Call for Proposals! 2020 Michigan Good Food Virtual Summit

Your stories and ideas will make the 2020 Virtual Summit a great event!

‌ The MSU Center for Regional Food Systems is  seeking proposals for a series of webinar sessions. Share your skills, ideas, and stories at the  2020 Michigan Good Food Virtual Summit The 2020 Michigan Good Food Virtual Summit will celebrate achievements, explore new directions, and launch a renewed effort to advance a good food system in Michigan that promotes equity, sustainability, and thriving economies. Detailed submission guidelines and instructions on how to submit your proposal can be found at: https://bit.ly/2020CFPGuidelines Submissions are due Friday, July 31th, 2020 at 5pm EST Selections will be confirmed before the end of August. Questions? For questions on the submission procedure, please contact Diane Drago at ddrago@dmsevents.com. For questions on the content of your proposal, please contact Lindsey Scalera at scaleral@msu.edu. How to Participate in the Summit Stay tuned for more information on registration and sponsorship!  Scholarships will be made available.  For more information please contact ddrago@dmsevents.com www.michiganfood.org/summit You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to one or more CRFS listserv(s).  Please note that if you unsubscribe from this mailing, you will be removed from the listserv(s).

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The 2020 Michigan Good Food Summit is going Virtual! October-November 2020

We've made the decision to take the 2020 MI Good Food Summit online this year.

‌ The 2020 Michigan Good Food Summit is moving online. We are working to schedule an in-person event in fall 2021. This series of virtual gatherings will feature stories, workshops, and panel discussions from communities and organizations across Michigan. Since 2010, people across the state and country have gathered at the Michigan Good Food Summit to network, share, reflect, and learn about good food work happening in Michigan. While we will miss gathering in-person this year, the 2020 Michigan Good Food Summit Webinar Series will still celebrate achievements, explore new directions, and launch a renewed effort to advance a good food system in Michigan that promotes equity, sustainability, and thriving economies.  The 2020 virtual summit will be an engaging event to set the stage for the next 10 years of good food systems in Michigan! How to Participate Stay tuned for more information including registration, request for presenters, and sponsorship!  Scholarships will be made available.  For more information please contact ddrago@dmsevents.com www.michiganfood.org/summit You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to one or more CRFS listserv(s).  Please note that if you unsubscribe from this mailing, you will be removed from the listserv(s).

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Time-sensitive update on 10 Cents a Meal

Greetings friends and colleagues.

For a time-sensitive update on 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids & Farms, the state's grant program that supports schools in purchasing locally grown produce, please click here.

This is particularly important for those of us who would like to see the program continued in these tight budget times and expanded statewide. 

And please also check out the Facebook page of Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities to see some sweet selfie videos of people who support 10 Cents, from food service directors, school health advocates, a superintendent, parents, students, and more. If you want tips on how to do your own selifie video about 10 Cents, just contact haley@groundworkcenter.org or jeff@groundworkcenter.org. If you make a selfie and post it on your own social media page, please tag @groundworkcenter.

Thanks!

Diane

*Please note my email address has changed to diane@groundworkcenter.org. 

__________________________

Diane Conners  |  Senior Policy Specialist

Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities

P   231-499-3937

W  groundworkcenter.org

F   Groundwork Center

T   @grndwk

A  148 E Front St, Suite 301  |  Traverse City, MI 49684 

Service site of FoodCorps.

Member Cultivate Michigan; Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan; and Northwest Michigan Food & Farming Network

Join us at localdifference.org & Farm to School Northwest Michigan

Great Lakes Response - COVID-19 Farmer Resilience Initiative

Greetings,

Please see below for information about emergency relief grants for farmers through Farm Aid in partnership with Great Lakes area organizations. Farmers are encouraged to apply as soon as applications open on June 6^th!

