Looking for help: Farm to Senior Center Initiative

[Michele Knaus]

Jesse Mandel from Multnomah Country has asked that I forward along information about a Seniors' food program that she is trying to get off the ground for 2011. 

It's a great idea, hopefully you or someone you know might be interested in participating.  Note that they already have some grant money to fund the program, and are looking for everything from food donations to food sales to sliding-scale CSA shares to gardening volunteers to just general ideas and volunteer help. 
Happy 2011 - Michele

Aging & Disability Services’ Farm to Senior Center Initiative

Aging and Disability Services (ADS) is a partner on a current Multnomah County Health
Department/ Center for Disease Control grant. The grant addresses rising rates of
obesity and chronic disease in Multnomah County by implementing population-
wide prevention strategies. At ADS, our specific grant objectives are to increase
low-income older adults’ access to healthy and locally-sourced food through
community partnerships and systems change.

To support our grant objectives, we would like to develop a ‘farm to senior
center’ model where older adults can connect with local farmers, ranchers, and urban
gardeners and therefore fresh food and a connection with where it has come from.
We are exploring several different models, including:

- Adopt a Senior Center: Individual growers can provide produce to a Senior Center
through a sliding-scale CSA or food donations.

- Senior Garden share: Establish a garden on Senior Center property.

- Senior Farm stand: Sell or donate produce directly at Senior Centers.

- Farm to Meal Site: Sell or donate produce to Senior Meal Sites (i.e. Loaves & Fishes/
“Meals on Wheels” centers).

We are in the early stages of our grant. We are seeking suggestions on how we
can best implement successful farm to senior center initiatives, while supporting
the ongoing work of local farmers and growers. We would also like to identify
farmers or growers who may want to participate in farm to senior center projects.

Please feel free to contact us and share your ideas as we develop this initiative.
We welcome your feedback!

Thank you for your willingness to support older adults’ access to healthy food. I
hope we have the opportunity to work with you.

Jessie Mandle
Project Coordinator
Aging & Disability Services
(503) 988-3620 x26830
Jessie...@multco.us