Niagara Falls Local Food Action Plan

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A vision for HEalthier Food Grown Locally

We began with a simple vision of having Niagara Falls residents understand the value of choosing to eat healthy foods. We understand the barriers when it comes to accessing healthy and affordable food. As a community, it’s up to us to be the change and get involved.
START
Let's create a significant impact on access to healthier and affordable food for Niagara Falls.
download Plan

WhaT Kind of Community member are you?

Resident
Service Provider
Policymaker
Business
Institution
Grower
I AM
Resident
Priority areas that residents can get involved
11
Agriculture
7
Access
3
Education
3
Economic Development
Urban Agriculture
Community Gardens
Farmers Markets
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Engage community anchors (e.g. churches and other institutions) in planning and implementing urban agriculture programs
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop and promote programs that support the use of innovative technology in urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop a Farmer Mentor program between rural and urban growers
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Promote workforce development agriculture programs for high school youth (e.g. Future Farmers of America and Urban 4-H)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop an urban agriculture entrepreneurship program that prepares professionals for sustainable business opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create summer agriculture camps for youth - integrate working in gardens and other forms of urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Utilize community gardening as a tool to combat urban blight and zombie properties
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Promote awareness about the link between community gardening and safer neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create phytoremediation programs to address soil contamination and urban blight
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create a community gardening network across the city
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Improve market operations at the Niagara Falls City Market to include more market oversight and management, federal and state funded nutrition incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP
Healthy Neighborhoods
Civic Engagement
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Establish community kitchens in low-income neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Coordinate programs that provide equipment, supplies, and utensils for home cooking
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Advocate for improved physical conditions (e.g. sidewalk reconstruction, lighting, bike lanes) for pedestrians and bicyclists
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Identify corner stores that would be appropirate for a "Healthy Corner Store Initiative"
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Residents advocate to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority for changes in routes, safer drop-off locations and improved policies (e.g. cart policy)
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Activate citizen advocacy surrouning grocery stores and food retail to keep prices fairly distributed
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Organize residents behind healthy food policies and programs, including clean air, soil and water causes
Consumer Education
Schools
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Provide Culturally relevant education opportunities about the economic and health benefits of eating local (e.g. "Local Food Day," book clubs, movie screenings)
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Teach residents creative ways to garden without traditional plots or raised beds (e.g. utilizing planters, aluminum gutters, or plastic buckets), with an emphasis on engaging senior citizens and youth in a multigenerational approach to learning
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Create and promote a city-wide residential composting program
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Workforce Development
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Develop food-based employment and training opportunities in food desert areas of the City of Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
As urban farms come online, initiate a youth-oriented pilot program to teach cultivation techniques, economics and entrepreneurship, and provide summer employment
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Bring Niagara Falls youth together with the city's senior citizens to share knowledge and form a mutually beneficial, intergenerational partnership
Click to view action plans in each priority areas
Service Provider
Priority areas that residents can get involved
11
Agriculture
3
Access
7
Education
4
Economic Development
Urban Agriculture
Community Gardens
Farmers Markets
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Engage community anchors (e.g. churches and other institutions) in planning and implementing urban agriculture programs
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Promote workforce development agriculture programs for high school youth (e.g. Future Farmers of America and Urban 4-H)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop an urban agriculture entrepreneurship program that prepares professionals for sustainable business opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create summer agriculture camps for youth - integrate working in gardens and other forms of urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Develop policies at the city level that promote and support community gardening opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Utilize community gardening as a tool to combat urban blight and zombie properties
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Promote awareness about the link between community gardening and safer neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create a database of potential garden spaces across the city
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create phytoremediation programs to address soil contamination and urban blight
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create a community gardening network across the city
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Improve market operations at the Niagara Falls City Market to include more market oversight and management, federal and state funded nutrition incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP
Healthy Neighborhoods
Civic Engagement
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Establish community kitchens in low-income neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Coordinate programs that provide equipment, supplies, and utensils for home cooking
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Identify corner stores that would be appropirate for a "Healthy Corner Store Initiative"
Consumer Education
Schools
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Provide Culturally relevant education opportunities about the economic and health benefits of eating local (e.g. "Local Food Day," book clubs, movie screenings)
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Teach residents creative ways to garden without traditional plots or raised beds (e.g. utilizing planters, aluminum gutters, or plastic buckets), with an emphasis on engaging senior citizens and youth in a multigenerational approach to learning
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Adopt a local school garden program with the capability of harvesting for school lunches, partnering with youth organizations to help maintain the gardens
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Improve quality, nutrition, and aesthetic of school lunches to promote healthy eating among youth
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Integrate agriculture education into school curricula and other youth programming
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Activate student voices in helping determine the district's food selection through many opportunities for feedback and presentations of results to local stakeholders
