Farm Hands-Nourish The Flathead

TO BUILD A STRONG COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM THAT FOSTERS SOCIALLY JUST WAYS OF ACCESSING FOOD

FOOD FOR ALL PROGRAMS:FOOD FOR ALL PROGRAMS INCLUDE DOUBLE SNAP DOLLARS, COLUMBIA FALLS BACKPACK PROGRAM, SENIOR COUPONS AND FOOD RX. THESE PROGRAMS INCENTIVIZE LOW INCOME SENIORS, SCHOOL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM AND INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD. THESE PROGRAMS GENERATED $32,000 IN SALES THIS YEAR, SUPPORTING OVER 60 LOCAL FARMERS AND FOOD VENDORS.THE DOUBLE SNAP DOLLAR PROGRAM INCENTIVIZES LOW INCOME/SNAP CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD AT FARMERS' MARKETS WITH A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MATCH FROM LAND TO HAND. CURRENTLY WE OFFER THIS PROGRAM AT THE FARMERS MARKETS IN WHITEFISH, COLUMBIA FALLS AND KALISPELL.WE ARE A REGIONAL LEAD FOR THE DOUBLE SNAP DOLLAR NETWORK IN MONTANA AND WORK WITH REGIONAL MARKETS TO ADMINISTER THIS STATEWIDE PROGRAM. RAISED FUNDS GO TOWARDS $30 FRUITS AND VEGETABLE INCENTIVE FUNDS TO MATCH PURCHASES AT ALL THREE FARMERS' MARKETS.THE COLUMBIA FALLS BACKPACK PROGRAM PROVIDES WEEKEND FOOD BAGS TO ROUGHLY 375 FOOD INSECURE CHILDREN IN THE COLUMBIA FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT EACH WEEK. IN ADDITION WE OFFER A FRESH FRUIT OR VEGETABLE SNACK EVERY FRIDAY TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT. THESE TWO PROGRAMS PROVIDE OVER 1800 CHILDREN WITH HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS EACH WEEK WHILE COMBATING HUNGER FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS. THIS YEAR WE DELIVERED A TOTAL OF 134,000 MEALS.OUR SENIOR COUPON PROGRAM SUPPORTS 175 LOW INCOME SENIORS BY PROVIDING COUPON BOOKLETS TO USE AT FARMERS' MARKETS FOR FRESH, HEALTHY AND LOCAL FOODS. EACH BOOKLET IS WORTH $30 AND CAN BE USED THROUGHOUT THE MARKET SEASON.THE FOOD RX PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOGAN HEALTH CLINICS AND LAND TO HAND TO PROVIDE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESCRIPTIONS TO FAMILIES THAT QUALIFY AS FOOD INSECURE. PATIENTS ARE REFERRED BY CLINIC PRACTITIONERS AND RECEIVE AN ORIENTATION PACKET. AFTER THE PATIENT SELECTS THEIR FARMERS MARKET OF CHOICE, THEY BRING THEIR PRESCRIPTION TO THE LAND TO HAND'S FOOD ACCESS BOOTH AT THE MARKET AND WE GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE WEEKLY PROCESS OF PURCHASING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH THEIR PRESCRIPTION. PATIENTS RECEIVE A WEEKLY ALLOTMENT TO SPEND ON LOCAL, FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. WE ALSO PROVIDE A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WITH INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD PREPARATION AND MEAL PLANNING.

FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS:OUR FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN COLUMBIA FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT INCORPORATE GARDEN AND NUTRITION EDUCATION IN CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. THE WILDCAT GARDEN, A 1/4 ACRE GARDEN AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM PROVIDES SPACE TO HOLD SUMMER CAMPS, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, SEED SAVING CLINICS AND SCHOOL BASED LEARNING. THIS YEAR WE HAD 1,104 YOUTH IN OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

FREE THE SEEDS, AN ANNUAL PROGRAM OF LAND TO HAND, IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH REAL SEEDS, REAL FOOD AND REAL SKILLS. EVERY SPRING, FREE THE SEEDS OFFERS ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT FOOD PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRACTICES. EVERY ASPECT OF THE FAIR EMPHASIZES THE VALUE OF A ROBUST COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SYSTEM. THE EVENT OFFERS EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS BY LOCAL EXPERTS, AS WELL AS BOOTHS WITH RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ABOUT ACCESSING, GROWING AND PROCESSING FOOD LOCALLY. WE HOST A SEED EXCHANGE AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS FOCUSED ON THE STATE OF OUR VALLEY'S FOOD SYSTEM AND WAYS WE CAN MAKE IT STRONGER. ALL WORKSHOPS ARE OPI-ACCREDITED FOR K-12 TEACHERS, AND KIDS 8 AND OLDER CAN ATTEND KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.