 

 

Family farmers in the Great Lakes region impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can now access much-needed relief. Farm Aid, in partnership with Great Lakes area organizations, is awarding $500 emergency relief grants to help farmers meet household expenses. Families who rely on farming for their income and are experiencing hardship as a result of the pandemic are encouraged to complete an application. Find more information on the application process and guidelines here.

 

Applications are reviewed as they are received and because there is a finite amount of funding available, farmers in need are encouraged to apply as soon as the application opens. Applications will be reviewed by a state committee that includes advocates and other agricultural professionals. 

Approval is based on the applicant qualifying as a family farm and demonstrating economic loss. The online application opens June 6th at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FarmAidCOVIDGreatLakes.

 

 

Be well,

 

Colleen Matts

(she, her, hers)

Farm to Institution Specialist

Coordinator, Michigan Farm to Institution Network

Core Partner, National Farm to School Network

Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems

matts@msu.edu | 517.432.0310

foodsystems.msu.edu | cultivatemichigan.org | mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

Starting summer with flexibility and innovative support

Farm to school and ECE will look different this summer and in the coming school year.

June 2020 Dear Michigan Farm to School subscribers, In previous years, June would be the start of summer vacations. With the switch to remote instruction, the transition from classroom learning to summer break may look a bit different this year. Throughout the summer season, we continue to focus on flexibility, as we expect that farm to early care and K-12 education will continue to evolve in these changing times. MSU Center for Regional Food Systems is still updating our list of resources that may be helpful for early care and K-12 education sites looking for food-related resources during the pandemic. Thank you for your continued work for children and families in Michigan. We will continue to stay in communication and provide whatever support we can. Please email us if you have a need that we may be able to help with. News USDA Approves Michigan For SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot Michigan is one of 13 new states that is participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) online food purchasing pilot. The latest expansion includes new retailers who accept SNAP benefits online. In Michigan, SNAP benefits can currently be used for online purchases from Amazon and Walmart. Learn more. Michigan Companies Awarded Contracts for USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program The Farmers to Families Food Box Program is a partnership between the USDA and national, regional, and local food suppliers to distribute food to families and support farmers and suppliers during the pandemic. A list of suppliers from the Midwest (including Michigan companies) is available. Learn more. Grand Traverse Area Children’s Garden Transitions to Food Production Normally focused on educating youth about gardening from seed-to-plate, the Grand Traverse Area Children’s Garden is pivoting to food production, taking advantage of its garden space to benefit the local community. Read more. Finding Childcare is Difficult for Farm Workers when Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs Close Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, many childcare programs have temporarily closed, including over 90% of Head Start programs. This includes nearly all Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs, which provide nutrition and health services and early education programming to the children of many migrant farmers and farm workers. Read more about the impact of MSHS closures on the essential agriculture workers served by the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project. USDA Extends Flexibilities for Summer Feeding  Three nationwide waivers will be extended, enabling child nutrition programs additional flexibility through August 31, 2020. This includes allowing children to be served meals outside of group settings (non-congregate feeding), meal pick up by parents/guardians, and non-standard serving of meals, including grab-n-go options. Learn more. FoodCorps is National Farm to School Network's 2020 National Partner of the Year Since 2017, the National Farm to School Network has selected a National Partner of the Year to strategically collaborate with other national organizations that share their values and goals. In 2020, NFSN chose FoodCorps as their National Partner, noting an opportunity to strengthen their advocacy and programming to better serve their communities, “especially those most impacted by an unjust food system.” Read more. Events Virtual School Garden Education Series June 3 and June 17 Tune into the last two sessions of this free school garden virtual education series offered by MSU Extension. The June 3 session focuses on planning the fall school garden. On June 17, the topic is using cover crops in school gardens. Learn more and register. Iowa Virtual Farm to School Conference June 19 The Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition is hosting their annual conference virtually this year, with the in-person conference rescheduled for 2021. The conference will feature a discussion around