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Target youth with early interventions about the the importance of a varied and healthy diet, including health effects
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Workforce Development
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Infrastructure
Engage the City of Niagara Falls Planning Department to identify policy changes that can be instituted to give urban farms and community gardens longer-term agreements to cultivate city-owned land
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Develop food-based employment and training opportunities in food desert areas of the City of Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
As urban farms come online, initiate a youth-oriented pilot program to teach cultivation techniques, economics and entrepreneurship, and provide summer employment
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Bring Niagara Falls youth together with the city's senior citizens to share knowledge and form a mutually beneficial, intergenerational partnership
Click to view action plans in each priority areas
Policymaker
Priority areas that residents can get involved
8
Agriculture
5
Access
1
Education
5
Economic Development
Urban Agriculture
Community Gardens
Farmers Markets
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create policies that promote and support urban agriculture opportunities in the city
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create policies that incentivize alternative growing practices and provide supporting education to foster sustainable development (e.g., aquaponics, hydroponics, hoop houses, etc.)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop favorable market garden policies to allow residents and business owners to sell what they grow
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Develop policies at the city level that promote and support community gardening opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create policies at the city level that allow access to irrigation for community gardning on vacant lots
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Utilize community gardening as a tool to combat urban blight and zombie properties
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Promote and support farmers markets by creating policies at the city level that favor the development of farmers markets across the city - including indoor opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Improve market operations at the Niagara Falls City Market to include more market oversight and management, federal and state funded nutrition incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP
Healthy Neighborhoods
Civic Engagement
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Advocate for improved physical conditions (e.g. sidewalk reconstruction, lighting, bike lanes) for pedestrians and bicyclists
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Identify corner stores that would be appropirate for a "Healthy Corner Store Initiative"
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Residents advocate to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority for changes in routes, safer drop-off locations and improved policies (e.g. cart policy)
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Activate citizen advocacy surrounding grocery stores and food retail to keep prices fairly distributed
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Organize residents behind healthy food policies and programs, including clean air, soil and water causes
Consumer Education
Schools
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Create and promote a city-wide residential composting program
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Workforce Development
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Craft a local food purchasing policy to be included by economic development agencies - at the city and state level - in community benefits agreements with hotels and restaurants that received public subsidies
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Expand promotion of agrictourism in and around Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Infrastructure
Engage the City of Niagara Falls Planning Department to identify policy changes that can be instituted to give urban farms and community gardens longer-term agreements to cultivate city-owned land
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Infrastructure
Work with the Niagara Falls City Council on a market garden ordinance that allows residents to sell produce that has been harvested, safely and sustainably, from private or community gardens
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Infrastructure
Identify strategic nodes around the city of mobile market visits and temporary pop-up markets
Click to view action plans in each priority areas
Business
Priority areas that residents can get involved
8
Agriculture
5
Access
1
Education
5
Economic Development
Urban Agriculture
Community Gardens
Farmers Markets
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create policies that promote and support urban agriculture opportunities in the city
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create policies that incentivize alternative growing practices and provide supporting education to foster sustainable development (e.g., aquaponics, hydroponics, hoop houses, etc.)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop favorable market garden policies to allow residents and business owners to sell what they grow
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Engage community anchors (e.g. churches and other institutions) in planning and implementing urban agriculture programs
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop and promote programs that support the use of innovative technology in urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop an urban agriculture entrepreneurship program that prepares professionals for sustainable business opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Utilize community gardening as a tool to combat urban blight and zombie properties
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Improve market operations at the Niagara Falls City Market to include more market oversight and management, federal and state funded nutrition incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP
Healthy Neighborhoods
Civic Engagement
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Establish community kitchens in low-income neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Coordinate programs that provide equipment, supplies, and utensils for home cooking
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Advocate for improved physical conditions (e.g. sidewalk reconstruction, lighting, bike lanes) for pedestrians and bicyclists
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Identify corner stores that would be appropirate for a "Healthy Corner Store Initiative"
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Civic Engagement
Activate citizen advocacy surrounding grocery stores and food retail to keep prices fairly distributed
Consumer Education
Schools
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Workforce Development
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Craft a local food purchasing policy to be included by economic development agencies - at the city and state level - in community benefits agreements with hotels and restaurants that received public subsidies
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Expand promotion of agrictourism in and around Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Develop food-based employment and training opportunities in food desert areas of the City of Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
As urban farms come online, initiate a youth-oriented pilot program to teach cultivation techniques, economics and entrepreneurship, and provide summer employment
Click to view action plans in each priority areas
Institution
Priority areas that residents can get involved
9
Agriculture
5
Access
1
Education
5
Economic Development
Urban Agriculture
Community Gardens
Farmers Markets
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Engage community anchors (e.g. churches and other institutions) in planning and implementing urban agriculture programs
