Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/15

Outputs
(N/A)

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? (1)Regularly update the content of the Food Security Learning Center with the latest developments in the rapidly expanding and changing field of community food security Between October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015, WhyHunger featured profiles of eleven Community Food Program (CFP) grantees on the Food Security Learning Center blog.Featured CFP grantees included: Sustainable Food Center National Coordination for the Defense of the Mangrove Ecosystem The Ecology Center Santa Barbara Food Bank Urban Roots Farestart Newsome Community Farms Ingersoll Gardens Mariposa Community Health Clinic Vida Verde Farms Adelante Mujeres In addition, WhyHunger made updates to the following FSLC topics: Hunger in the US Community Food Assessment Urban Agriculture Food Sovereignty Food, Faith & Spirituality Local & Regional Food Systems Global Hunger (2)Develop the FSLC online interface so that it is an interactive hub with opportunities for user contributions and interactions, increased multimedia visuals, webinars and other new technologies. Between October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015, WhyHunger continued to develop the Food Justice Voices feature, which was launched in 2013.Food Justice Voices are a series of long-form articles by grassroots thought leaders featured on WhyHunger's home page and in relevant topics of the Food Security Learning Center. Told in the first person by grassroots actors and leaders based on their lived experiences with community food security approaches, these stories amplify the voices of those deeply impacted by food security issues in their own communities.Food Justice Voices articles completed and published from this past year include: What Ferguson Means for the Food Justice Movement by Malik Yakini: http://issuu.com/whyhunger/docs/what_ferguson_means_for_the_food_ju_807e7e1c60c73b/1?e=0/30754339 What Ferguson Means for the Food Justice Movement by Beatriz Beckford: http://issuu.com/whyhunger/docs/what_ferguson_means_for_the_food_ju/1?e=0/30754902 Social Justice for Lunch by Deborah Moore, Judy Belue & Brooke Smith: http://issuu.com/whyhunger/docs/food_justice_voices_social_justice_/1?e=0/14194292 Youth Food Justice Zine:http://www.whyhunger.org/publications-k2/item/2921-youth-zines A Path Forward: Innovations at the Intersection of Hunger & Health:http://www.whyhunger.org/publications-k2/item/3039-a-path-forward-innovations-at-the-intersection-of-hunger-health Four additional articles and zines on social movements, farm labor organizing and international solidarity have been completed and will be published in the coming months. In addition, WhyHunger has continued to add content to the Digital Storytelling Site, which features grassroots organizations around the country implementing community food projects.Seven new stories were added this year including: Community Servings by David Hanson:http://www.whyhunger.org/k2-category-stories/item/2932-community-servings#.VlOORLerSM8 Santa Barbara Food Bank by David Hanson:http://www.whyhunger.org/k2-category-stories/item/2961-sapna#.VlOOW7erSM8 Roger Allison & Missouri Rural Crisis Center by Siena Chrisman:http://www.whyhunger.org/k2-category-stories/item/2930-roger-allison-missouri-crisis-center#.VlOObLerSM8 Urban Roots by David Hanson:http://www.whyhunger.org/k2-category-stories/item/2325-urban-roots Denise O'Brien by Siena Chrisman:http://www.whyhunger.org/k2-category-stories/item/2317-denise-o-brien This year, WhyHunger focused on linking multimedia resources to topics it wrote about through video segments, infographics, podcasts and relevant interactive tools. Finally,WhyHunger redesigned the format of the Food Security Learning Center so that it would be more visually dynamic and user friendly.This process included the consolidation of the twenty-five specific topics areas into six broad topic areas that provide an analysis, rationale and tools/resources for community-based solutions to food insecurity.These topics will continue to live and be updated periodically on the new WhyHunger website. The five broad topic areas are: Root Causes of Hunger: Why does hunger exist in a world of plenty? The Role and Significance of People and Culture in the Food System Building Grassroots Power Supporting Social Movements Amplifying Community Voices (3) Increase awareness of the FSLC and its resources amongst new and existing targeted entities through measured, multi-pronged outreach efforts. Between October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015, WhyHunger continued to increase awareness of the Food Security Learning Center to targeted audiences through social media, press relations, word of mouth, site visits and conference presentations.WhyHunger organized its social media outreach strategy around monthly themes, linking content available on the Food Security