2016-656-E Finance - OC Partnership for Young Children - Outside Agency Performance Agreement

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DocuSign Envelope ID: DD554565-B9BA-4128-863D-805D6BC56619 t A - continued Provider's Outside Agency Application MAIN APPLICATION 10% of the total refugee population from Burma lives in this area. The TTC Farm focuses on serving low-income families in the refugee and immigrant community. Services proposed include the continued access to land to grow healthy traditional foods, weekly translated workshops focused on agricultural topics and small farm business development and youth programming focused on nutrition, active living and leadership development. In addition services include "Share a Share" program in collaboration with PORCH, which provides traditional vegetables for 114 refugee families in need on a monthly basis while providing economic support for TTCF farmers, c) Describe the local need or problem to be addressed in relation to the Consolidated Plan or other community priorities (i.e. Council/Board Goals). Cite local data to support the need for this program and the population being served. Funding priorities of the Board in 2016-2017 include safety-net services for disadvantaged residents; education, mentorship, and afterschool programming for youth facing a variety of challenges and programs aimed at improving health and nutrition of needy residents. OCPYC is requesting funding specifically aimed at improving the health and nutrition of refugee residents in need. OCPYC has provided and expanded these services since the farm's inception in 2011. Studies of other refugee and immigrant communities in the U.S, have shown high rates of obesity in resettled refugee children which may be based on stress, food insecurity, caregivers' unfamiliarity with local food culture, poverty and lack of access to familiar food items. The earlier families can be reached, and these barriers addressed, the more successful and healthier families will be. Childhood obesity and weight continue to be prevalent issues in Orange County, statewide and nationally. According to the 2012 North Carolina Nutrition and Physical Activity Surveillance System (NC-NPASS), Orange County had an overweight/obesity rate of 30.1% for children 2-4 years of age. This puts the county 61st overall in overweight percentage and 47th in obesity out of 100 counties. Research shows that weight gain begins within ten years of immigration. (Obesity Among US Immigrant Subgroups Duration of Residence, Goal, McCarthy, Phillips, Wee, JAMA, 12/15/04-V01 292, No. 23) Transplanting Traditions Community (TTC) Farm strives to address the needs of the entire family through providing a space to grow healthy, culturally appropriate foods and provide educational workshops on nutrition and healthy eating. Access to culturally appropriate fresh food directly impacts the daily diets and health of those involved with the project. Based on data collected in 2013, 95% of refugee farmers with TTC Farm reported their families were able to eat "a lot" more fresh fruits and vegetables as a result of farming with TTC Farm. This is also specifically due to families able to grow culturally appropriate and familiar vegetables that are otherwise hard to find in NC. According the U.S. Census, North Carolina has significantly higher food insecurity rates (17.1%) than the national average (14,7%). Over a quarter of minorities, which include refugees and immigrants, are classified as food insecure by the USDA making the work of the TTC Farm crucial. Refugee farmers with TTC Farm are able to both increase supplemental income through selling produce as well as increase fresh fruits and vegetable intake by growing food for their families to consume. In order to make the fruits and vegetables grown on the farm more accessible to the greater refugee and immigrant community farmers market produce within in their own community, sales of traditional produce in 2015 reached $10,000. In addition TTCF formed the Share a Share program in collaboration with hunger relief agency PORCH in order to get more fresh traditional produce to refugee families in need. The program donated 1,200 pounds of traditional produce to PORCH and supported 114 refugee families. d) Describe the population to be served or the area to benefit and indicate how you will identify beneficiaries. Main Application 1/25/2016 10:25:47 AM H