The City of Orlando, in partnership with many Orlando community organizations, won a $250,000 grant from the USDA to administer local food access and education programs in West Orlando over the next three years. This grant will set up three exciting new programs for City of Orlando residents:
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Farmer’s Market at Orlando City Soccer Stadium – This market will focus on local food/farmers; it will incorporate local cottage food businesses, food trucks and other vendors. The market will be on Saturday mornings, exact times TBD.
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Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) with Fleet Farming – Fleet Farming will build 10-15 new micro urban farms, or “farmlettes”, in residents front yards and source a CSA for the neighborhoods. This will provide fresh, healthy and ultra-local food to residents in the neighborhoods of West Orlando.
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Nutrition and cooking classes through Hebni Nutrition – These classes will teach residents in the community how to cook the food that they can buy at the Farmer’s Market, or access via the Fleet Farming CSA. The classes will focus on healthy, affordable and culturally relevant recipes.
What is CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSA’s, provide access to healthy and affordable produce to communities. These programs provide local farmers with a committed group of people they are producing for, allowing farmers to better plan their growing seasons. The community receives weekly boxes of fresh produce and directly contributes to the local economy. In our CSA, Fleet Farming will grow the vegetables for the community right in their front yards. We will be able to provide a set number of weekly CSA boxes to community members in West Orlando throughout the duration of the program.
City of Orlando Partners
Commissioner Regina Hill
Orlando City Soccer
Fleet Farming
Hebni Nutrition
Sustainable Synergy, Seed 2 Source
Leu Gardens
Good Food Central Florida
University of Florida IFAS Orange County Extension
LIFT Orlando
Farmer’s Market Promotion Program
Learn more about the FMPP grant the City of Orlando received by visiting ams.usda.gov/services/grants/fmpp.
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