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D3. Does your <br />project help to <br />address any racial <br />disparities in the <br />location it is <br />proposed for? (200 <br />word limit) <br />All households in the Triangle have the option of contracting with <br />CompostNow for food waste pickup. However, the monthly $39 charge <br />makes the service out of reach for many, especially those with the lowest <br />incomes. Food waste drop off programs are currently available at only <br />three Orange County sites and three area farmer's markets. The location <br />and hours of operation at these sites often makes them inaccessible to <br />those with busy or atypical schedules. By providing grant-funded <br />neighborhood composting, the option to keep food waste out of landfills <br />becomes readily accessible to many more households as the cost per <br />household is about one-tenth that of personal contracts with CompostNow. <br />Free drop off sites within several blocks of a home have been found to <br />increase household participation in food waste diversion programs <br />significantly. <br />In addition, we plan to place one new bin adjacent to a low-income, racially <br />diverse neighborhood to further address racial disparity. <br />Finally, this project would avoid sending food waste from Orange county <br />(30% non-white; 12.4% poverty level) to Sampson county (50% non-white; <br />20.2% poverty level) where the landfill is located and methane is produced. <br />D4. Please list any <br />data sources used in <br />reference to D1, D2, <br />and D3 and show the <br />steps of any <br />calculations. (300 <br />word limit) <br />Demographic data was calculated with the help of information provided at <br />Justicemap.org <br />See the spreadsheet attached below for our demographics calculations. <br />D4a. Optional file upload to show the steps of any calculations. <br />OCCAG_Demographics_-_2025.xlsx <br />D5. Please describe <br />any ways in which <br />low-income or <br />marginalized <br />communities/households <br />were engaged in the <br />creation of this <br />project proposal. <br />(150 word limit) <br />Over the last year, we worked to engage low-income and diverse <br />neighborhoods in food waste diversion efforts. W e asked Carrboro to help <br />us identify a neighborhood to participate in the program, and we <br />independently contacted leaders of the Marion Cheek Jackson Center and <br />the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA). <br />The feedback we received was that these neighborhoods were not <br />currently expressing interest in participating in food waste diversion efforts. <br />Based on that feedback, we determined that a pay-it-forward model is the <br />best current strategy. W e will send the compost produced by <br />neighborhoods participating in food waste diversion programs to gardens in <br />low-income and diverse neighborhoods. <br />W e will follow up with suggestions received, such as soliciting participation <br />by including information about the program in the Jackson Center <br />newsletter delivered to 850 low-income households. W e will also reach out <br />to Habitat for Humanity neighborhoods and minority churches, especially <br />those with community gardens. <br />Docusign Envelope ID: 60C8120B-2E2C-4F19-BFBC-3ADFB6A6F8E1