Nourishing the North Shore

Briefly describe the project for which you seek funding::

Nourishing the North Shore’s (NNS) Pitch In project was inspired by working directly with local farmers and community based food justice organizations through the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The youth-led project is designed to be a link that matches the needs and excess resources of the farmers to those of our community. In 2017 NNS grew, recovered, and gleaned over 10,000lbs of produce from local farmers, some of which would have otherwise been left in the field or composted. All of the produce was distributed through our VEGOUT Mobile Market or direct delivery to senior communities. The Pitch In project, launching in the 2018 growing season is intended to engage high school students with first-job experience while being a platform to stimulate discussion and passion for local agriculture. The program supplies farmers that actively donate to NNS programs with reliable, consistent, seasonal, and supervised part-time workers. The youth-led Pitch In Team will be made up of three paid high school students and one crew leader who is a paid college student in the sustainable agriculture major. For 6 consecutive weeks from early July through the end of August the Pitch In team will meet Monday-Wednesday and work at one of our five local partner farms. Crew members will get experience weeding, planting, mulching, gleaning and following instruction. With oversight from the crew leader and two other NNS employees (ages 23 and 24), the high school crew members will learn hands on experience of where their food comes from, the energy it takes to grow, and become familiar with the different types of small organic growers in their community. For a small farm, in the height of summer, a crew of 4-5 people once a week can make a substantial difference - it can mean saving a crop of carrots that would have been taken over by weeds or bulk harvesting potatoes that would otherwise take a week’s time.

Describe how your project aligns with our mission and guiding values:

The Grassroots mission to inspire, connect, and support community-based environmental projects aligns directly with NNS’ 2018 Pitch In project. From the devastating environmental impacts that industrial farming has on our precious ecosystem to the increasing threats of stronger weather related incidents impacting farms, we believe in the words of farmer JM Fortier that we must, “replace mass food production with food production by the masses”. The Pitch In project introduces and inspires youth to get involved in local agriculture by creating first job experiences on local farms, connects areas of food excess to members in the community that are food insecure, and supports local farmers by supplying workers for trade of high quality excess produce.

Describe how young leaders (25 and under) participate in this project::

The U.S. census data shows that the average age of famers in the United States is 58.3 years old. In the next 15 years, 50 percent of our nations agriculture equity is going to change hands. With agriculture having such a significant impact on the environment, it is imperative that young farmers are being trained and encouraged to steward our food system and the land it grows on. The Pitch In program was created and will be run by NNS’s two staff who are both under 25 years of age. We are excited to demonstrate age and gender diversity in the our local food system through our staff, local farmers, and our food justice accessibility programing.

Please share anything else you think would help us understand this project::

We envision our Pitch In program to grow into a valuable resource for local farmers as well as a sought after opportunity for high school students and college agriculture students seeking summer internships. The program is just as much about being a resource enhancing to our local food system as it is an education tool for our youth and future farmers. An important feature of our program is that we intend to pay the high school crew and college intern - we believe that this levels the playing field for applicants as many youth do not have the financial stability at home to participate in unpaid internships.

Nourishing the North Shore

13 Market Street
YWCA Attn: NNS
Newburyport, MA 01950

978-430-2935

Primary Issue:

  • Food
  • Living Economies
  • Environmental Health

Started working in:

2015

Purpose:

Nourishing the North Shore (NNS) was established in the spring of 2015, with the purpose of transforming our community through the healing powers of healthy food, community connections and commitment to supporting the local food system. Our mission statement is: “to ensure equal access to healthy, local food to all members of the North Shore in a manner that builds community, fosters connection, and promotes dignity and self-reliance.” In furtherance of this mission, our approach to healthy food security acknowledges the need for both systemic change and immediate impacts. NNS programming addresses the current need for increased access to healthy local food, while working towards more lasting change through programs and activities that build community; provide education in agriculture, cooking, and nutrition; and generate greater support for local farmers.

Community Size:

17,000

Does the group formally ask how core volunteers and decision makers self-identify across race/ethnicity, age, socio-economic level, education, etc?:

Yes

How many decision makers identify with the following socioeconomic status?:

If you have a website, what is the web address?:

http://www.nourishingthenorthshore.org/

Group Links:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/NourishingNS/