August 20, 2024 by 4P Foods

4P Foods increased our food access work in 2023 by partnering with the Virginia Federation of Food Banks, Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP), and the Mid-Atlantic Food Resiliency and Access Coalition on two government funded programs that connected more people to nutrient-dense food grown by local and regional farmers.

In June of 2023, 4P Foods headquarters was busy packing boxes of Virginia sourced produce for the Virginia Farm to Virginia Families Box Program. This program focused on sourcing Virginia products to be packed into boxes and sent to food banks across the Commonwealth. In the colder months, it expanded to include boxes packed full of protein such as pasture raised meat and locally produced tofu.

In July 2023, 4P Foods Kicked off our participation in the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program by delivering boxes full of local food to the Mid-Atlantic Food Resiliency and Access Coalition (MAFRAC) and Local Environmental Agricultural Project(LEAP). This program continued throughout 2023 and into 2024.

Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program

As champions for a resilient food system, 4P Foods has been deeply engaged in the USDA’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) here in Virginia. This groundbreaking $900M+ program has been a game-changer, facilitating long-term commitments to farmers and providing fresh, local food to food-insecure families.

The LFPA cooperative agreement directly funded the expansion of 4P Foods’ food procurement program in communities where independent farmers and food producers are located. The funding also provided 4P Foods with additional capacity to support socially disadvantaged farmers, create avenues for fresh food access in underserved communities, and strengthen partnerships between growers and food access organizations. The program prioritizes goods purchased from socially disadvantaged partners including farmers subject to racial or ethnic prejudice. The LFPA cooperative agreement furthers 4P Foods’ mission and connects more people to nutrient-dense food grown by local farmers.

Partner Highlight: Virginia Federation of Food Banks

The Federation of Virginia Food Banks supports the seven regional Virginia and Washington D.C. food banks. As the largest hunger-relief network in the Commonwealth, Virginia’s seven regional food banks serve approximately 800,000 people on an annual basis. In October of 2023, 4P Foods started delivering locally and responsibly sourced food to food banks across Virginia in partnership with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks.

“Our partnership with 4P Foods gives a significant boost to our strategic priorities of sourcing more high-quality, nutritious food from local growers while positively impacting the health of the communities we serve.”- Eddie Oliver, Executive Director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks

 

Partner Highlight: Local Environmental Agriculture Project

Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP) partnered with 4P Foods on the Local Food Purchasing Assistance program. With a warehouse in Roanoke, VA, LEAP is able to reach parts of Virginia that 4P Foods trucks can not make it too. This partnership is a great example of how the hub and spoke food web model works.

LEAP nurtures their food community to create an “equitable food and farming system which prioritizes health and abundance by supporting community initiatives, markets, farms, and farmers.”

Deliveries for the LFPA program from 4P Foods to LEAP started in July of 2023 and had a significant impact on the community they serve.

“The program makes it so I can access fresh fruit and veg, which I could not afford otherwise. With diabetes, heart, kidney, and neuro issues, fresh food makes all the difference in my health.” - April G., LEAP program participant

 

“This program has helped so much. I have been able to eat so much more healthier. As a matter of fact, I have been able to come off insulin due to this. it means so much to me.”- Vickie W., LEAP program participant

 

Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program Story Map

Using LFPA funds, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services awarded sub-grants to agencies across Virginia with the capacity to procure foods from local sources and then deliver that food to those that need it. This program connected a number of community partners to build resilience and promote equity in the food system. James Madison University students captured the impact of LFPA in a story map that showed the many connections across the commonwealth. View the story map.

 

Sourcing Locally for Food Access

Meet Brick Goldman from Goldman Farm and the Southside Virginia Fruit and Vegetable Producers Association. In partnership with 4P Foods and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, the Southside Virginia Fruit & Vegetable Producers Association has been providing local fruits and vegetables to food banks in the region.

The Southside Virginia Vegetable and Fruit Producers Association is an organization that promotes and encourages improvements in produce and value-added products grown in Southside Virginia. The association works to develop partnerships that improve the production and marketing of local produce and support the community. Brick Goldman of Goldman Farm is a founding member of the Southside Virginia Vegetable and Fruit Producers Association. Brick Goldman is known as a community leader, especially among fellow farmers. He was awarded 4P Foods Farmer of the Year for 2023 thanks to his outstanding quality of produce.

“They’ve raved about the vegetables we bring them because they’re super fresh,” explains Brick Goldman of Goldman Farm in Cullen, VA. “We pick them one day and then, for the most part, they get them the next day.”

Due to a growing demand for local produce through programs like LFPA and the Virginia Farm to School program, the Southside Virginia Vegetable and Fruit Producers Association is expanding their produce storage space. In 2023, they received grants from the tobacco commission and the USDA to help fund the building of a new facility. The 4P Foods team was able to visit the new site with Brick Goldman.