Learning Center to other leading voices and influential forums in the field at key moments throughout the year.WhyHunger responded to timely political and newsworthy developments highlighting the Food Security Learning Center as a go-to resource for students, educators, policy-makers and community leaders for all topics related to community food security.All contractors providing content to the Food Security Learning Center were required to conduct outreach to their contacts and networks to drive traffic to the articles and blogs they wrote, the topics they updated or any multi-media created for the Food Security Learning Center.Additionally, WhyHunger conducted site visits to the following organizations during the grant period, during which they promoted the FSLC as a resource: US Food Sovereignty Alliance Annual Meeting and Food Sovereignty Prize event, Des Moines, IA Food for Maine's Future, Maine Grace Lee Boggs Center, Detroit Detroit Black Community Food Security Coalition, Detroit Black Urban Growers Conference, Detroit People's Grocery, California People's Kitchen, California Rooted in Community Leadership Meeting, California Southwest Organizing Project, New Mexico Community Servings, Boston Elijah's Promise, New Jersey Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger, New York MEND, New Jersey Moral Mondays, North Carolina National Family Farm Coalition, Washington D.C. Coalition for Immokalee Workers, Florida God's Love We Deliver, New York Delta Fresh Foods Initiative, Mississippi Shore Soup, NYC Capital Roots, Albany, NY Finally, a member of WhyHunger's staff incorporated the Food Security Learning Center as a resource at the following speaking engagements and conferences: NYC Food Forum:Why Equity Matters Rooted in Community Annual Conference, Detroit Feeding America Conference, Illinois FRAC Conference, Illinois Parent Community Service Network, New York MEND Annual Dinner, New Jersey City Harvest, New York People's Movement Assembly, Pennsylvania Hunger and Health Community of Practice Gathering, New Jersey (4) Measure the impact and reach of the FSLC through the identification and implementation of robust evaluation methods and measures. In grant year 2015, the FSLC received 7,687 unique visitors from around the country (as well as internationally). The site's homepage was the most popular page accounting for 3,867 visitors, followed by topic pages on Hunger in the U.S., Community Food Assessments, Urban Agriculture Food Sovereignty, and Food, Faith and Spirituality. Visitors came most frequently through direct keyword searches on Google, as well as links in WhyHunger's newsletters, blog, social media. Additional referral sources include, yahoo bing, ampleharvest.org and the CDC.

Publications

Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience of the Food Security Learning Center's efforts to cause a change in knowledge, actions, or conditions include students, educators, non-profit staff members, policy-makers and community leaders. Nonprofit staff members include those employed by Community Food Project grantees. Changes/Problems: The position of Food Security Learning Center manager remains vacant. The project is being overseen by WhyHunger's Senior Director of Programs in collaboration with WhyHunger's programmatic staff, Communications Director and a contracted editor. In addition, the development of an interactive online interface will be conducted in 2015 in conjunction with the redevelopment of WhyHunger's organizational website. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The Food Security Learning Center website provided information and resources to community food initiatives and grassroots organizations seeking to get involved in community food security work. Responded to 1-5 requests for information via the Food Security Learning Center per week by directing individuals to relevant sections of the website. Monitored posts to COMFOOD, US Food Sovereignty Alliance, Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative, and other listservs and responded to requests for information by directing individuals to relevant sections of the Food Security Learning Center. Promoted best practices and solutions to common food security problems for CFP grantees and other interested parties via the CONNECT Blog. Provided in-depth training, technical assistance and collaborative learning opportunities to the staff members of 15 community-based organizations and national networks during the past year including: Coalition of Immokalee Workers (FL); Food for Maine’s Future (ME); Rooted In Community (national); People’s Kitchen (Oakland and Detorit); EcoStation (Brooklyn); BUGS (Black Urban Growers - national); NYC Food Forum; Delta Fresh Food Initiative (MS); Border Food Justice Project (AZ, TX, NM); National Farm to School Network; Seed Keepers Collective (Atlantic Cooridor); Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger (NY); Shore Soup Project (NY); Neighbor’s Together (NY); and Mother’s Hubbard’s Cupboard (IN). Wrote, published and disseminated to community-based organizations Beyond Bread: Healthy Food Sourcing in Emergency Food Programs, a guide featuring resources and information about innovative programs for healthy food sourcing implemented by organizations around the country. Made available on WhyHunger’s website and the FSLC site. