| | |  | | | 8th Annual Food, Faith & Farms Conference: Register Now! Join us for the 8th Annual Faith, Food and Farm Conference-- back and better than before! This year’s conference will be held on August 25th in San Rafael, CA and the registration link is now LIVE! Learn, network and be inspired by faith communities building a more just and sustainable food system through partnerships with Interfaith Food. The conference will highlight successful faith-based programming addressing: food waste, advocacy for sustainable food policies, gardens and farms on faith community-owned lands, and using congregational kitchens to grow the local food movement. In addition, some speakers will explore the intersection of racial justice and the food system with a religious lens. Want to feature your project at the conference or co-sponsor? Contact steve@interfaithfood.org |
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| New this year: For the first time we will have a workshop addressing opportunities for partnerships with small-scale livestock producers; Muslim and Jewish faith-communities seeking local and organic livestock products as part of their faith kosher, or halal and tayyib practices. Also, we will strengthen the focus on accessing faith-community owned lands to grow food through a pre-conference tour of farms and gardens on faith-based sites in the Bay Area. (Limited number of reservations available on a first come, first served basis.) |
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| Early-bird registration runs now through August 1, 2021 at a discounted price of $45. Click to register here! Registration includes a delicious meal with ingredients from local farms. Scholarships are available to anyone who would benefit. The conference is made possible with support from USDA’s AFRI program and a Specialty Crop Block Grant. We look forward to seeing you! We will continue to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19 and plan to follow State and county guidelines. |
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| | Advocate for Seniors Food Access in State Budget! Our advocacy work for Senior Nutrition funding has begun to pay off! In mid-May Governor Newsom proposed to increase funding for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to serve some 25,000 addition low-income seniors. This is a 60% increase. This is the first time in history the State has considered adding to the federal program for this important program. Interfaith Food has been leading a coalition to get it done since early 2020, we have strong momentum right now. On Monday night the California Legislature passed a budget bill that includes over $700 million for an “agricultural package”, however it doesn’t specify how much, if any, new money will go to senior nutrition. This will be negotiated over the coming days and weeks and then included in follow-up ‘budget trailer bills’. We need your help this week! At least two of the three key budget proposals Interfaith Food has been fighting for are expected to be funded within this package. We were honored to have Church Impact, the Religious Action Center of the Union of Reform Judaism, AARP, and many other groups join our effort to get new state funding of $10.4 million for three senior nutrition programs. Now we need your grassroots calls to key Legislators on the budget committees to ensure these programs get support. If we succeed, over 100,000 more low-income seniors in California will benefitting from the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program In addition, our proposal will fund a new pilot to support farm to senior procurement for seniors in care facilities.
Please contact your Legislator this week, and ask them to final push for funding senior nutrition programs that support local farmers. It is especially important to reach Senators Skinner, McGuire and Stern; and Assemblyman Bloom. Click here. |
| | | | Hiring Announcement! Interfaith Food is hiring for two professional positions based in Sonoma County: Outreach and Policy Associate; and a Communications and Reporting Associate. Interested individuals should contact Steve@interfaithfood.org for full position descriptions. In addition, we are recruiting two Americorps*VISTA positions to start in late Fall 2021. |
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| Congregational Highlight Windsor Presbyterian Church- Windsor, CA Starting in 2013, Windsor Presbyterian Church has offered a food pantry in order to meet the hunger needs of their neighbors. Like many of our community partners, Windsor Presbyterian has seen an increased food insecurity need due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Though they closed their doors in terms of in-person worship services, their food distribution efforts have been stronger than ever. Interfaith Food first partnered with Windsor Presbyterian beginning in April 2021, through our “Sea to Sonoma'' fish program which connects local fishermen with 10 faith-based food pantries in Sonoma County. To date, we have donated over $39,000 of fish, equivalent to 8,490 pounds or over 336,600 meals to communities throughout Sonoma County. Windsor Presbyterian did offer other proteins prior to partnering with Interfaith Food, but the fresh fish “has been a wonderful addition to our pantry offerings,” says Tanya Gjerman, coordinator of the pantry. Windsor Presbyterian Church, also customizes the food boxes to the health needs of each client receiving one. The food pantry volunteers, made up of almost 50% of the church’s members, are who create these special boxes. These can include combinations for low-sodium, gluten and dairy free dietary needs amongst others. The Windsor Presbyterian Food Pantry is open Tuesdays between 8AM and 10AM and has served approximately 375 families through partnering with Interfaith Food. We look forward to continuing to work with Windsor Presbyterian and support them through their food distribution efforts! |
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| Help Low-income Families Access USDA P-EBT $’s for Food Purchases Pandemic Electronic Benefits (P-EBT) 2.0 has been approved for both school-aged children and preschool children currently receiving CalFresh in their household for the 2020-2021 school year. Benefits will be given to families with students who are eligible for free or reduced priced breakfast and lunch, who were not able to receive school meals due to school closures. Total benefit amounts will be determined based on the child’s eligibility and their school’s operational status, starting on October 1, 2020. Please note that school aged children’s eligibility is not determined by immigration status and will not affect public charge. P-EBT benefit amounts will vary, but some families will receive up to $1,500 worth of benefits for their children. As a reminder, any form of federal food aid including CalFresh, P-EBT, and D-CalFresh, will double in value if spent at farmers markets or other site participating in Market Match. Please encourage families in your congregation and neighborhood to do the following: - Ensure that your child is qualified for free or reduced price lunch
- Ensure address information is up to date with your child’s school
Interfaith Food plans to circulate specific promotional materials to congregations; including a sample newsletter/bulletin article and bilingual flyers once we receive updated materials from the California Department of Social Services within the next few weeks. |
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| CSAs Interfaith Food’s team surveyed hundreds of farms serving the Bay Area to update our list of local fruit and vegetable growers looking to partner with congregations. This will build on the Congregation Supported Agriculture model where congregants and neighbors subscribe for a weekly box of produce which is delivered from the farm to the church, synagogue, mosque etc. We’ve supported many variations of this successful model. If your congregation is interested in being a CSA site contact our team today! |
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June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month! Encourage your network to go to a farmers market, support local farmers, and consume all of the wonderful produce this land has to offer. To find a farmers market near you, please visit www.FMFinder.org. |
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| | Mark Your Calendar! Save the Date: Food, Faith and Farms Conference 8/25/2021 National FaithLands Gathering 8/25-8/27/2021 |
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| | | Contact Us info@interfaithfood.org | 707-634-4672 |
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