Running head: Community Action Project, Community Action Project: No More Empty Pots ‘Marcus Benesch, Carly Cameron, Brady Fehr, Tera Maher, Chaz Maschman, Shannon McKinley, Emily Nastase, Grant Swenson University of Nebraska at OmahaCommunity Action Project 2 Community Action Proje : No More Empty Pots Florence, a historic neighborhood in north Omaha, is home to a Catholic grade school and church, many local businesses, and a tight-kn ‘community, It has been confirmed as a lovely place to “settle down” and raise children because it offers a small-town feel in a large city. You can never run out of things to do in Florence, between the countless comfort-food restaurants, historic museums, and hangout spots such as Kelley’s North Bowl, There is only one thing missing in this seemingly perfect part of town, and it is a big one: a grocery store. Statistically, around seventeen percent of our neighbors in the Omaha and Council Bluffs area have difficulty accessing affordable healthy food options, and most of these individuals qualify as “low-income.” People living in areas like this, formally named “food deserts,” are forced to live off pre-packaged foods and gas station hot dogs. This lack of access to affordable fresh produce has been proven to lead to an increase in obesity and diabetes. Many organizations, such as No More Empty Pots, have been working to combat this issue in unique, innovative ways. Nonprofit Background ‘No More Empty Pots is a “grassroots nonprofit corporation that connects individuals and groups to improve self-sufficiency, regional food security, and economic resilience of urban and rural communiti through advocacy and action” (No More Empty Pots, 2018). Their core values are education, stewardship, and sustainability, which drive their hope to support communities in becoming self-sufficient and food secure. No More Empty Pots was founded in 2014 in order to create a resource for people living in a “food desert,” which is an area without an accessible grocery store. While this organization is targeted toward disinvested members of the community,Community Action Project 3 there are no financial need requirements to be a participant. Co-founder and CEO Nancy Williams summarizes their outreach by saying, “We don’t say no to people who are struggling.” In short, No More Empty Pots meets people where they are and does whatever they can to set them up with the resources that they need in order to get to a sustainable, permanent solution. Their 15-week Culinary Workforce Training Program teaches students basic nutrition, sanitation, and cooking techniques as well as career-development skills, such as resume building and interview etiquette. This free program prepares individuals to enter the workforce and begin providing for themselves and their families. Their Community Market Basket program makes fresh, local produce accessible to everyone. Participants of this program register online or in-person, choose a payment plan that works for them and retrieve their order on the delivery day each week. No More Empty Pots also partners with Nebraska Food Cooperative and Lone Tree Foods to promote a healthy and self-sufficient lifestyle within the community. The organization continues to work towards creating more programs like these to support the fight against poverty. Currently, No More Empty Pots is in the process of constructing their Food Hub next door to their main office in North Omaha. The Food Hub is a building that will house the entire process of food production and consumption, as well as most of the programs this organization offers. The lower level, which is already finished, has commercial kitchens that can be rented by the hour by food-related businesses that need an inexpensive place to start or expand their business. There will be a cafe just for kids, as well as a community cafe where people pay what, they can, The upper levels will be home to a collaborative learning space, including a kitchen for educational purposes. To top it all off, the roof will have a garden, kitchen and grill, and lounge area. To summarize, the Food Hub holds many interdependent spaces and activities focused on