EPR is under contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, for 2018-2020 to deliver its Local Foods, Local Places Program. The program supports locally led, community-driven efforts to protect air and water quality, preserve open space and farmland, boost economic opportunities for local farmers and businesses, improve access to healthy local food, and promote childhood wellness. It has served over 108 communities in the past six years.
EPR is the prime consultant leading a team, that together with EPA and other federal agency partners, visits communities who applied and were awarded this targeted community planning assistance. The process takes a few months, and culminates in a two-day workshop which is designed to develop a quick-hit, action plan for moving the community forward on its goals around food, health, place and local economies. In 2020, the EPR team is providing services to the following communities, most of which have adopted a virtual workshop format that has proved to be dynamic and successful in adding value and building a community action plan around food and place-making goals:
- Cottage Grove, OR, City of Cottage Grove
- Evansville, IN, City of Evansville
- Fayette AL, Fayette County Extension Office
- Harrisburg, PA, Redevelopment Authority of the City of Harrisburg
- Johnstown, PA, Cambria, Johnstown Vision 2025 (via fiscal agent the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies)
- Kansas City, MO, Mattie Rhodes Center
- North Lake Charles, LA, SWLA Center for Health Services
- Pelican Rapids, MN, West Central Initiative
- Poughkeepsie, NY, Hudson River Housing, Inc.
- Redding, CA, Healthy Shasta
- Salisbury, NC, City of Salisbury
- Springfield, IL, City of Springfield
- Vicksburg, MS, Shape Up Mississippi
- Woonsocket, RI, NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley
EPR staff, namely Jason Espie, Megan McConville, Jessica Dimmick, Todd Gordon, Will Cockrell, Danny Yoder and Phil White, have been involved with leading and supporting the Local Foods, Local Places workshop event. The process and toolkit has become a model of successful, quick-hit, high-yield, cost-effective, planning assistance that is gaining in recognition nation-wide. The Local Foods, Local Places process has influenced, or been replicated, in other EPA technical assistance programs including Healthy Places for Healthy People; Cool & Connected; and Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities.
More information about EPA’s Local Foods, Local Places program can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places
Caption for attached. Workshops during 2020 have taken the shape of a seven-session video conference series (11 hours), which have been carefully designed for interactivity, exercises, as well as breaks and reflection. These have resulted in highly dynamic events that are held over a 2-4 day period. The group photo above is from a recent workshop held for Johnstown, PA
Quotes “Thanks so much for facilitating the LFLP workshops for Johnstown last week! There were some great ideas that came out of really productive conversations throughout the sessions.“ – Johnstown, PA point of contact with 1889 Jefferson Center for Population and Health
“Loads of fantastic comments coming in about the workshops; productive, fun, robust, professional expert facilitators, just the right amount of time, needed more time in the breakouts, amazing, informative, great meeting, great work, we have a healthy future ahead, loved the breakout rooms, exciting to witness how the community is so committed and engaged, And, more comments still coming in!” – Vicksburg, MS point of contact, Shape up Sisters.