Second Year of Grants to Nonprofit Organizations Promoting and Democratizing Access to Climate-Friendly Foods
Bethesda, MD – July 30, 2021: Social entrepreneurs Seth Goldman and Julie Farkas announced today the selection of 36 national and community-based changemaking organizations as grant recipients for the 2021 cycle of the Eat the Change Impactᵀᴹ grant program.
“Community leadership and engagement are vital to creating change. These organizations stood out for their authenticity and ability to inspire others through making planet-friendly, healthy food accessible to everyone regardless of race, geography and income,” said Julie Farkas.
Eat the Change Impact, the philanthropic partner of the planet-based snack company, Eat the Changeᵀᴹ, launched the program in March 2020 and will award $1.25 million over three years to national and community-based nonprofits working to promote and expand access to climate-friendly foods. This year, Eat the Change expanded the size of its grant program from $335,000 in 2020 to $525,000 in 2021. The funding available this year also increased thanks to the support of Flora Plant Butter, which is investing $25,000 in three grantees.
“These grants come at a time when people are reconsidering their dietary choices in a way they haven’t before. Our Changemakers are working in their communities to help make planet-based diets easy, affordable, and delicious,” added Seth Goldman.
Jaren Hill Lockridge, Director for The Well at Oxon Run Park – a new urban farm and community wellness space being built by grant recipient, DC Greens – revealed how The Well will make climate-friendly eating more accessible in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8: "The Well at Oxon Run is designed to be a transformational space for individual and community wellness in Southeast D.C. This project is rooted in environmental wellness, using an agricultural lens to focus on climate change solution-making. Anchored by a farm, The Well will change the climate in my community from consumers to producers; from being unheard in the environmental discourse to active environmental stewards, because we know our individual health, our community health, and the health of our planet all rely on one another."
Stephen Ritz, Founder of Green Bronx Machine – a grant recipient educating youth on climate-friendly eating through classroom curriculum and hands-on learning gardens – explained how he inspires our youth to eat more planet-friendly foods: “We believe the greatest lever this nation possesses to create equity, end health disparities, and transform the world is public education. We envision a world in which all students have access to delicious and nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables and understand the relationship between their food, their health, their environment, and the planet.”
This year, the program received approximately 100 applications from 31 states across the nation. Final selections were made based on each proposal’s alignment with the following four core values: Eating with Intention, Fact-Based Science, Democratizing Access, and Innovation.
National and Community-Based Grantees:
- A Table in the Wilderness; Oklahoma City, OK – Educating individuals and families on the physical, spiritual, and environmental benefits of a plant-based lifestyle ($10,000)
- AfriThrive; Maryland – Advancing food justice and empowering African immigrant communities to control how they grow, distribute, access, and eat culturally appropriate and healthy foods ($15,000)
- Animal Protection of New Mexico; New Mexico – Advocating for animals by effecting systematic change and strengthening communities; grant will support the Plant-Based Eating program, providing food assistance to communities in rural New Mexico experiencing food insecurity ($15,000)
- Black Vegetarian Society of Maryland; Baltimore, MD – Educating the public, particularly African American and Latinx communities, on the benefits of a plant-based diet ($25,000)
- Center for World Indigenous Studies; National – Advancing racial equity through the documentation of indigenous records and research; grant supports an online educational series about Capomo, a famine food, told through the experience of indigenous community members fighting to offset climate change ($15,000)
- Charles Koiner Conservancy for Urban Farming; Silver Springs, MD – Protecting and managing urban farms that inspire the next generation of sustainable food innovators ($15,000)
- Climate Collaborative; National – Inspiring and supporting action on climate change within the natural products industry; funds will support collaborative industry initiatives to reduce food waste ($10,000)
- Common Good City Farm; Washington, DC – Providing nutritious food and engaging residents to create a vibrant, informed, and well-nourished community through urban farming ($10,000)
- Crossroads Community Food Network; Takoma Park, MD – Providing culturally appropriate education to expand food system knowledge and fresh produce consumption ($10,000)
