2014 Accomplishments
January 2014: The ACFPC holds a retreat for council members to reevaluate our Vision, Mission, and Goals, and tie them to our past current and future steps.
February 2014: The Campus Kitchens at Gettysburg College (CKGC) participates in the annual "Raise the Dough" Challenge, competing against other Campus Kitchens nationwide to raise money for hunger relief programming. 4 CSA shares were donated to the cause for re-sale from Tuckey's Mountain Grown Berries, Everblossom Farm, Broad Valley Orchard and Beech Springs. More than $7,500 was raised by CKGC to support the 2014 season of Healthy Options.
April 2014: The Gleaning Project of South Central PA holds its 1st Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser at Gettysburg College. Empty Bowls is an international effort to fight hunger. Original, handmade ceramic bowls were donated by local artists and ceramics students, while local restaurants donated soups and bread. Attendees were charged a flat rate of $10 per bowl to be filled with soups and bread. Over $2,700 was raised to support the Gleaning Project.
March 2014: The first meeting of the 2014 Community Leaders (CL) for Healthy Options. This new model has 8 past Healthy Options participants leading groups of 7-10 other participants. The CL's are the main point of contact for their group members and they assist with phone call reminders, voucher and survey distribution and activity planning.
May 2014: The WellSpan Market Bucks program began in 2014 as part of the WellSpan Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to address needs identified through the Community Health Needs Assessment. Market Bucks is designed to help improve the care and treatment of overweight/obese adults who are managed by WellSpan Medical Group practices. Through this program, low-income patients, as identified through established criteria, are provided with healthy eating guidance and fruit and vegetable Market Bucks vouchers redeemable at participating farmers’ markets. In collaboration with the Adams County Food policy council we had been able to partner and involved participants in other events/activities and programs that partner organizations have put into place.
May 2014: The Adams County Farmers Market Association moves to a new location from the Gettysburg Rec Park to Steinwehr Avenue, next to the Heritage Center.
May 2014: Now officially 'Certified Naturally Grown', The Painted Turtle Farm houses a 14-family community garden as well as a 6-member CSA.
June 2014: The 2014 season of Healthy Options begins, with 70 participating families, including the 8 community leaders. Each family receives 9 vouchers per month, valued at $45 each, for 4 months during the summertime Farmer's Market season. As in past summers, the vouchers may be redeemed at the Adams County Farm Fresh Markets, located at the the Gettysburg Outlets on Fridays & Saturdays (930am-2pm), as well as Steinwehr Ave in Gettysburg on Wednesdays (2pm-6pm).
September 2014: The Painted Turtle Farm receives a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) of $21,000 for the construction of a hoop house and extended season education for interested families to grow food year-round.
September 2014: Ruth's Harvest Gettysburg (RHG) begins sending home backpacks filled with 7 meals over the weekend to students who qualify for free/reduced lunches at one area elementary school. More than 50% of students at this school qualify for free/reduced lunches and 114 are are currently enrolled in the backpack program in Gettysburg. A local Gettysburg resident modeled the program after Ruth's Harvest in Hanover, PA. RHG is greatly supported by many of the Gettysburg churches.
October 2014: The Adams County Farmer Market Association applies for a receives a Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grant of $82,000 to increase sales of agricultural products, stimulate agri-tourism activities, and expand EBT and FMNP access throughout Adams and Franklin Counties in South Central PA.
October 2014: ACFPC is invited to attend the Chesapeake Food Policy Leadership Institute, a 3-day event focusing on leadership, policy and communication. Organized and led by staff at the Center for a Livable Future, the institute sough to connect and improve the capacity of new and existing food policy councils and similar organizations to effectively advance food system policies.
October 2014: Since 2011, Adams County Farmers Market sales generated from community outreach programs increased by 170%. A strong indication that the Association is reaching families that need these benefits the most.
November 2014: 2014: Our neighbors in the Northern York County School District, PA received a $99,000 Farm 2 School Implementation Grant through the USDA to develop a virtual food hub and hire a procurement coordinator. The procurement coordinator will connect food service directors in seven school districts to local farmers and find out if they can fulfill their food needs. Two of the seven school districts, Upper Adams and Bermudian Springs, are actually right here in Adams County! Carol Richwine, teacher of Horticulture and Agricultural Sciences in the Northern York County School District, spearheaded the effort and hopes that this model can serve as a learning model that may be replicated in other school districts.
December 2014: Recap of Healthy Options with the Community Leaders-all were enthusiastic about their role and the initiative itself. Leader provided feedback to continue to improve the program for next season. An astounding 90.6% of all available Healthy Options vouchers were spent in the 2014 season.
December 2014: The Gleaning Project of South Central PA rescued a total of 176,233 lbs of produce from 34 farms and orchards throughout Adams County. They distributed those edible but unsalable fruits and veggies to 9,703 community members struggling to afford enough nutritious food with the help of 27 community partners and 220 volunteers.