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The information, statistics, strategies, tools, techniques, best practices and stories that WhyHunger collected through this project have been posted on the Food Security Learning Center website – www.foodsecuritylearningcenter.org. The Food Security Learning Center website is organized into various topic areas related to achieving community food security including (some of these have been updated, renamed or re-categorized from last years’ report): Growing our Food: Agriculture and Environment Climate Change and the Food System Community Supported Agriculture Family Farms Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Hunger and Poverty Food Deserts Global Hunger Hunger in the US Nutrition Education Poverty in the US Rural Poverty Building Food Justice: Tools for Democracy Community Food Assessment Food and Farm Bill Food Policy Councils Land Use Planning Food Movement Voices Food, Faith and Spirituality Race and the Food System Workers in the Food System Youth and the Food System Food Sovereignty and the Right to Food Food Sovereignty Land and Resource Grabs Trade, Aid, and Development Water Rights Local Food Economies Farm to Cafeteria Farmers Markets Local and Regional Food Systems Topics are divided into: Learn (the basics): Providing an overview of the topic through accessible materials, including opportunities for policy and advocacy Act: Ways to take action in a given topic area, hands-on resources, capacity building tools and how-to guides for communities looking to implement strategies and programs in their particular area. Hear Stories (Voices from the Field): Articles written by and about the people and organizations working to solve common community problems from the grassroots. Narrative, storytelling style. Dig Deeper: Resources to learn more about or become more engaged with the topic, including links to academic work and in depth analysis of the issue. Multimedia: Emphasis on video segments as a way to elevate community voices and lessons learned on the ground. Results have also been distributed in the following ways: Responses to direct requests for information via e-mail and phone: about 100 such requests a year Through the Clearinghouse Connection, a monthly newsletter with close to 3,000 subscribers, mostly community-based emergency food providers Through the CONNECT Blog (monthly posts specifically about a FSLC topic or a profile of a CFP) Through social media outreach (WhyHunger’s FB page and twitter account, referencing particular topics in the FSLC Through WhyHunger’s new Digital Storytelling site where currently 41 Community Food Projects are profiled What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1. Regularly update the content of the FSLC with the latest developments in the rapidly expanding and changing field of community food security Work with members and participants of WhyHunger's existing programs and initiatives, including federal agencies, states and political subdivisions, and nongovernmental organization partners of WhyHunger's National Hunger Clearinghouse, Grassroots Action Network, and United States Food Sovereignty Alliance to identify common problems contributing to food insecurity. Work with Community Food Project grantees, WhyHunger's Community Learning Project participants, members of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance, and organizations profiled in the National Hunger Clearinghouse Capacity Building Guides to gather information on innovative programs and projects addressing these issues. Participate in industry-related conferences, workshops and webinars to identify and gather information for the FSLC. Audit industry-related listservs and newsletters to identify and gather information for the FSLC. Conduct 10-20 site visits to CFP grantees and/or other model organizations around the country to identify and gather information for the FSLC. Significantly update and enhance the following topics in the FSLC through research, editing and writing: Trade, Aid and Development; Fisheries; Local and Regional Food Economies; Race and the Food System, Rural Poverty. Add new articles, links, resources and multi-media to existing FSLC topic areas as appropriate. Post annual reports of Community Food Project grantees to the Community Food Project Database housed in the FSLC. Profile additional Community Food Project grantees through written narratives and photographs; post on the Digital Storytelling website. Produce 2 short videos featuring recent Community Food Project grantees, telling their stories of successful responses to community problems. 