Promoting Food Justice In West Farms, Crotona Park

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Published on November 12, 2021, 5:31 pm
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Phipps Neighborhoods (PN) is proud to celebrate our final of four Pop-Up Farmers Markets hosted at its affiliated organization’s (Phipps Houses) sites in West Farms and Crotona Park. PN’s fall food justice farmers markets have served more than 1,200 Bronx families with 18,000 pounds of healthy, local BIPOC grown produce and food from local farmers and food producers, through partner FoodStream. This series of free food access events aimed to address food insecurity and the lack of nutritious food available in Bronx Community District 6 (CD6). Family food insecurity was exacerbated by the CoViD-19 pandemic across the South Bronx, and in these communities in particular. 

The farmers markets were organized to make healthy food choices more accessible for community members in the poorest congressional district in America. 24% of families in Bronx Community District 6 were experiencing food insecurity prior to the pandemic. A recent New York City Department of Health study found that 19% of Bronx CD6 residents report consuming fewer than 1 serving of fruits and vegetables per day. Organizers chose to collaborate with Phipps Houses to amplify the reach of the wrap-around services that Phipps Neighborhoods offers to residents and neighbors of Phipps Houses buildings. 

“These farmers markets are very helpful for us to complement our meals,” shared Elsa, a senior leaving at Lambert Houses. “It is very hard to have access to fruits and veggies in this area. Fruits and veggies are needed for basic nutrition, and we don’t have access to it. And if we do, they are more expensive. We are very grateful for this.”

Today’s final Pop-Up Farmers Market was held outside Phipps Houses Crotona Park West and Lynda Simmons Homes at 1581 Fulton Ave. Each person who attended one of the pop-up markets received enough food to feed a family of four for three days. Ultimately, these food access events connected families to over 27,000 meals and 18,000 lbs (9 tons) of fresh produce. Recipe cards were offered in English and Spanish to provide culturally relevant options for cooking the produce provided. 

“Our neighbors have struggled to access healthy options like fresh produce locally within their community long before CoViD,” explained Allison Marino, Director of External Relations at Phipps Neighborhoods. “It is fulfilling to bring partners together and to activate impactful opportunities for families through the Bronx Impact Food Access Collective to challenge the root causes of food insecurity.”   

Phipps Neighborhoods is seeking future partners and financial supporters to continue hosting farmers markets & food access events for community members in the South Bronx. For more information about future collaboration in the Bronx or supporting food justice in Bronx Community District 6, contact Allison Marino at amarino@phippsny.org.

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About Phipps Neighborhoods & Phipps Houses

Phipps Neighborhoods helps children, youth, and families in low-income communities rise above poverty. We work in South Bronx neighborhoods where we can address the greatest barriers to lasting success through workforce and education programs, and access to community and economic empowerment resources.

It is affiliated with Phipps Houses, the nation’s oldest and one of its largest not-for-profit organizations that build and operate affordable housing.

About Bronx Impact – CD6

Bronx Impact – CD6 is a Phipps Neighborhoods initiative that brings together cross-sector stakeholders within Bronx Community District 6 to develop community-driven strategies to address food equity and justice.

We believe that community members are best positioned to identify barriers to collective wellbeing and that they should be included in the proposal and realization of relevant solutions. Our collective impact work convenes community members to envision and achieve shared outcomes. 

About FoodStream Network

FoodStream Network is the first data-driven social network for businesses and nonprofits dedicated to providing access to affordable, healthy meals and produce for thousands of food insecure families in New York. FSN lets entities with food, such as farms and restaurants, connect with local groups that can distribute it, such as food banks, food pantries and community groups. The social network platform has more than 300 restaurants, community groups and farms.

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