Guest Opinion | Food security vs. nutritional security

||| FROM LEARNER LIMBACH |||

It is two weeks until my birthday, and lately I have been choosing a cause each year to fundraise for. This year I decided to organize an online fundraising event for Fresh Bucks. I will be matching the first $500 as my contribution. All funds go to the Orcas Community Resource Center as the program fiscal sponsor. The fundraiser is on the facebook platform, but you can also mail a check or donate directly through the OCRC website. Just be sure to note “Fresh Bucks” in the comment field.

This program means a lot to me and I want to see it continue, but at this time Fresh Bucks is entirely supported by community donations.

In just 18 months since launching Fresh Bucks on Orcas Island the program has supported over 200 eligible families (meeting the same income qualifications as SNAP or WIC) to be able to purchase fresh local and organic fruits and vegetables for half the regular cost by providing a 1-1 match of their funds at the point of sale. The total amount of fresh produce purchased in those 18 months is over $40,000, of which $20K was paid by the participants and $20K was the match. These dollars predominantly flowed back to local farms, amplifying the positive impact on our community. Currently participants only have the option to redeem Fresh Bucks at the Orcas Food Co-op, due to several factors, such as that they must be redeemed at a location that accepts EBT/SNAP as payment (Fresh Bucks has the same income qualifications as SNAP), and the location must be able to handle the logistical administration of redemption and reimbursement, etc., and must be able to donate the time that goes into that. The goal is to expand the program to the Orcas Farmer’s Market (which is in the process of getting set up with SNAP) as well as other local food sources such as the San Juan Islands Food Hub, and even other retailers on Orcas.

Click Here to Read the Fresh Bucks Annual Report

Fresh Bucks is about getting people the right food to support health and well-being, while supporting a sustainable local food system. The Fresh Bucks concept grew out of the vision of Michel Nischan, who founded Wholesome Wave in 2007. “When poverty and hunger strike, it’s not just about getting more food, it’s about getting the right food. Addressing food insecurity overshadows the real problem: nutrition insecurity. Nutrition insecurity leads to the diet-related conditions that are driving the highest rates of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.”

I am grateful for past funding which has come from the Orcas Rotary Club, donations made through OICF, and Orcas Food Co-op members and shoppers contributing through the Community Hero program.

In order to raise the $18,000 needed to support Fresh Bucks this year, the approach is to do it in several stages. First, Orcas Food Co-op members and shoppers collectively raised around $3,500 for Fresh Bucks through the Community Hero program in January. Next is this online fundraiser that we hope will raise another $3,000. The OCRC Board has confirmed that we will be able to apply to have Fresh Bucks in the OICF Spring Catalog, which we hope will help reach the rest of the funding goal for the year.

If you feel inclined, join me in supporting Fresh Bucks! Click Here to Donate.

I also wanted to mention last month I shared info about Kristy’s Kickstarter project “Build an Herb Drying Shed”. I wanted to let you know that the Kickstarter was fully funded for $12,000! Thanks to all who contributed. This is a great thing for local herbalism and wildcrafting here in the islands. It is rare knowledge these days and with Dr. Ryan Drum retiring it’s all the more important that we support his once-apprentice and successor, Kristy, so that we can all benefit from this knowledge living on in our community.

Wishing you health and abundance!