- DC Greens; Washington, DC – Advancing food justice and health equity through food education, access, and policy; grant will support building The Well, a new agricultural and community wellness center in Ward 8’s Oxon Run Park ($25,000)
- Life & Health Network on behalf of Diabetes Undone; National – Using lifestyle medicine to help reverse the effect of Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes through a plant-based, whole foods diet and fitness regimen education ($15,000)
- Eat REAL; California – Supporting school nutrition though cafeteria menu changes and healthy, sustainable food systems education in K-12 schools with the Eat REAL Certification program ($15,000)
- Educated Choices Program; National – Educating and empowering students and communities with the knowledge to make informed and responsible food choices ($10,000)
- Encompass; National – Creating a more equitable and effective animal protection movement by advancing racial equity ($10,000)
- IDEAS For Us on behalf of Fleet Farming; Orlando, FL – Supporting urban agriculture and local food systems by empowering youth to turn lawns into farms by bicycle ($15,000)
- Earth Island Institute on behalf of Food Shift; Alameda, CA – Developing practical, sustainable solutions to reduce food waste and provide plant-forward foods for individuals facing food insecurity ($15,000)
- Green Bronx Machine; Bronx, NY – Building healthy, equitable, and resilient communities through youth education, local food systems, and workforce development ($25,000)
- Grow Dat Youth Farm; New Orleans, LA – Nurturing a diverse group of young leaders through the meaningful work of growing healthy food ($15,000)
- Harlem Grown; Harlem, NY – Inspiring youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition ($15,000)
- Hawaii Institute of Pacific Agriculture; Kapaau, HI – Educating students to expand nutritional awareness and increase youth interest in regenerative agriculture ($15,000)
- Hazon; National – Fostering leadership in the Jewish Community for climate action; funds will support the Jewish Youth Climate Movement, a program giving teens a voice on climate and social justice issues ($15,000)
- Keep Growing Detroit; Detroit, MI – Educating urban gardeners about climate-smart growing, eating, and cooking practices ($10,000)
- Community Partners on behalf of Los Angeles Food Policy Council; Los Angeles, CA – Hosting culturally-relevant, plant-based cooking demonstrations with local chefs of color ($25,000)
- Malama Kaua`i; Kauai, HI – Increasing local food production and access to climate-friendly food across Kauai, the most remote island in Hawaii ($10,000)
- Partnership for a Healthier America; National – Transforming the food landscape in pursuit of health equity; funds will support the COVID-19 Fresh Food program ($10,000)
- PlantPure Communities; National – Inspiring communities to eat more planet-friendly foods through community building and nutrition education ($10,000)
- Plantrician Project; National – Empowering health care providers with plant-based nutrition education, tools, and resources ($10,000)
- Community Partners on behalf of RootDown LA; South Los Angeles, CA – Empowering youth to succeed and be leaders in addressing food insecurity through healthy food ventures ($15,000)
- Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs on behalf of Sowing Seeds of Change; West Long Beach, CA – Creating a healthier, more equitable food system through organic, urban agriculture education and training ($10,000)
- SUPRSEED; South Central Los Angeles, CA – Developing a subsidized organic grocery and community space to expand the availability of fresh vegan foods ($25,000)
- Upcycled Food Foundation; National – Preventing food waste by growing the upcycled food economy ($15,000)
- Urban Roots MN; St. Paul, MN – Cultivating youth leadership and development through nature, healthy food, and community ($15,000)
- The Pollination Project on behalf of Vegan Hacktivists; National – Promoting plant-based eating and advocating for animals by providing technological support to organizations with similar goals ($10,000)
- A Well-Fed World on behalf of Vegan Ingenuity; National – Empowering 10 Million Black Women to go vegan to live longer, healthier lives ($15,000)
- Wholesome Wave; National – Fighting nutrition insecurity across the US by developing and deploying programs, platforms, and seed funding to help a network of community-based organizations address the lack of affordability and access to healthy food. ($15,000)
- World Resources Institute; National - Operating a global platform through which large institutions commit to a science-based pledge to reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions ($15,000)
For more information about Eat the ChangeTM Impact, please visit www.eatthechange.org For press inquiries, please contact MBO MEDIA: Mary Beth Olson | mb@mymbomedia.com