Seeds to Success Youth Farm Stand project: Using social marketing to increase community presence and create a self-supporting project

Project Overview

CNE06-009
Project Type: Sustainable Community Innovation
Funds awarded in 2006: $10,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2007
Region: Northeast
State: New Jersey
Project Leader:
Luanne Hughes
Email
Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Fruits: melons, peaches, plums
  • Vegetables: beans, beets, cucurbits, eggplant, greens (leafy), peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes

Practices

  • Education and Training: extension, focus group, mentoring, participatory research
  • Farm Business Management: new enterprise development, cooperatives, marketing management, market study
  • Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities, public participation, urban/rural integration, analysis of personal/family life, community services, employment opportunities, social capital, social networks, sustainability measures, community development

    Proposal abstract:

    Our project helps residents in 3 limited resource communities gain access to local produce via a retail outlet (Seeds to Success youth farmstand) that: is profitable to local farmers/growers; benefits the local community and its residents; and needs to be a self-supporting project by 2008.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    The project has four key objectives: 1) Create retail outlets that bring nutritious, affordable, locally grown produce to consumers; 2) Offer economic development opportunities to at-risk communities; 3) Offer farmers new retail outlets at which to sell crops at competitive, profitable prices; 4) Provide workforce preparation to special needs teens via youth-operated farmstands.

    To enhance Seeds to Success’ strategic plan, the educational and social marketing components that emphasize community empowerment and the ecological benefits of eating locally produced foods must be further developed and disseminated to the community.

    We propose to develop a social marketing campaign (kit with marketing and instructional materials, public service announcements, multi-media display and revenue enhancement/instructional materials) to increase outreach and stand income, and attract benefactors. This will attract more farmers with the opportunity to increase their revenue. The campaign will expand impact and, ultimately, enable us to secure long-term funding to sustain Seeds to Success when existing grants expire in 2008.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.