Photo: Mutual Aid Solidarity/Neighbors in Action (MANA) – Plant A Tree Day event at La Casita Azul’s Community Garden.
Please join us in celebrating the work of our Community Food Sovereignty Fund grant partners!
Last fiscal year, Food Lifeline provided $695,000 in grant funding for 17 organizations doing projects that support long-term food security in Skagit, Whatcom, King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties. In August, we awarded $700,000 to 16 returning grant partners.
This fiscal year’s projects include:
- A farm incubator program for Black farmers,
- Community gardens in tribal communities,
- Compensating residents for volunteering in on-site food pantries,
- Purchasing culturally relevant produce from local farmers and distributing to community members,
- Cooking classes, and more.
See below for a full list of FY24 grant award recipients and projects.
This fall, we’re doing a series of posts focusing on each of these Community Food Sovereignty Fund Partners more in-depth. Check out our social media channels @FoodLifeline to learn more about the amazing work they did last year and what they have planned for the coming months:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoodLifeline
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodlifeline/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoodLifeline
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/food-lifeline/
We are so excited to see the impact our partners have on food justice and food sovereignty in their communities!
Food Lifeline FY24 Community Food Sovereignty Fund
Grant Awards & Partner Project Summaries
Agape Service Project: $48,000 to purchase culturally relevant foods for Summer 2023 Agape Food Bank, supporting farmworkers, their families, and other community members. Learn more: https://archseattle.org/ministries/outreach-ministries/agape/
Bellingham Food Bank: $48,000 for providing culturally relevant foods for Sea Mar Community Health Center’s Food FARMacia in Bellingham and Lummi Tribal Health Center’s Produce Program. Learn more: https://bellinghamfoodbank.org
Black Farmers Collective: $57,000 for Farm Incubator Program staffing, professional development, farm materials, and to purchase culturally relevant foods from farmers to distribute to community via local hunger relief partners. Learn more: https://blackfarmerscollective.com
Catholic Housing Services of Western Washington: $20,000 for food pantries and community gardens in farmworker housing communities in Skagit and Whatcom Counties, compensating youth residents for volunteering at food pantries, and permaculture landscaping at new permanent supportive housing community in Mount Vernon. Learn more: https://ccsww.org/get-help/housing/housing-initiatives/farmworker-housing-initiative/
Empower Next Generations: $25,000 for the “Abuelitos” project that provides cross-multigenerational food education, multicultural community meal sharing, traditional indigenous food preparation, and food-based healing practices to Latinx Indigenous and Afro-descendant multicultural immigrants in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Learn more: https://empowernextgenerations.org
Lummi Indian Business Council: $57,000 for Lummi Community Services Department to purchase Sockeye salmon and Halibut from local buyers for distribution through Lummi Food Bank Program, and to expand distribution of garden boxes, vegetable seeds, plant starters and tools through the Lummi Community Garden Program. Learn more: https://lummi-nsn.gov
Mercy Housing Northwest: $45,000 for stipends for resident food pantry volunteers and culturally appropriate food purchasing at 10 BIPOC-led housing communities in Whatcom, Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties. Learn more: https://mercyhousingnw.org
Mutual Aid Solidarity/Neighbors in Action (MANA): $18,000 in funding for Cooking with MANA classes in Whatcom, and maintaining the community garden at the Kulshan Creek Youth Program (La Casita Azul) in Skagit, and $25,000 in grocery gift cards to distribute to community members, program coordinators, and volunteers in Skagit.
Northwest Agriculture Business Center’s Latinx Business Development Program: $21,000 for the Food Distribution Project to purchase locally sourced, organic produce from Latinx farmers and distribute it to Latinx migrant, farmworking families around the Skagit Valley at no cost to them. Learn more: https://agbizcenter.org
Northwest Indian College: $25,000 for weekly on-campus food pantry distributions for students and community members, and food for student-led projects and activities. Learn more: https://nwic.edu
Plant Based Food Share: $54,000 for food from BIPOC farmers to distribute in weekly boxes, staffing for cooking and gardening classes, Grow Box supplies to support home gardening, and paid food access internship for 18-24 year-olds. Learn more: https://plantbasedfoodshare.org
Sea Mar Community Health Centers: $40,000 to purchase food and refrigerators for food pantries in clinics in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, and King Counties; and cooking supplies to support patient education and cooking demonstrations. Learn more: https://seamarchc.org
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community: $57,000 to support and enhance food sovereignty work through 1) stocking produce carts weekly with fresh produce for community members; 2) boosting the productivity of the Swinomish 13 Moons community garden areas; 3) emergency management planning, and; 4) education on traditional plants and medicines. Learn more: https://swinomish-nsn.gov/resources/health-wellness/community-environmental-health
The Silent Task Force in partnership with Urban Food Systems Pact: $55,000 for Common Unity Strategists, youth and other community members who make home deliveries of food to individuals and families in Skyway, build community, and tell the story of programming. Learn more: https://thesilenttaskforce.org & skywayufsp.org
Tri-Parish Food Bank: $56,000 for purchasing culturally appropriate foods from small, local, Mexican and indigenous growers and larger food suppliers. Learn more: https://stcharles-burlington-wa.org/32
Triumph Teen Life Center: $49,000 for purchasing culturally relevant foods for an on-site pantry for youth and their families and maintaining a community garden for youth to grow food, build skills, and learn about the work their parents do on local farms. Learn more: https://triumphtlc.org
