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| CFI Newsletter, Summer 2024
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| Fresh From the Field
For those of you who watch your inbox for CFI updates, you may have noticed that you haven’t heard from us in a bit - we’re excited to share many celebrations, reflections, and pictures in this special expanded Summer Edition of the CFI newsletter!
CFI is always exciting and dynamic, and the last few months have been some of the busiest. There have been big transitions, and lots of wonderful new projects, faces, and ideas.
No matter what evolutions happen in CFI’s work, with your support we remain deeply and unwaveringly committed to our mission and values. The “how” might change, but our “why” will always be to work toward a resilient and sustainable region where everyone is nourished by a just, inclusive, and thriving local food system.
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CFI Team Updates
Below you’ll read about how all of our programs (and our gardens!) are growing. Supporting this growth are several new faces at CFI.
Regular visitors to the Donation Station or Veggie Van have met Shan, Sam, Myles, Phoebe, and Ellie - members of our awesome Appalachian Accessible Food Network summer AmeriCorps team. Many CFI friends have also met Dominic Straquadine, first in his role as a Nourishing Networks program intern and since May as our Summer Outreach Manager. We also welcomed interns Allie and Bee to CFI this season to lead the “Rooting for Wellness” project.
In April Kristen Wiedmann joined CFI as our Veggie Van Marketing Specialist, a new position that will help expand community awareness and farm connections over the next two seasons.
This month we also officially welcomed Drew Ogg as our new full-time Manager of Food Sourcing and Distribution! Drew, an Athens-County native, is already a familiar face to many, having previously served as a volunteer and as an AmeriCorps VISTA at CFI.
Those of you who were able to join us at the 2024 Annual Meeting know that this spring was also a bittersweet time at CFI as we bid a tearful, grateful farewell to Susie Huser, who moved on from her role after 7 years of dedicated service as a leader on the CFI staff. In addition to being the face and heart of CFI to countless partners, gardeners, and volunteers, Susie led Donation Station through tremendous growth, guided CFI's communications and visual identity, facilitated the establishment of the Veggie Van program, and created the first-ever Discovery Kitchen Cookbook.
Susie’s kindness, dedication, and passion for the community, farmers, and environment of Southeast Ohio are unparalleled. We are so fortunate that she shared her gifts with and through CFI and we are all dedicated to sustaining her work and spirit at CFI!
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An Active Sprouts Season!
Our Sprouts Spring field trips were so fun! Students got to see a real live working farm at Solid Ground in Millfield, where they rotated through hands-on activities including a pond study, chlorophyll stamping art, seed ball making, an obstacle course, and fruit kabobs. None of this would be possible without the support of our partners--shout out to our friends in the Rural Action Environmental Education and Live Healthy Kids teams, Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery, and COMCorps for helping make these events awesome! Thanks also to the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, USDA's National Institute for Food and Agriculture, The Athens Garden Club, Greenleaf Landscapes, Purple Chopstix, Amesville and Athens City Schools, and many others for supporting Sprouts and our field trips!
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Sprouts Summer Camp
Sprouts kids and alumni came together June 24th-28th to take a deep dive into food, fun, and creativity at our Sprouts Summer Garden Camp Campers learned from local farmers about how to make herbal salves and how bees operate, along with so many other cool lessons. They also enjoyed tasty snacks throughout the week, including zucchini honey muffins. The week was a fun one of garden immersion, creative lessons, and awesome people.
A huge thank you to our supporters and partners for the inaugural Sprouts Camp: the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, North Central SARE Youth Educator Grant Program, the Wildflower Legacy Foundation, Athens City Schools, and the OHIO Student Farm.
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More Successful Giveaways!
This spring's annual seed giveaway was our biggest one yet! Thanks so much to the Athens County Public Libraries for partnering with us to give away just shy of 6,000 packets of seeds to the community. Special thanks to our amazing COMCorps member, Lucy, for tirelessly sorting seeds for what seemed like months nonstop.
We also hosted our annual plant start giveaway in May at the Athens and Nelsonville ACEnet facilities! In just two days, we were able to give away over 5,000 plants. Nearly 150 people came to take part in the giveaway. and we were able to provide plants all thanks to the generous donations of community members and organizations, including Jackson Area Ministries, the Ohio University Student Farm, Companion Plants, and Athens County Master Gardeners.
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Veggie Van Season In Full Swing
The Veggie Van started rolling again in May! We’re in Nelsonville on Tuesdays, Coolville on Wednesdays, and Glouster on Fridays, all from 3:30-5:30 PM. The Veggie Van continues to be a pay-what-you-can mobile farm stand that is open to all. As the season continues, we're excited to share more and more tasty foods from local farmers!
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Partnerships in the Gardens
Eastside: In April, Community Gardens partnered with Athens High School, Community Nutrition students from Ohio University, and community members and gardeners to host a workshop on no-dig beds led by Amber Sheeks. During their time together, more than 10 no-dig beds were created! This expansion helps to meet the increasing demand for plots at our Eastside Community Garden.
Hope Drive: CFI kicked off the season by celebrating May Day with residents at the Hope Drive! Together we made planting pots, painted rocks, and enjoyed tasty recipes. We’ve also once again been hosting our Hope Drive Summer Gardening Club, which has done crafting work, garden maintenance, cooking workshops, and more. Thank you to the Dietetic Interns from Ohio University for volunteer support and to residents and families of Hope Drive for your continued partnership!
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Rooting for Wellness in Athens County
Rooting for Wellness is a series of community workshops for seniors throughout Athens County. Each workshop offers attendees the opportunity to engage with their community and learn more about the benefits of eating locally and seasonally. Funding for this project was provided by the Athens County Commissioners, through an Ohio Department of Aging Healthy Aging Grant, allowing CFI to provide participants a cookbook, a recipe demonstration, and produce to take home, all at no cost.
So far we’ve had workshops in Glouster and Nelsonville. It’s been wonderful to see the community show up and be eager to get involved. Attendees have shared stories of their favorite recipes, and have gotten excited about getting local ingredients to cook with or share with family and friends.
We are looking forward to bringing future workshops to Coolville (July 11 and 23), Nelsonville (July 25), Stewart (August 4 and September 9), and Amesville (dates TBD)!
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Job Opening: Outreach Manager
CFI is looking for a half-time Outreach Manager to support volunteers and communications! The priority deadline for applications is July 15. Click the graphic above to access the position description and application instructions.
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| Flower Fundraiser!
Flowers bring joy! CFI's Director of Garden Programs, Molly Gassaway, will be making beautiful bouquets for a suggested donation of $10 and will work with you to coordinate a pickup location. Reserve one for yourself and for friends!
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| Thank You CFI Sponsors!
Thank you to JackieO's for renewing their sponsorship of CFI's Sprouts and School Garden Programs! Your donation will help ensure the sustainability of our work.
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| What Else?
The Donation Station is at the Athens Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday at the Athens Community Center from 9 AM-12 PM. Come say hi and support local producers!
Veggie Van is in Nelsonville (Tuesday), Coolville (Wednesday), and Glouster (Friday) from 3:30-5:30 PM.
We’re always posting highlights and upcoming events on our social media pages! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @communityfoodinitiatives.
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Thanks to the OU Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine for the opportunity to work with the PreDOC Conference on Rural Medicine on May 23! Participants helped pot tomato plants and bag seeds for local seniors.
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