Bounty & Soul (BAS) is pleased to announce that they have been awarded a $25,000 Food and Farming Grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC). This grant award will strengthen the organizations food access programs, Produce to the People™ and Farmers Alliance. Through these complimentary programs, Bounty & Soul aims to address food insecurity through a lens of equity and inclusion while supporting the strengthening of the local food system.
Produce to the People™ remains BAS’s cornerstone program that distributes fresh, nourishing foods to people experiencing food insecurity. It currently distributes food through a bi-weekly drive-through market, food box delivery directly to those who experience barriers to accessing the drive-through markets, and a weekly pop-up market in Latinx neighborhoods. Its Farmers Alliance program includes 46+ local farmers, growers and businesses that donate or sell BAS products for distribution. BAS works to have reciprocal relationships with the alliance partners and has prioritized sourcing culturally relevant foods from black, indigenous, and other farmers of color in WNC. Bounty & Soul is also committed to creating health equity by offering nutrition, healthy cooking, gardening, and wellness education for adults and children through its classes and resources. Bounty & Soul serves Buncombe, McDowell, Rutherford, Transylvania and Henderson counties.
“Investing in our local food system is a critical step in creating more food security in our region. The last two + years has shown us the importance of strengthening and cultivating a resilient, equitable and collaborative food economy where everyone has the opportunity to eat well, be nourished and thrive. We are deeply grateful for CFWNC’S investment and support of our work” says Ali Casparian, Bounty & Soul Executive Director. “It is through the support of community partners like CFWNC that we are able to champion collective solutions to food and nutrition insecurity and invest in our communities”. The funding will go directly to providing nutritious locally grown and sourced food, and nutrition and cooking education to every individual participating in Bounty & Soul.
“We have a long history of working with Bounty & Soul, and we are delighted to be able to award this grant. Western North Carolina is fortunate to have a group of strong organizations working to improve the food system, and Bounty & Soul is a key partner in that collaborative effort” says Philip Belcher, Vice President of Programs, CFWNC.
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