ConnectingEnochPrattFreeLibraryWithUrbanAgriculture

SeasonalLibraryFarmersMarketandInformationSession EstablishapartnershipwithBaltimoreurbanfarmsandconnectEnochPrattFreeLibrary customerswithlocalfoodproducers! Program:RepresentativesfromBaltimoreurbanfarmswillvisitalocalEnochPrattFreeLibrary toholdaseasonal(winter,spring,summer,fall)informationsessionandmarketwithlibrary customers.Theprogramwillrunforthreehours.Forthefirsthalfoftheprogram,anurbanfarm representativewilleducateourcustomersabouturbanagricultureeducateourcustomersabout local,seasonal,andsustainablygrownfoodinformourcustomershowtoaccesslocallygrown foodandinformcustomersofopportunitiestogetinvolvedwiththeirlocalfoodsystem.During thesecondhalfoftheprogram,theurbanfarmrepresentativewillsetupaminilibraryfarmers marketandcustomerswillthenhavetheopportunitytopurchaseproduceatthelibrary! PilotProgram:RealFoodFarm(RFF)islocatedattheLakeCliftonHighSchoolCampus,2801 St.LoDriveinBaltimore,MD.TheEnochPrattFreeLibraryCliftonBranchislocatedahalfa mileawayat2001N.WolfeStreet,Baltimore,MD.RealFoodFarmsmissionstatementisto worktowardajustandsustainablefoodsystembyimprovingneighborhoodaccesstohealthy food,providingexperiencebasededucation,anddevelopinganeconomicallyviable, environmentallyresponsiblelocalagriculturesector.Byconnectingwithcustomersofthe CliftonBranch,RFFisfurtheringtheirmissiontoprovideeducationandimproveneighborhood accesstohealthyfood.ThepartnershipfitsintoEnochPrattFreeLibrarysmissionstatementby providingequalaccesstohealthyandlocallygrownfoodthatwillenhancethequalityoflifeofour customers. Need:1in5BaltimoreCityresidentsliveinfooddeserts1 .TheEnochPrattFreeLibrarycurrently partnerswiththeBaltimoreCityHealthDepartmenttoholdBaltimarket2 ,theVirtualSupermarket Program.MyprogrambuildsuponBaltimarketbyconnectingEnochPrattFreeLibrary customerswithhealthyfoodthatisgrownintheirneighborhood.ByinvitingBaltimoreurban farmstoholdaseasonalprogramsatEnochPrattFreeLibrarylocations,wearebuildingties betweenthelibrary,theBaltimoreCitycommunity,andBaltimoreCityurbanagriculture. PotentialCommunityPartners:BaltimoreCityurbanfarms,BaltimoreCityHealthDepartment, BaltimoreCityFoodPolicyAdvisorCouncil
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Anareawherethedistancetoasupermarketismorethanmile,themedianhouseholdincomeisator below185%oftheFederalPovertyLevel,over40%ofhouseholdshavenovehicleavailable,andtheaverage HealthyFoodAvailabilityIndexscoreforsupermarkets,convenienceandcornerstoresislow(measured usingtheNutritionEnvironmentMeasurementSurvey). (http://www.baltimorecity.gov/Government/AgenciesDepartments/Planning/BaltimoreFoodPolicyInitiative/Foo dDeserts.aspx) 2 Baltimarketusesanonlinegroceryordering/deliverysystemtobringfoodwithlowvehicleownershipand littleaccesstohealthyfoods.(http://baltimorehealth.org/virtualsupermarket.html)

Stepsnecessarytosetup: ContactandestablishrelationshipswithBaltimoreCityurbanfarms BuyinfromEPFLbranchmanagersandstaff Secureameetingroomorlocationfortheprograms Advertisetheprogramvialibrarywebsite,EPFLCompassnewsletter,flyers,andsocial media(Facebook,Twitter) Evaluation: Attendance Engagement EPFLprogramsurveythatallowsprogramparticipantstoprovidefeedback Wastheprogrammutuallybeneficial?Example:Didtheprograminspiresomeonefrom thecommunitytovolunteeratanurbanfarm?

EnochPrattFreeLibraryPressRelease
FORIMMEDIATERELEASE December15,2013 CONTACT BrittneyBaltimore

LibraryFarmersMarketandInformationSession BeginningSpring2014,RealFoodFarmwillpartnerwiththeEnochPrattFreeLibraryClifton BranchtoholdaseasonalLibraryFarmersMarketandInformationSession.Arepresentative fromRealFoodFarmwillvisittheCliftonBranchtoprovidecustomerswithinformationaboutthe workofRealFoodFarmandinformourcustomersabouthowtoaccesslocallygrownfood. Duringthesecondhalfoftheprogram,RealFoodFarmwillsetupaLibraryFarmersMarketand customerswillhavetheopportunitytopurchaseproduceatthelibrary.TheEnochPrattFree LibraryandRealFoodFarmenterintoapartnershiptoimproveeducationandaccesstolocally grownfoodthatwillenhancethequalityoflifeofBaltimoreCityresidents. TheCliftonBranchoftheEnochPrattFreeLibraryislocatedat2001NorthWolfeSt.,Baltimore, MD. SocialMedia:ThisprogramwillbeadvertisedviatheEPFLTwitterandFacebookpage.This programisscheduledforSpring2014,exactdatesoftheprogramareTBD.