See It: The Community being helped
I started the Bed-Stuy CSA, because families in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn are unable to purchase fresh vegetables in the neighborhood. This lack of access to fresh, healthy food contributes to the neighborhood’s significant health epidemics: according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Health of Central Brooklyn report, residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant suffer a rate of heart disease 30% higher than the NYC average and are two times more likely to have diabetes than the average New Yorker. In fact, 1 in 3 Bed-Stuy residents is obese. Diet and exercise are the gravest factors in determining ones likelihood of acquiring heart disease and diabetes. It seemed imperative that someone create a way for people to be able to purchase healthy food in a convenient and affordable way. Establishing a system where people could buy produce delivered to Bed-Stuy directly from a Certified Naturally Grown farmer would guarantee all of these things.
In essence, a CSA is a food buying club. Interested residents buy a “share” in the farm—the Bed-Stuy CSA’s partners with Conuco Farm, run by Hector Tejada—in the early spring and pay upfront, though members can also pay in installments with food stamps, that allow the farmer to get the season started without taking out high interest loans. As soon as produce is available (usually in mid-June), CSA members receive a weekly share of the farm, a box of produce picked from the farm the day before. The share usually consists of 6-10 different, pesticide- and chemical-free vegetables, which feeds a family of 4 or more throughout the week. Members receive a weekly share for 20 consecutive weeks or more. Members pick up their weekly shares at a farm stand across from the neighborhood park. They also receive cooking classes on the street and a weekly newsletter, so that they can learn how to cook familiar and unusual vegetables in healthy ways.
I started the CSA in 2006 and, during that first year, I ran the entire project myself with only donated space, tables, and copies. In that first year, 30 families joined. This year, I recruited 4 of last years members to become “core members” to share the work of running the project. This year, 65 families have joined, and we hope it will grow each year. We raised a $1400.00 this year to pay a nutritionist to teach classes at several schools and public housing developments and for certain supplies (stamps, paint, etc.) With only volunteers, in-kind donations and small monetary donations, however, the Bed-Stuy CSA has provided produce and nutrition education for over 85 households and generated over $30,000 in income for a local farmer of color. I hope that an award of $500.00 would allow us to organize a farm trip for residents of Bed-Stuy and publish a “Guide to Healthy Eating in Bed-Stuy” to make available at the local health clinics, hospitals and food pantries so that we can increase our education and outreach to even more people. The Bed-Stuy CSA is now the only reliable source of fresh, pesticide-free produce in the neighborhood.
Believe it: Describe your project/org
Build it: Steps taken to create the project/org and the kind of impact made
Vital Stats
| Started On: | January 2006 | Ended On: | |
| People Involved: | 5 "core members;" 85 households have joined the CSA over the past 2 years and contribute 4 hours of volunteer time per household. | People Impacted: | 85 households; 250 participants in nutrition classes |
| Money Raised: | $30,000.00 to the farmer; $1000.00 to a nutritionist to teach classes; $400.00 for supplies | | |
Project Updates:
This year’s harvest season for the Bed-Stuy CSA was exceptional, in part due to the Plum Grant we received from dosomething.org. In addition to providing members with a weekly share each week from June to the end of October and providing them with weekly newsletters full of recipes, tips and local event information, we were able to build the cooking confidence of our members and build community within the group. We hosted bi-monthly cooking demonstrations at our distribution site featuring the week’s vegetables. Since our distribution site is literally on the sidewalk, both members and passersby were able to learn new cooking techniques, preventative healthcare, and delicious, innovate ways to use their shares and seasonal vegetables. We also hosted a day trip to the farm. 30 members joined us on the farm for lunch, a tour of the farm, and to pick their own produce for the week. This was by far the most important development this year, as it allowed members to get to know each other—more so than meeting at the distribution site—and provided the members, many who had never been out of NYC much less to a rural area, with an unforgettable and deeply informative experience. Both the bi-monthly cooking demonstrations and farm trip were largely the result of members volunteering their time and coordinating with each other to make their hopes a reality.
Looking back on the 2007 Bed-Stuy CSA season—from the recruitment period to the final distribution date—there were some remarkable successes and some constructive criticism. Three successes this year included: the farm trip, the CSA volunteer requirement, and the development of the website. While the farm trip was meaningful to the 30 members and their families who attended, the volunteer requirement and website development demonstrated that members can and will put their time and energy into the CSA beyond their yearly monetary contributions. This year members were required to volunteer 4 hours during the season, primarily at the distribution site. Everyone filled their requirement and seemed to enjoy doing so. Many members put additional time into further developing the website which has greatly improved with more nutrition information and recipes.
Still, the experience of coordinating the project this year gave me insight on improvements for next year. First, I would like to increase the transparency of the project so that more members understand the inner workings of the project and are able to easily get involved. Next year we may host monthly potluck/meeting open to all members. Second, we need to limit the number of internet-based communication vehicles we have. We currently have a website, list-serv and blog. All of these fora are beneficial, but they confuse members. I would like to limit the CSA to one or two of these so that members know exactly where to go for what they need. Lastly, while we did ten workshops at public housing developments this year and increased our exposure in these sectors of the community, I realized that we should need to do a better job of communicating our low-income payment options. I think next year we will develop a brochure focused completely on payment methods for low-income families.
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