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop and promote programs that support the use of innovative technology in urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Promote workforce development agriculture programs for high school youth (e.g. Future Farmers of America and Urban 4-H)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop an urban agriculture entrepreneurship program that prepares professionals for sustainable business opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create summer agriculture camps for youth - integrate working in gardens and other forms of urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Utilize community gardening as a tool to combat urban blight and zombie properties
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Promote awareness about the link between community gardening and safer neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Create phytoremediation programs to address soil contamination and urban blight
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Improve market operations at the Niagara Falls City Market to include more market oversight and management, federal and state funded nutrition incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP
Healthy Neighborhoods
Civic Engagement
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Establish community kitchens in low-income neighborhoods
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Coordinate programs that provide equipment, supplies, and utensils for home cooking
Priority Area:
Access
Sub-theme:
Healthy Neighborhoods
Advocate for improved physical conditions (e.g. sidewalk reconstruction, lighting, bike lanes) for pedestrians and bicyclists
Consumer Education
Schools
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Provide Culturally relevant education opportunities about the economic and health benefits of eating local (e.g. "Local Food Day," book clubs, movie screenings)
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Teach residents creative ways to garden without traditional plots or raised beds (e.g. utilizing planters, aluminum gutters, or plastic buckets), with an emphasis on engaging senior citizens and youth in a multigenerational approach to learning
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Adopt a local school garden program with the capability of harvesting for school lunches, partnering with youth organizations to help maintain the gardens
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Improve quality, nutrition, and aesthetic of school lunches to promote healthy eating among youth
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Integrate agriculture education into school curricula and other youth programming
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Activate student voices in helping determine the district's food selection through many opportunities for feedback and presentations of results to local stakeholders
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Schools
Target youth with early interventions about the the importance of a varied and healthy diet, including health effects
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Workforce Development
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Craft a local food purchasing policy to be included by economic development agencies - at the city and state level - in community benefits agreements with hotels and restaurants that received public subsidies
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Expand promotion of agrictourism in and around Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Develop food-based employment and training opportunities in food desert areas of the City of Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Workforce Development
Bring Niagara Falls youth together with the city's senior citizens to share knowledge and form a mutually beneficial, intergenerational partnership
Click to view action plans in each priority areas
Grower
Priority areas that residents can get involved
12
Agriculture
0
Access
1
Education
2
Economic Development
Urban Agriculture
Community Gardens
Farmers Markets
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create policies that promote and support urban agriculture opportunities in the city
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create policies that incentivize alternative growing practices and provide supporting education to foster sustainable development (e.g., aquaponics, hydroponics, hoop houses, etc.)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop favorable market garden policies to allow residents and business owners to sell what they grow
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Engage community anchors (e.g. churches and other institutions) in planning and implementing urban agriculture programs
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop and promote programs that support the use of innovative technology in urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Develop a Farmer Mentor program between rural and urban growers
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Promote workforce development agriculture programs for high school youth (e.g. Future Farmers of America and Urban 4-H)
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Urban Agriculture
Create summer agriculture camps for youth - integrate working in gardens and other forms of urban agriculture
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Develop policies at the city level that promote and support community gardening opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Community Gardens
Utilize community gardening as a tool to combat urban blight and zombie properties
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Promote and support farmers markets by creating policies at the city level that favor the development of farmers markets across the city - including indoor opportunities
Priority Area:
Agriculture
Sub-theme:
Farmers Market
Improve market operations at the Niagara Falls City Market to include more market oversight and management, federal and state funded nutrition incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP
Healthy Neighborhoods
Civic Engagement
Consumer Education
Schools
Priority Area:
Education
Sub-theme:
Consumer Education
Teach residents creative ways to garden without traditional plots or raised beds (e.g. utilizing planters, aluminum gutters, or plastic buckets), with an emphasis on engaging senior citizens and youth in a multigenerational approach to learning
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Workforce Development
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Economic Development
Expand promotion of agrictourism in and around Niagara Falls
Priority Area:
Economic Development
Sub-theme:
Infrastructure
Expand promotion of agrictourism in and around Niagara Falls
Click to view action plans in each priority areas
The Niagara Falls Local Food Action Plan
The Need for Action
‍There are many concerns over the quality and variety of food for the residents of Niagara Falls. In fact, several neighborhoods of Niagara Falls are considered food deserts. That means that residents in our city have poor accessibility to affordable, nutritious and fresh food. The 41 items presented in the Niagara Falls Local Food Action Plan are actions we should implement because residents of Niagara Falls want and need better access to nutritious and affordable food for their own comfort and well-being, as well as the longterm health outcomes of the City.
‍
Our Vision
‍The Niagara Falls Local Food Action Plan is a roadmap for improving the entire food system, from production to consumption, in the city of Niagara Falls. Recommendations may be taken up by organizations or individuals, and will be supported by Healthy Food Healthy People Work Group of the Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative.
The Framework of the Plan
The framework of the plan is organized into the following 4 PRIORITY AREAS: Agriculture, Healthy Neighborhoods, Education, and Economic Development.
Get Involved​
Contact Us
1702 Pine Avenue 
Suite 104
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
(716) 777-1034
‍
Support our MISSION
Copyright © Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative