FRESH APPROACH
5060 COMMERCIAL CIRCLE, CONCORD, CA 94520 www.freshapproach.org

---

Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF FRESH APPROACH IS TO CREATE LONG-TERM CHANGE IN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS BY CONNECTING CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES WITH HEALTHY FOOD FROM CALIFORNIA FARMERS AND EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FOOD AND NUTRITION.

FRESH APPROACH WORKS TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS: THE MOBILE FARMERS' MARKET, WHICH IS A FARMERS' MARKET ON WHEELS THAT INCREASES ACCESS TO FRESH AND LOCAL PRODUCE IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS (WITH ROUTE STOPS IN 10 CITIES THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA), AND THE EAST PALO ALTO COMMUNITY FARMERS' MARKET. BOTH MARKETS SUBSIDIZE THE COST FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS BY OFFERING MATCHING NUTRITION INCENTIVES TO ANY SHOPPER WHO RECEIVED A FEDERAL BENEFIT SUCH AS CALFRESH/SNAP, WOMEN INFANTS & CHILDREN, SSI/SSDI, MEDI-CAL, AND/OR RECEIVE FOOD PANTRY SERVICES. FRESH APPROACH'S KEY STRATEGY OF PROVIDING VOUCHERS AND MATCHING FUNDS FOR SPENDING AT THE FARMERS' MARKETS HAVE PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN REMOVING FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND ATTRACTING LOW-INCOME SHOPPERS. IN 2019, $94,000 IN FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE WAS DISTRIBUTED TO 21,115 BAY AREA RESIDENTS IN NEED: $83,000 IN FREE PRODUCE DISTRIBUTED AT MOBILE FARMERS' MARKET AND AT THE EAST PALO ALTO COMMUNITY FARMERS' MARKET THROUGH MATCHING NUTRITION INCENTIVES; $11,000+ IN PRODUCE DONATED TO LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS COMPRISE THE VEGGIERX NUTRITION AND COOKING WORKSHOPS, AND THE COLLECTIVE ROOTS COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM. THE VEGGIERX PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2011, REACHING OVER 10,000 LOW-INCOME BAY AREA RESIDENTS AND DISTRIBUTING NEARLY $400,000 IN "PRESCRIPTION" VOUCHERS FOR PARTICIPANTS TO SPEND ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT FARMERS' MARKETS. IN 2019, FRESH APPROACH OFFERED VEGGIERX WORKSHOPS AND VOUCHERS IN FOUR COUNTIES (ALAMEDA, CONTRA COSTA, SAN MATEO, AND SANTA CLARA). IN OAKLAND AND BERKELEY, CLASSES WERE FOCUSED ON HELPING FAMILIES REDUCE THEIR CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES. IN THE EAST PALO ALTO COMMUNITY, THE COLLECTIVE ROOTS COMMUNITY GARDEN IS A KEY RESOURCE OFFERING MONTHLY WORKSHOPS, FREE RESOURCES TO GROW ORGANIC FOOD, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES. IN 2019, EDUCATION PROGRAMS ALSO ADDRESSED FOOD WASTE AND COMPOSTING; FREE FOOD WASTE PREVENTION WORKSHOPS WERE OFFERED FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF SAN MATEO COUNTY; AND THE FIRST COMMUNITY COMPOST HUB WAS LAUNCHED IN EAST PALO ALTO, PROVIDING FOOD SCRAP COLLECTION AT THE FARMERS' MARKET. ACROSS EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN 2019, $35,320 IN VOUCHERS FOR FREE FARMERS' MARKET PRODUCE WERE DISTRIBUTED TO NUTRITION AND GARDENING CLASS PARTICIPANTS.

FRESH APPROACH IS COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, VOLUNTEERING, AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH THE ADULT COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR PROJECT (PILOTED IN 2019 IN EAST PALO ALTO, RICHMOND, AND SAN PABLO) FOUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ENROLLED TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS BY HELPING WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE FARMERS' MARKETS, HELPING TO MANAGE THE COMPOST HUB, AND FACILITATING GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND WORKSHOPS. IN 2019, THE YOUTH URBAN AGRICULTURE AMBASSADORS PROJECT WAS OFFERED IN EAST PALO ALTO FOR SIX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH SUMMER TRAINING AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. AS PART OF ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, FRESH APPROACH ALSO PARTNERS WITH COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, FOOD BANKS, AND OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO COORDINATE OUTREACH AND PROMOTION STRATEGIES IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE USE OF CALFRESH/SNAP AND OTHER GOVERNMENT BENEEFITS AT FARMERS' MARKETS. IN 2019, $16,407 IN VOUCHERS FOR FREE FARMERS' MARKET PRODUCE WAS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

---

---

Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202043109349302739_public.xml