2. Develop the FSLC online interface so that it is an interactive hub with opportunities for user contributions and interactions, increased multimedia visuals, webinars, and other new technologies. Currently redesigning a new format for the FSLC that will be more visually dynamic and focus the layout from the perspective of the user experience. In short, less text heavy, more visual – much like the face of recent website redesign efforts at grassroots.whyhunger.org and toolkit.whyhunger.org. Implement new technologies for sharing content from the FSLC through creative media, including thought leader articles/food justice voices; webinars/google hangouts, zines, video and other types of multi-media spotlighted and hosted on the FSLC. Continue to build out the new online storytelling feature to highlight CFP narrative/photographic profiles and other stories from the field. Develop a “build capacity” section on-line that will include the following topic areas: Growing the Grassroots; Community Organizing; Strategic Alliances and Coalitions; International Solidarity; Supporting Movements. Each section will include tools and resources for community-based organizations, including CFPs, to peruse and download to support their efforts at different states of project and organizational development. 3. Increase awareness of the FSLC and its resources amongst new and targeted entities through measured, multi-pronged outreach efforts. Finalize a written and comprehensive outreach strategy for the FSLC based on 3 years of piloting different kinds of outreach efforts, including those listed below. Identify new targeted entities including federal agencies, land grant universities, states and political subdivisions, nongovernmental organizations, public health organizations, university professors, urban planning groups and libraries, through quarterly meetings with NIFA, consultation with national and regional allies and partners and consultation with Grassroots Action Network members and Community Learning Partnerships. Feature the FSLC and its resources in WhyHunger's existing outreach mechanisms, including the Clearinghouse Connection email newsletter, WhyHunger e-newsletter and Artists Against Hunger & Poverty email newsletter. Feature the FSLC and its resources in WhyHunger's existing social media outlets. Promote the FSLC and its resources through media relations efforts. Promote the FSLC and its resources through attendance and presentations at industry-related conferences and webinars. Feature the FSLC and its resources in partner email newsletters and listservs including USDA's Food & Nutrition Service agency, Growing Food & Justice Initiative, United States Food Sovereignty Alliance and COMFOOD. Feature the FSLC and its resources on Artists Against Hunger & Poverty members' websites and social media pages. Leverage relationships with Hungerthon radio stations to promote the FSLC and its resources via online banners and live radio broadcasts. Work with FSLC subcontracted topic area editors to develop and implement an outreach plan to promote the FSLC amongst their diverse networks. Review and tweak as necessary online visuals and printed materials, including banners, postcards and posters, to drive traffic to the FSLC. Distribute online banners, postcards and posters to emergency food providers, community-based organizations and program partners. Respond to requests for information via listservs, mail, email and phone. Direct individuals seeking information to relevant topic areas of the FSLC. Feature profiles of Community Food Project grantees on WhyHunger's CONNECT blog, newsletters and social media outlets monthly. Drive traffic to the new Digitial Storytelling site where CFP article are and will continue to be featured. 4. Measure the impact of the FSLC through the identification and implementation of robust evaluation methods and measures. Continue to use Google Analytics to track the number of unique visitors to the site as well as the unique visitors to each topic page and the pathways used to get to the site. Monitor the rankings of the most popular topics over time and analyze it in relation to the particular drivers WhyHunger put in place during that time period (social media, CFP profiles, etc.). Continue to monitor the profile of the average visitor, the length of time spent on each page and relevant click-throughs. Since this will be the last year of the continuing grant period, WhyHunger will prepare a survey that visitors to the site will be asked to respond to (by choice) to provide feedback. This will appear on the site in the final quarter and responses will be tallied and synthesized for the final narrative report to the USDA.