A major economic advantage for a farm to enter into a purchasing contract with a hunger relief organization (HRO)--food bank or meals program--is that a HRO provides a more flexible market than traditional wholesalers (e.g. hospitals, schools, grocers)....
Working with InterpretersThe different programs at the IRC all work with interpreters to varying degrees. There are certain guidelines to keep in mind when working with interpreters to ensure that the conversation between staff and clients goes as smoothly as possible and not too much...
Coordinating Weekly Deliveries of Fresh Produce for Seniors in NeedThe global pandemic of COVID-19 disproportionately affected marginalized populations such as the elderly and refugees. In collaboration with Food Innovation Network (FIN), the IRC Year 2 VISTA coordinated the delivery of 50 bags of fresh produce...
Organizing an Aggregate Table During a Global PandemicDuring its second year of existence, the Tukwila Village Farmers Market expanded to include the New Roots Aggregate Farm Stand. New Roots helps run the farmers market with the Food Innovation Network (FIN) beginning in the Spring and...
Recipes, Nutrition, and Food Culture Do you ever think about how to build a healthy food culture with your food bank customers? One way for customers to share and create culture is through exchanging recipes with each other that utilize ingredients sourced from the food bank. Recipes...
The Community Visioning Process is a grassroots approach to planning with community input. Community input is valuable because it provides insight that organizations may not be aware of, builds relationships, and invites collaborative approaches to solving regional issues. After the initial data collection phase of...
Mapping is a great way to communicate data, especially at the regional level. It makes a diagram out of data that correlates spatially, making information easier to grasp. In the initial stages of the Palouse Tables Project, mapping was used to communicate statistics about the...
Providing vegetable starts to clients at your organization is a great tool to reduce food insecurity and empower community members with free fresh produce. Not everyone has the space, time, or skills to have a garden, so use vegetable varieties that grow well in pots...
At IRC Seattle, a food system orientation is a service provided for newly arrived refugees, asylees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, and other immigrants. The purpose of the orientation is to help IRC clients navigate the industrial food system in the United States.....
The International Rescue Committee resettles and integrates refugees, asylees, and other immigrants from all over the world. Many of these new Americans bring a wealth of knowledge about agriculture and farming, and it is important to allow space for this knowledge in garden education programming....