farm to school during the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of presentations. Learn more. Webinar Series from the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust Farming Classes from MSU Student Organic Farm Monthly through August These webinars feature food and land sovereignty change makers working to make land, food, and community wealth accessible for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Learn more and register. Various dates Two learning opportunities are available for those who want to enhance or start their farm business. The Farm Business Plan Accelerator is an online workshop focused on writing a farm business plan that fits your farmsite, markets, skills, and goals. The Organic Farmer Training Program offers a mix of field and classroom activities over the full 2021 farm season at the 15-acre MSU Student Organic Farm in East Lansing. Resources USDA Food and Nutrition Service COVID-19 Resources USDA Food and Nutrition Service is providing updated information and resources related to COVID-19, including an interactive “Meals for Kids” map showing sites where families can find free meals for kids. Access resources. Farm to Early Care and Education: Toward a Shared Language This blog aims to begin a conversation between early care and education providers and food systems practitioners to help us develop a shared language and fuller understanding of the common purpose we are working toward. Read more. At-Home Resources for Farm to School and ECE Home classrooms can access a variety of lessons and activities to learn about nutrition and agriculture while schools and childcare sites are closed. The Edible Schoolyard Project is offering resources that connect growing and preparing food to histories, cultures, identities, and environmental issues. Big Green at Home includes a weekly newsletter as well as lessons, videos, and activities for caretakers and teachers on their website. The Wisconsin Farm to Early Child Care and Education team at Rooted created a collection of activities for home, including a list of children’s books, songs, and a gardening, food, and nutrition curriculum. Opportunities USDA Announces Grants for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Deadline: July 6 USDA has announced the availability of $3 million for competitive grants through its new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. Both planning and implementation project funding is available to support urban and suburban ag programs that improve local food access, education efforts, and meet other community needs. Learn more and apply. School Nutrition Foundation COVID-19 Grant Funding Deadline: Rolling The School Nutrition Foundation is providing grants up to $1,500 per school district to cover costs associated with COVID-19 feeding programs, including equipment and supplies, transportation, staffing, and more. Learn more and apply. Detroit Community Connections Bridging the Gap Response Fund Deadline: Rolling Detroit Early Learning’s Bridging the Gap Rapid Response Fund is providing resources to respond to immediate needs, implement activities, and design bridges to quickly address gaps faced by Detroit families as a result of the pandemic. The grant’s primary focus is groups working with children ages 0-8 and/or their families. There is a smaller amount of funding available for groups working with children and young adults ages 9-18. Groups working with college bound youth are encouraged to apply. Learn more and apply. Emergency Meal Distribution Equipment Grants Deadline: Rolling Action for Healthy Kids is offering grants of $1,000-$2,000 to school districts providing meals during COVID-19 closures. Schools and districts can use the funds to purchase equipment for grab-and-go curbside meal pickups at schools and other community locations, additional hot and cold food storage containers, grab-and-go packaging materials, and mobile distribution to families in outlying or rural communities. Learn more and apply. Emergency Meals-to-You: Mailed Meals for Students  Deadline: Rolling Emergency Meals-to-You provides weekday meals to students who were receiving breakfast and lunch through the National School Lunch Program at a free or reduced price but temporarily cannot receive school meals due to emergency school closures. The program will mail 10 breakfasts and 10 lunches every two weeks directly to the student’s home while schools are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more and apply. COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding Deadline: Rolling GENYOUth is providing grants of up to $3,000 for schools who need resources for meal distribution and delivery efforts during COVID-19. Funds may be used to purchase soft-sided coolers, bags and containers for individual servings, protective gear for food service sanitation and safety, or other equipment to help ensure children continue to receive the nutritious meals they need. Learn more and apply. About Michigan Farm to School Farm to School centers around efforts to serve local foods in school and early care and education settings. We share ideas, tools and resources to support a range of efforts, from school garden programming to farmer visits and field trips. Visit mifarmtoschool.msu.edu >> FOODSYSTEMS.MSU.EDU ‌ ‌ ‌ You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the MIFARMTOSCHOOL listserv. Please note that if you unsubscribe from this mailing, you will be removed from the listserv as well.

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