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Regularly update the content of the FSLC with the latest developments in the rapidly expanding and changing field of community food security Featured 8 profiles of Community Food Program (CFP) grantees on the blog. Updated the following FSLC topics: Climate Change and the Food System Community Supported Agriculture Family Farms Farm to Institution Farmers’ Markets Food Deserts Food Policy Councils Food Sovereignty Food, Faith, and Spirituality Hunger in the U.S. Land Nutrition Education Poverty in the U.S. Race and the Food System Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Water Workers in the Food System Youth and the Food System 2. Develop the FSLC online interface so that it is an interactive hub with opportunities for user contributions and interactions, increased multimedia visuals, webinars, and other new technologies. Launched two new features: Food Justice Voices – long-form articles by grassroots thought leaders – featured on WhyHunger’s home page and in relevant topics of the FSLC. To date we’ve completed four food justice/thought leaders articles and have launched one. The others will be launched sporadically between now and December. The first article is a firsthand account of community-led groups and individuals in the Sonoran desert borderlands who are building dignity through struggle from the ground up. http://whyhunger.org/getinfo/showArticle/articleId/3868. Additional articles feature topics and issues including: agroecology, race and the food system, collective impact, women’s leadership in the food system. Digital Storytelling site – featured on WhyHunger’s homepage – currently hosts stories and series of photos for 41 Community Food Projects (CFPs). Each story links through to a relevant FSLC topic. www.grassroots.whyhunger.org Added emphasis on linking multimedia resources to topics through video segments, infographics, podcasts and relevant interactive tools. Currently redesigning a new format for the FSLC that will be more visually dynamic and focus the layout from the perspective of the user experience. In short, less text heavy, more visual – much like the face of recent website redesign efforts at grassroots.whyhunger.org and toolkit.whyhunger.org. 3. Increase awareness of the FSLC and its resources amongst new and targeted entities through measured, multi-pronged outreach efforts. Themed social media months to link content to other leading voices and influential forums related to these topics at key moments. Timely political and newsworthy responses that link to the FSLC as a go-to resource for students, educators, policy-makers and community leaders. The bulk of outreach efforts and new strategy will launch in 2015 with the newly revised content from this round of extensive FSLC topic edits. Site visits during the grant period included: Detroit Black Community Food Security Coalition, Detroit, MI Food for Maine’s Future, Maine Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Florida Shore Soup Project, Queens, NY Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger, Brooklyn, NY Roots Down, Los Angeles, CA LA Food Policy Council and LA Regional Food Bank, CA Food Chain Workers Alliance, CA Food Forward, CA Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, CA Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, CA Veritable Vegetable, CA Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Tucson, AZ Seed Keepers Alliance, North Carolina National Family Farm Coalition, D.C. Rural Coalition, D.C. Share our Strength, D.C. Food What?!, Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz Training Farm Rooted in Community, CA People’s Kitchen, Oakland, CA ROC-United, Oakland, CA My Brother’s Keeper, Jackson, MS Delta Health Alliance/Indianola Promise Community, MS The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, MS Delta Fresh Foods Initiative, MS Emmett Till Interpretive Center, MS Wilbourn Farm, MS Delta Health Clinic, MS Alliance for Sustainable Agricultural Production, MS American Friends Service Committee, Albuquerque, NM TYLO (Tierra y Libertad Organization)- Tucson, AZ HEPAC- Nogales, Sonora MEX (and participated in border action) NIYA (National Immigrant Youth Alliance)- Patagonia, AZ Speaking engagements and conferences included: Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI Just Food Conference, NYC Kellogg Food and Community Conference, Detroit, MI Black Urban Growers Conference, Brooklyn, NY FRAC Conference, D.C. National Hunger Free Communities Summit, D.C. Farm 2 Cafeteria Conference, Austin, TX 4. Measure the impact of the FSLC through the identification and implementation of robust evaluation methods and measures. In grant year 2014, the FSLC received almost 10,000 unique visitors from around the country (as well as internationally). The site’s homepage was the most popular page, followed by topic pages on Hunger in the U.S., Community Food Assessments, Climate Change and the Food System, and Food Deserts. Visitors came most frequently through direct keyword searches on Google, as well as links in WhyHunger’s newsletters, blog, social media; USDA and FNS promotion; links from WhyHunger partners; and referrals from the media.

