB SITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT. IN ADDITION, THE FRESH CORNERS PROGRAM IS A FORWARD-LOOKING AND CREATIVE RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM OF FOOD DESERTS. THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITIES FROM WITHIN BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL STORE OWNERS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO FRESH, NUTRITIOUS FOODS. FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LIKE APPLES, BANANAS, ORANGES, POTATOES, AND ONIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE - AND CAN BE PURCHASED USING FOOD STAMPS - AT ALL PARTICIPATING STORES.

FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICE: JUST HARVEST EDUCATION FUND PROVIDES FREE INCOME TAX RETURN PREPARATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH ON EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AND RELATED TARGETED TAX BENEFITS FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. DURING 2021, THE PROGRAM RETURNED TO IN-PERSON OPERATIONS AT 4 COMMUNITY TAX SITES, WITH ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, ADDING A VIRTUAL SERVICE AS WELL. DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES JUST HARVEST COMPLETED FEDERAL TAX RETURNS FOR 2,084 HOUSEHOLDS AT FOUR COMMUNITY LOCATIONS AND OUR VIRTUAL SERVICE, HOUSEHOLDS SERVED BY JUST HARVEST SHARED TOTAL FEDERAL TAX REFUNDS OF MORE THAN $4.3 MILLION INCLUDING $1.9 MILLION IN EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS. JUST HARVEST ALSO PROVIDED MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, STAFF AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND QUALITY CONTROL TO A COALITION OF 11 OTHER FREE TAX SERVICE PROVIDERS ACROSS 5 COUNTIES IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, SERVING A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 6,000 HOUSEHOLDS.

FOOD STAMP ENROLLMENT PROJECT JUST HARVEST EDUCATION FUND PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING FOOD STAMP (SNAP) APPLICATIONS TO THE PA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO BUILD AWARENESS OF FOOD STAMPS AMONG POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS, PRE-SCREENING OF PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS FOR ESTIMATE OF ELIGIBILITY, POST-APPLICATION ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP TRACKING OF APPLICATIONS. DURING 2021, THE PROJECT COMPLETED APPLICATIONS FOR 1,443 HOUSEHOLDS AND SCREENED AN ADDITIONAL 128 HOUSEHOLDS.