The Corbin Hill Food Project (CHFP) is working to bridge the gap between farm communities growing local produce and city communities that want and need healthy food. By building upon food hub and community supported agriculture (CSA) retail models, CHFP connects family-owned farms upstate to black, Latino, and immigrant residents. In line with the organization’s food justice mission that incorporates healthy food advocacy and community-based programming, CHFP has created a Farm Share program that seeks to attract urban populations that are traditionally not members of CSAs.

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This study examined what market characteristics successfully attract low-income shoppers. The study also explored the obstacles that may prevent low income individuals from shopping at a farmers market when one existed nearby, and how youth-oriented market programming affects healthy eating habits among kids and teens. There are also general recommendations for everyone working to get more healthy food into their communities through farmers markets.

Select 2011 HFFI grantees highlight success stories and lessons learned from the first year of their projects to increase access to healthy, affordable food in their communities. Speakers include Pat Smith from the Reinvestment Fund, Joy Johnson with Burten, Bell and Carr from Cleveland, Ohio and Welford Sanders with the Martin Luther King Community Development Corporation from Wisconsin. This webinar is part of series hosted by the Office of Community Services (OCS) entitled, "2013 Community Economic Development (CED) Spring Webinar Series, Track 2: Healthy Food."

Green City Growers Cooperative (GCGC) is a cooperative urban greenhouse in the heart of Cleveland, Ohio. GCGC provides an example of an innovative and employee-owned food production enterprise that is revitalizing Cleveland’s Central neighborhood while providing quality employment opportunities, building community wealth and assets, and promoting healthy food access both in the neighborhood and citywide.

Mariposa Food Co-op operates as a full-service, cooperatively-owned and -operated grocery store in Philadelphia, PA. With more than 1,500 members they are active leaders in the cooperative movement. They currently employ 45 people, making them one of the neighborhood’s largest employers. This profile highlights the Co-op's impact on the local community and the funding and financing behind their recent expansion.

The Healthy Neighborhood Store project (HNS) in Omaha, Nebraska is working to improve access to healthy food for the one-third of Douglas County residents by partnering with small neighborhood stores to improve healthy food offerings and support community health. HNS is working with 10 stores ranging in size from three to 45 employees, and reaching 50,000 low-income Omaha residents. As a result of these efforts, HNS has improved sales of healthy items in these stores, while changing customers’ perceptions toward neighborhood store food offerings.

Food policy councils are shaping the healthy food environment in cities across the country. This webinar provides an in-depth look at the successful Los Angeles Food Policy Council. The speakers also discuss efforts in other cities across the US.

Across the country, markets are adopting unique and innovative business strategies to provide healthy food to underserved communities. The range and delivery of these alternative models run the gamut from farmers’ markets that incorporate community health clinics to large urban farms serving grocery stores and institutional clients. This webinar details successful strategies and highlights important impacts such as reduction in diet-related diseases and the revitalization of communities by providing needed jobs.