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A Sharpened Focus on Food Security

This year’s strategic planning process brought about a change for the Foundation’s Individual & Family Health & Well-Being program area. After much reflection, the Foundation has chosen to focus this portfolio exclusively on food security. As such, funding was renewed last week for the following organizations:

Additionally, the Austin Fresh funding collaborative, of which the Christopher Family Foundation is a founding member, recently awarded grants to the following organizations working to strengthen food security in the Austin neighborhood:

  • Beyond Hunger – to expand a program of home delivery of emergency food to people with disabilities
  • BUILD, Inc. – to expand programming in the outdoor education space at their new facility
  • Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures – to provide trolley tours of Austin food businesses to Austin youth and their families
  • Greater St. John Bible Church – for the first full year of operations of the licensed kitchen established at Greater St. John
  • Harambee Garden – general operating support to expand programming and neighborhood connection for this community garden
  • NeighborSpace – for coordination among Austin garden sites
  • The Evolved Network – a program that expands access to food through exposure for young people in partnership with BUILD and Chicago Jesuit Academy
  • Food Access Project – using the Vivery platform, to expand access to food for people with disabilities through delivery services

Austin Fresh is a 5-year commitment to advancing Austin quality-of-life plan goals related to expanding healthy retail options, supporting community gardens and local food production, growing food enterprises, and protecting and strengthening food assistance programs. Austin Fresh is funded by  The Builder’s Initiative, The Christopher Family Foundation, The Lumpkin Family Foundation, Food, Land, Opportunity, and the Walter Mander Foundation. Decisions are made with participation from Austin Coming Together.

In this season of giving thanks, we are deeply grateful to walk alongside such incredible partners in our shared pursuit of supporting thriving families and communities on Chicago’s West Side.

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