Food Justice Funding Initiative

The Food Justice Funding Initiative is a multi-year initiative, designed to advance food justice by ensuring access to healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant foods without barriers. Funded projects reflect community-led strategies to address food insecurity and support Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian Pacific Islanders, and people of color (BIPOC) leaders in creating equitable change to local food systems.

The Center for Prevention has awarded $1.2M in funding per year for up to three years to 12 Minnesota nonprofit organizations. The following organizations have been awarded Food Justice Funding:

American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO)
AICHO will increase food sovereignty in the Duluth community by reclaiming community relationships with the land and honoring culturally based food traditions. AICHO will provide opportunities for multigenerational community members to participate in traditional Indigenous food production, activate additional growing spaces, and advance policies that support Indigenous food sovereignty.

Appetite for Change (AFC)
Appetite For Change will use Food Justice Funding to connect hundreds of food-insecure families with weekly deliveries of nourishing meals, free of cost and barriers. The meal box program will help advance racial and health equity by supporting the local community of North Minneapolis and surrounding areas to reclaim health through access to quality produce and balanced meals sourced via local BIPOC farms.

Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization (CMCEO)
CMCEO will work to increase access to traditional foods and engage East African immigrant community members in Saint Cloud, Stearns County and neighboring communities to learn more about healthy food choices and the importance of physical activity. CMCEO will also advocate for and mobilize the community to increase the availability of healthy and culturally appropriate foods and spaces.

Dream of Wild Health
Dream of Wild Health will use funding to expand the work of the Indigenous Food Network (IFN) and increase access to and consumption of healthy Indigenous food. The IFN brings together Native-led organizations to work together to rebuild a sovereign food system for the urban Indigenous community in the Twin Cities.

Foundation For Essential Needs (FFEN)
Funding will help to support FFEN’s goal to advance a culture in hunger relief centered on shopper (food shelf client) priorities. They will create spaces for individuals accessing food shelf services to have more input, influence, and voice in food shelf sourcing and programming decisions to increase food access and fresh food availability, while simultaneously improving the food shelf shopper experience and overall organizational health.

Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA)
Funding will support HAFA’s innovative Farm-to-Family Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which advances health equity, racial equity, and social connections for low-income, food insecure children and families. Culturally appropriate produce grown by their Hmong farmers will be provided to healthcare clinics, which is then distributed for free to food-insecure individuals who seek care there, and to women-owned in-home daycares that care for immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC children.

Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Inc.
Hallie Q. Brown will strengthen efforts to dismantle systemic barriers that prevent BIPOC and/or low-income individuals and families from obtaining food that aligns with their needs. Funding will help expand their current food shelf model to allow individuals to specify exactly what foods they would like to receive as well as get it delivered to them free of charge to remove the burden of traveling to access food, as well as ensure individuals can access healthy food regardless of their income status.

Minnesota Seeds of Justice (MNSOJ)
Minnesota Seeds of Justice will work to increase access to culturally appropriate foods for immigrant communities facing food insecurity in Southwest Minnesota. Funding will support MNSOJ to increase awareness around community food resources and how to access them, such as SNAP/WIC benefits, online grocery shopping, expand culturally specific food options, and host community conversation regarding community needs and opportunities to advance food justice.

Prairie Rose Agricultural Institute for Research, Innovation & Education (PRAIRIE)
PRAIRIE will strengthen their efforts to support immigrant and refugee farmers and increase the consumption of culturally appropriate, fresh, healthy foods in the Fargo-Moorhead area. With Food Justice Funding, PRAIRIE will expand their efforts to increase regional food procurement by local school districts, restaurants, and other wholesale buyers in the Red River Valley in Minnesota. Funding will also expand technical support for refugee and immigrant farmer members of the New Roots Farm Incubator Cooperative by working with partners to develop a set of ‘wraparound services’ to ease the constraint of navigating legal and financial systems, value-added agriculture opportunities, and business planning resources.

Sharing Our Roots (SOR)
SOR will expand the work of their Community Connectors across Rice County to increase equitable access to land and nourishing foods. Funding will support SOR to secure more land for gardeners and families wanting to grow food, as well as continuing to support families with food production at home and in neighborhood gardens.

University of Minnesota Morris
The UMN Morris Food Justice Initiative will advance access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods without barriers for BIPOC and low-income students and rural community members as well as grow the next generation of food sovereignty leaders. UMN Morris will develop an Indigenous food access program and prepare emerging food justice leaders in partnerships with regional Indigenous and community organizations.        

Urban Roots MN
Urban Roots will use Food Justice Funding to empower local youth through nature, access to healthy food, and community. They will strengthen their youth internship and youth development programs to build skills, relationships, confidence, and career readiness while closing equity gaps and addressing food insecurity in the community. Funding will help increase racial and health equity and advance outdoor engagement for communities historically excluded from enjoyment of—and decision-making around—public green spaces, nature, and natural resources.