Publications

• Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: www.foodsecuritylearningcenter.org

Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience of the Food Security Learning Center's efforts to cause a change in knowledge, actions, or conditions include: nonprofit staff members, youth under 30, academic researchers and federal agencies including the National Institute for Food and Agriculture and the Food and Nutrition Service regional offices. Nonprofit staff members include those employed by Community Food Project grantees. Changes/Problems: WhyHunger encountered two major challenges in implementing the Food Security Learning Center project this year. First, the backend architecture of the website has proven difficult to customize, preventing the addition of further visual elements and/or a more dynamic information presentation. The recent addition of a web developer to WhyHunger's staff will facilitate more rapid change in this area in the next year. Secondly, the approach that WhyHunger has historically taken of utilizing an external consultant to update content on the Food Security Learning Center has prevented WhyHunger from updating the website as quickly and frequently as we would like. In particular, the primary editorial consultant we have worked with this year has had to address a family emergency since July, which has slowed her progress significantly. We expected to update six topic areas in this grant period, and have completed updates to two of these (Community Food Assessment, Hunger in the US), though the changes to these two have been more extensive than anticipated, including additional visual elements, improved navigability, and creative use of tailored Google searches to allow the user to find the most up-to-the-minute resources. We anticipate the remaining four topics to be updated by the end of October 2013. Finally, it has become clear that the site needs more constant attention from staff to maintain it at a high level. Going forward, WhyHunger is exploring adding a staff position to assist in focusing on keeping the FSLC current and continually improving. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The Food Security Learning Center website provided information and resources to community food initiatives and grassroots organizations seeking to get involved in food security work. Responded to 1-5 requests for information via the Food Security Learning Center per week by directing individuals to relevant sections of the website. Monitored posts to COMFOOD, US Food Sovereignty Alliance, Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative, and other listservs and responded to requests for information by directing individuals to relevant sections of the Food Security Learning Center. Promoted best practices and solutions to common food security problems for CFP grantees and other interested parties via the CONNECT Blog. Provided training, technical assistance and collaborative learning opportunities to the staff members of five Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Award winners, many of them past, present and future CFP grantees, at the Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Awards Networking Day. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A.western:link { }A.ctl:link { } The information, statistics, strategies, tools, techniques, best practices and stories that WhyHunger collected through this project have been posted on the Food Security Learning Center website – www.foodsecuritylearningcenter.org. The Food Security Learning Center website is organized into various topic areas related to achieving community food security including: Growing our Food: Agriculture and Environment Family Farms Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Community Supported Agriculture Fisheries Climate Change and the Food System Hunger and Poverty Nutrition Education Hunger in the US Rate the States Food Deserts Global Hunger Poverty in the US Rural Poverty Building Food Justice: Tools for Democracy Community Food Assessment Food and Farm Bill Food Policy Councils Land Use Planning Food Movement Voices Food, Faith and Spirituality Race and the Food System Workers in the Food System Youth and the Food System Food Sovereignty and the Right to Food Food Sovereignty Land Trade, Aid, and Development Water Local Food Economies Farm to Cafeteria Farmers Markets Local and Regional Food Systems Topics are divided into: Learn (the basics): Providing an overview of the topic through accessible materials Act: Ways to take action in a given topic area, whether through political advocacy or getting involved or starting a project on the ground in the user’s own community. Hear Stories (Voices from the Field): Articles written by and about the people and organizations working to solve common community problems from the grassroots. Narrative, storytelling style. Dig Deeper: Resources to learn more about or become more engaged with the topic, including links to academic work and in-depth analysis of the issue. