4. Local Farms and Community Gardens

Community Food Work in Lewiston-Auburn Working together to ensure healthy food access to support a vibrant community...

Food Access Points

Fruit and Veggie Prescription Program: eligible participants receive a “prescription” from their healthcare provider to be used at the Lewiston Farmers’ Markets. Participants receive $1 per family member per day (e.g. $28 per week for a family of 4) to be spent only on fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market.

Double Dollar Program: EBT/WIC users are matched dollar for dollar, up to $10, at each of the Lewiston Farmers’ Markets. Dollars may be used for healthy food items such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products as well as local meat and seafood.

Education

• St. Mary’s Nutrition Center cooking and nutrition classes

• Cooking Matters: a national program that offers cooking and nutrition education to at risk populations. Participants receive a bag of groceries and a recipe to take home after each of the weekly classes.

• A FoodCorps member is currently working to establish a school garden at Longley Elementary School.

• UMaine Cooperative Extension: a resource for local residents to gain access to research, resources, and expertise from the University on topics such as nutrition and food, sustainable agriculture, youth development, and business management.

• Somali Nutrition Education Initiative

• Healthy Androscoggin: works to promote healthy lifestyle choices for children, youth and families. One initiative is Let’s Go! - a physical activity and healthy eating program whose message is “5-2-1-0 Every Day” (5 fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of recreational screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity and 0 sugary drinks)

• No Junk Food Policy at Schools

Winter St. Mary’s Nutrition Center Every 3rd Thursday of the month (5:00 pm - 7:30 pm)

Summer Kennedy Park Tuesday (2:00 pm - 4:00 pm)

Bates Mill Sunday (10:00 am - 1 pm)

Mainers Feeding Mainers: a program of Good Shepherd Food Bank that aims to get fresh and nutritionally balanced Maine-harvested food to needy Maine families. Since 2010, the program has partnered with over 20 Maine farms in order to purchase and distribute over 1.3 million pounds of fresh, Maine-grown food to families in need.

• 44 small farms in Androscoggin County• 9 farms in Lewiston-Auburn area offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) • 8 farms in the Lewiston-Auburn area provide food to local EFPs

Lots to Gardens: community garden program for youth started in 1999. 12 community gardens in the Lewiston area serve approximately 80 community members.

New American Sustainable Agriculture Project (NASAP): a program of Portland’s Cultivating Community that aims to, “assist immigrant and refugee farmers to build successful farm businesses that are consistent with their culture, lifestyle aspirations, and individual goals,” by providing training in growingtechniques,marketingstrategiesand22acresoflandatLisbon’sPackard-LittlefieldFarm.

Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG): run a small business development center that helps small producers with marketing, budgeting and funding. Involved in the establishment of Maine Organic Milling (MOM) - a cooperative grain processing facility in Auburn.

1. Farmers’ Markets

2. Community Food Stores

St. Mary’s Food Pantry

The Grace Project Seniors Plus Meals on Wheels

Calvary UMC/City Mission Project New Beginnings Outreach

Common Ties Mental Health Hope Haven

Salvation Army Trinity Jubilee Center

The Root Cellar

community markets

3. Emergency Food Providers (EFPs)

64 total stores with 3 supermarkets and 4 neighborhood markets