Food Access
New Roots in Salt Lake City is providing access to food for local communities through a variety of efforts including Community Gardens, Community Supported Agriculture, Farmers Markets and Retailers.
In addition to these efforts, New Roots has also participated in:
Emergency Food Assistance during COVID-19
Like other racially and ethnically diverse communities in the U.S., families and individuals served by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Many families who were financially self-sufficient prior to the outbreak of the pandemic in Utah suddenly faced dire economic strain: many were furloughed or let go from “non-essential” employment, temporarily closed their small businesses or income-generating activities due to health mandates, were forced to self-quarantine due to symptoms, or tested positive for the virus. These financial impacts have directly affected household budgets and stability, often leading to food insecurity.
Through an emergency food assistance program, New Roots is helping to ensure families access healthy, culturally-relevant and religiously appropriate foods. Since March 2020, New Roots staff and volunteers have distributed staple items, goat meat from the IRC East African Goat Ranch, and produce grown by New Roots farmers to families and individuals in need.
Food Secure Resettlement
In the United States, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) offers robust programming in support of refugee resettlement. Here in Utah, newly arrived refugee families are connected with a caseworker upon arrival who advocates on their behalf, connects them with vital services, and helps reduce barriers to positive integration during their first two years in the Beehive State.
Maintaining food security from the moment families arrive is incredibly important. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Part of food secure resettlement involves identifying the barriers that each family may encounter when trying to access food. Barriers to food access can be generalized, such as a lack of affordable food, a lack of reliable transportation to the grocery store, and a lack of available culturally-preferred foods. The reasons for food insecurity can also be unique to each individual, such as a failure to meet eligibility requirements for food assistance programs like SNAP or WIC, a lack of cooking experience, budgeting skills, or knowledge of nutrition. Because food insecurity is complex in this way, New Roots often works with IRC caseworkers and the health team to assess each family's situation and provide individualized approaches to tackling food insecurity in their household. Caseworkers ensure the family understands how to use the local transit system to access the nearest grocery store upon arrival. Additionally, New Roots introduces all newly arrived families and individuals to the community garden program as well as the nearest farmers markets.
Sunnyvale Food Pantry
At the Sunnyvale Farmers Market operated by New Roots, staff and volunteers provide a free choice food pantry. Commodity donations from Latter-day Saint Charities supply non-perishable food staples and the Green Urban Lunch Box provides locally gleaned fruit.
The pantry also distributes kids lunches, thanks to Utah Food Bank, for families to take home to their children.
The pantry typically serves 40-50 families weekly for the 18-week market season. The pantry runs Saturdays during the Sunnyvale Farmers Market (June 19-Oct 16, 2021) 11am-1pm or until supplies last.
CSA Family Fund
In 2020, New Roots piloted a program of donated CSA shares in which a weekly box of produce was delivered to a refugee family that had arrived to Salt Lake City in 2020.
Thanks to New Roots CSA members, 3 refugee families received 15 weeks of culturally relevant produce delivered to their door.
Produce Donations
New Roots Salt Lake City facilitated the donation of 36,003 pounds of food from March 2020 to February 2021. This included:
7,948 lbs. of produce grown by New Roots farmers
9,050 lbs. purchased from farmers
8,898 lbs. donated to various food pantries from unsold New Roots farmer produce
17,480 lbs. of dry foods
300 lbs. of beef
275 lbs. of goat meat (purchased from the East African Goat Project of Utah, a program of the IRC SLC)
The truth is, over 360,000 Utahns are experiencing food insecurity. New Roots works with amazing local community partners such as Utah Food Bank and Utahns Against Hunger that are taking steps to address hunger and food insecurity.
Anyone experiencing food insecurity is encouraged to find local food pantries and resources through United Way’s “Get Help, Give Help” 211 - Food site.