Food and Nutrition and the Promise Zone

The USI Food and Nutrition program is involved with a federal grant to support local farmers and healthy food choices. Evansville, Indiana, is one of 16 cities in the nation to receive assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“The U.S. EPA has delivered its final edit on the Local Foods, Local Places plan that will serve as a working document for the City of Evansville to provide more economic opportunities to farmers, increase access to healthier, local foods and to revitalize neighborhoods,” said Christine Prior of the Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development. “Action items are already underway, and the plan will be more widely disseminated after the first of the year to prospective partners to encourage broader participation in the initiatives.”

Dr. Julie McCullough, Chair of the Food Work Group of the Promise Zone, indicates “the food work group will be working with the steering committee to implement parts of the action plan in year 2021. It was great to work with many community members in Evansville on this action plan.”

Nearly all communities selected include Opportunity Zones. The Local Foods, Local Places (LFLP) program is a federal initiative that helps communities reinvest in existing neighborhoods and improve quality of life through the sustainable development of their local food economy.

According to a press release from the EPA, Evansville plans to create a multi-use food center to address food insecurity and provide resources for local food entrepreneurs.