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1.) Regularly update the content of the Food Security Learning Center with the latest developments in the rapidly expanding and changing field of community food security. Work with members and participants of WhyHunger's existing programs and initiatives, including federal agencies, states and political subdivisions, and nongovernmental organization partners of WhyHunger's National Hunger Clearinghouse, Grassroots Action Network, and United States Food Sovereignty Alliance to identify common problems contributing to food insecurity. Work with Community Food Project grantees, WhyHunger's Community Learning Project participants, members of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance, and organizations profiled in the National Hunger Clearinghouse Capacity Building Guides to gather information on innovative programs and projects addressing these issues. Participate in industry-related conferences, workshops and webinars to identify and gather information for the FSLC. Audit industry-related listservs and newsletters to identify and gather information for the FSLC. Conduct 10-20 site visits to CFP grantees and/or other model organizations around the country to identify and gather information for the FSLC. Significantly update and enhance 10 existing topics in the FSLC through research, editing and writing. Add new articles, links, resources and multi-media to existing FSLC topic areas as appropriate. Post annual reports of Community Food Project grantees to the Community Food Project Database housed in the FSLC. Profile additional Community Food Project grantees through written narratives and photographs. Produce 2 short videos featuring recent Community Food Project grantees, telling their stories of successful responses to community problems. 2.) Develop the FSLC online interface so that it is an interactive hub with opportunities for user contributions and interactions, increased multimedia visuals, webinars and other new technologies. Implement new technologies for sharing content from the FSLC through creative media, including thought leader articles, webinars/google hangouts, video and other types of multi-media spotlighted and hosted on the FSLC.. Develop new online storytelling feature to highlight CFP narrative/photographic profiles and other stories from the field. Explore and implement a social networking component, such as a Flickr group, comments section and/or “Submit Your Story" button, so that users can interact directly with other Community Food Project grantees and food security colleagues around the country. 3.) Increase awareness of the FSLC and its resources amongst new and existing targeted entities through measured, multipronged outreach efforts. Identify new targeted entities including federal agencies, land grant universities, states and political subdivisions, non-governmental organizations, public health organizations, university professors, urban planning groups and libraries, through quarterly meetings with NIFA, consultation with national and regional allies and partners and consultation with Grassroots Action Network members. Feature the FSLC and its resources in WhyHunger's existing outreach mechanisms, including the Clearinghouse Connection email newsletter, WhyHunger email newsletter and Artists Against Hunger & Poverty email newsletter. Feature the FSLC and its resources in WhyHunger's existing social media outlets. Promote the FSLC and its resources through media relations efforts. Promote the FSLC and its resources through attendance and presentations at industry-related conferences and webinars. Feature the FSLC and its resources in partner email newsletters and listservs including USDA's Food & Nutrition Service agency, Growing Food & Justice Initiative, United States Food Sovereignty Alliance and COMFOOD. Feature the FSLC and its resources on Artists Against Hunger & Poverty members' websites and social media pages. Leverage relationships with Hungerthon radio stations to promote the FSLC and its resources via online banners and live radio broadcasts. Work with FSLC subcontracted topic area editors to develop and implement an outreach plan to promote the FSLC amongst their diverse networks. Design online visuals and printed materials, including banners, postcards and posters, to drive traffic to the FSLC. Distribute online banners, postcards and posters to emergency food providers, community-based organizations and program partners. Respond to requests for information via listservs, mail, email and phone. Direct individuals seeking information to relevant topic areas of the FSLC. Feature profiles of Community Food Project grantees on WhyHunger's CONNECT blog, newsletters and social media outlets monthly. 4.) Measure the impact and reach of the FSLC through the identification and implementation of robust evaluation methods and measures. Conduct quarterly analysis of web-based data. Conduct an online survey of the FSLC website to gather data on content, usability and impact. Work with a sample of CFPs and other interested parties to respond to a qualitative questionnaire on the utility of the FSLC to project goals. Aggregate and report on data.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1) Regularly update the content of the Food Security Learning Center with the latest developments in the rapidly expanding and changing field of community food security. Created and updated 16 new profiles for Community Food Project (CFP) grantees now housed in the CFP database on the FSLC. Profiles include information about the grantee organization and the CFP goals and objectives, as well as first-person narratives from CFP grantees and photos. Premiered 3 short video profiles of CFP grantees, included in the CFP database. Profiles are of: Tohono O’odham Community Action Cultivating Community Garden-Raised Bounty (GRuB) Visited 17 CFP programs around the country in order to gather data and documentation for the purpose of promoting and supporting their programs. Full list of site visits is available upon request. Visited 44 additional targeted entities around the country in order to learn about common food security problems and solutions from those people most affected by hunger, diet-related disease, urban and rural poverty, the loss of farms and ranches, and other issues. Full list of site visits is available upon request. Worked with editorial consultant Christina Bronsing to update topics, features, and navigability of FSLC. Introduced the new “Thought Leaders” series on the FSLC, which features narratives from a variety of targeted entities with first-hand accounting of their solutions to food security and common community problems. The series will be posted on the FSLC beginning in the first week of October, with essays, multi-media presentations and articles by: Alma Maquitico, SURCO, El Paso, TX Cesar Lopez, community organizer, Tucson, AZ Nikki Henderson, People Grocery, Oakland, CA LaDonna Redmond food justice activist, Minneapolis, MN Published new “Welcome to the FSLC” introduction to the site, providing an overview of the rapidly changing landscape of community food security, recommendations for the public on how to get involved, and how to use the FSLC. Utilized WhyHunger’s CONNECT blog (blog.whyhunger.org), for weekly promotion of the topics, issues, organizations and activists featured in the FSLC. Featured 6 profiles of CFP grantees on blog. Updated the following FSLC topics, improving upon written content, updating statistics, and adding new articles, images, links and resources: Hunger in the US Community Food Assessment Developed a strategy to host live online discussions around timely food security issues on the Google+ Hangout platform, to be archived on the FSLC. We will pilot the program with a conversation between Anna Lappe and Michele Simon about fast food marketing to children in late October. Piloted the use of tailored Google searches in topic resource pages (e.g., Community Food Assessment/Dig Deeper) to provide users with a simple path to the most up-to-the-minute resources. 2) Develop the FSLC online interface so that it is an interactive hub with opportunities for user contributions and interactions, increased multimedia visuals, webinars, and other new technologies. Redesigned front page of the FSLC to include “Welcome” material and dynamic photo banners Updated FSLC themes for easier navigability (see Question 3 for specifics) Improved readability of articles through text boxes, photos, and graphics Improved organization within topics so that users can more quickly find the materials they are seeking. Topics are divided into Learn (The Basics), Act, Hear Stories (Voices from the Field), and Dig Deeper. 3) Increase awareness of the FSLC and its resources amongst new and targeted entities through measured, multi-pronged outreach efforts. Conducted outreach through site visits (see above for list), attendance at industry conferences, information fairs, local and regional workshops, and training and technical assistance referrals via phone and email. Outreach includes interactions with local, state, and national organizations, as well as food security networks, listservs and blogs to inform them of new resources on the FSLC and gather information on the community food security movement (listed below). Distributed promotional materials on the FSLC at 19 regional and national conferences and meetings including. Full list of conferences and meetings is available upon request. Publicized the FSLC on a monthly basis through the following WhyHunger communication outlets: National Hunger Clearinghouse's Clearinghouse Connection newsletter; WhyHunger newsletter; Hungerthon media coverage; Artists Against Hunger & Poverty newsletter; CONNECT blog and weekly CONNECT blog e-newsletter; WhyHunger social media including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest; and WhyHunger website. Worked with FSLC consultants and other partners to promote the FSLC among their diverse networks. These include: Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Award winners, Community Learning Project for Food Justice partners, and more. The FSLC has also been publicized on websites of WhyHunger partners. Featured model community food initiatives and publicized the FSLC on television networks such as CNN and MSNBC, and over 35 radio programs, as part of WhyHunger’s annual 2011 Hungerthon fall event and on weekly Community Connections radio shows. Programs were broadcast in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area, as well as nationally on Sirius Satellite Radio. Online access was available internationally. Continued outreach to and partnership with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in an effort to couple federal nutrition programs with local community food security efforts. This included sharing FSLC announcements with FNS regional offices via email and fax, as well as sharing information on the FSLC directly with FNS officials at SNAP Outreach Committee meetings, Hunger Champion meetings, and other meetings involving WhyHunger and FNS. Promoted FSLC through print materials at relevant concerts and music venues, and on high-profile CFP site visits with musical artists through WhyHunger’s Artists Against Hunger & Poverty program. 4) Measure the impact of the FSLC through the identification and implementation of robust evaluation methods and measures. Determined relevant evaluation data to collect and established appropriate analytic mechanisms for collection. In grant year 2013, the FSLC received almost 11,000 unique visitors from around the country (as well as internationally). The site's homepage was the most popular page, followed by topic pages on Hunger in the US, Food Deserts, Food and Farm Bill, Food Sovereignty, and Food, Faith and Spirituality. Visitors came to the site most frequently through direct keyword searches on Google, as well as links in WhyHunger's newsletters, blog, social media; USDA and FNS promotion; and links from WhyHunger partners.

Publications

• Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: www.foodsecuritylearningcenter.org