ASAP's 2023 Annual Report
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<strong>Annual</strong><br />
<strong>Report</strong><br />
<strong>2023</strong>
EXPAND<br />
Tomas C. Farms during ASAP’s annual Farm Tour.
Dear Friends,<br />
Thank you for supporting ASAP! As you read through this <strong>2023</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong>, you’ll see all the ways your contributions lead to a<br />
stronger, more resilient local food system.<br />
Over the past few years ASAP has grown our Farm Fresh for Health<br />
initiatives that link all aspects of our health—economic, physical,<br />
and social. You’ll read a story on the growth of our Farm Fresh<br />
Produce Prescription, which is gaining momentum similar to our<br />
popular Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables program. These<br />
programs are both a win-win for communities. They simultaneously<br />
feed our neighbors and support local farmers. They bring more<br />
community members to farmers markets and encourage eating<br />
more fresh fruits and vegetables. This has the potential to make us<br />
a healthier, happier community.<br />
ASAP has heard from our partners in the charitable food system<br />
that even though the worst days of the pandemic are behind us, the<br />
demand for food donations has increased. Our work implementing<br />
both the Prescription and Double SNAP programs in <strong>2023</strong> has<br />
prepared ASAP, in partnership with others, to meet this moment.<br />
In 2024, ASAP will begin to expand Double SNAP to all 23 counties of<br />
Western North Carolina across nearly 40 sites. To take the program<br />
to the next level, we are partnering with MountainWise and Blue<br />
Ridge Women in Agriculture to connect SNAP participants with<br />
fresh food in their communities. By combining efforts, we’ll deepen<br />
our impact.<br />
In <strong>2023</strong> and continuing into 2024, I’ve also witnessed the ways the<br />
legacy of our pandemic response program, Appalachian Farms<br />
Feeding Families (AFFF), has continued to provide families in need<br />
with fresh, local food. Through the Growing Minds program, we<br />
continue to support community connections. For example, Pam’s<br />
Child Development Center in Jackson County has continued working<br />
with Carringer Farms. ASAP paired them together in AFFF. Last year,<br />
the owner of the center, Pam Ashe, told us:<br />
“Many of our children sampled new foods prepared by family<br />
members. The children were encouraged to help pick out the fresh<br />
vegetables. It was a true pleasure to see young families taking<br />
home bags of fresh veggies. Each child knew exactly which tomato<br />
or cucumber, etc., they wanted.”<br />
By continuing to support connections like these, we are meeting<br />
our mission to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and<br />
supporters, and build healthy communities through connections<br />
to local food. Together, we are building a local food system that<br />
everyone can participate in.<br />
Together in service,<br />
Molly Nicholie<br />
Executive Director
INNOVATE<br />
Prescription shoppers at Asheville City Market.
Increase Access, Improve Health<br />
Farm Fresh Produce Prescription<br />
Growth<br />
“$40 in my pocket became health for me and my baby<br />
and then became income for farmers. And now I will be<br />
able to take my baby with me to the market.”<br />
In <strong>2023</strong>, ASAP’s Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program<br />
saw immense growth. Doctors, nurses, and community<br />
health workers can prescribe their patients or clients<br />
fresh fruits and vegetables that they can then redeem at<br />
participating markets. This incentive program, similar to<br />
Double SNAP, increases access and improves health.<br />
Lauren, a participant in the program, told us how good<br />
it felt to spend money with farmers. She was originally<br />
referred to the program when she was pregnant as one of<br />
several resources through the Nurse-Family Partnership.<br />
Lauren said the program was a game changer for her.<br />
She said she ate so much spinach when she was pregnant<br />
and that it was so nice to not be stressed about food cost<br />
during that time. Today, she says, “there are things we<br />
wouldn’t eat in our household without this program,”<br />
including leafy greens, bok choy, beans, and squash.<br />
Serving Diverse Populations<br />
The prescription program also serves another vulnerable<br />
population—seniors. Vance Goodman, Council on Aging’s<br />
Benefits Enrollment Specialist, worked with ASAP in<br />
<strong>2023</strong> to refer seniors to the program. For seniors, Vance<br />
says, the program gets participants to interface with<br />
other humans, visit with one another in shuttles from the<br />
senior housing complex, talk about recipes, and feel like<br />
they’re giving back to the community by spending food<br />
dollars with farmers.<br />
Vance told us that caregivers have also accessed the<br />
program, and when caregivers are taken care of, they’re<br />
better equipped to care for their loved ones.<br />
We heard more about the impact of the program on our<br />
senior community when speaking to Mo Hakala, the<br />
North Asheville Tailgate Market Assistant. Mo told us<br />
that in 2022, they’d see four to five people redeeming<br />
their prescription every week at the market. But in <strong>2023</strong>,<br />
this increased to 30 or more households weekly. The<br />
majority of people using the program at the market<br />
are seniors. Mo told us about a group of senior women<br />
who are the first customers to arrive at the market every<br />
Saturday morning. “They pick up tokens together and<br />
walk around the market together. They are not only<br />
happy to shop, but also happy to see friends.”<br />
Alternative Program Model<br />
In <strong>2023</strong>, ASAP also tested out another model of the<br />
program in Swain County, a more rural community<br />
without as easy to access farmers markets. This<br />
multi-farm CSA-style food box delivery model served<br />
50 families. ASAP worked in partnership with<br />
MountainWise, the Swain County Health Department,<br />
and EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems to offer<br />
participating families monthly gatherings with cooking<br />
demos, taste tests, family activities, and other resources<br />
like recipe cards and cooking equipment. In 2024,<br />
ASAP and project partners plan to expand this pilot to<br />
Swain and Macon counties with twice the number of<br />
participants over twice the amount of time.<br />
“It puts money<br />
in my hands<br />
and because it’s<br />
restricted to fruits<br />
and vegetables,<br />
it gives me only<br />
healthy choices.”<br />
Lauren, a participant in the program<br />
Farm Fresh tokens being used at a weekly Tailgate Market.
EXPERIENCE<br />
Local food taste test at Oakley Elementary School.
Positive Local Food<br />
Experiences<br />
Local Food Procurement in Schools<br />
In <strong>2023</strong>, ASAP made big strides to support local food<br />
procurement in school systems. Our Growing Minds<br />
Farm to School program staff worked closely with the<br />
school nutrition directors in Buncombe and Haywood<br />
Counties to make this happen. For Haywood County, an<br />
introduction was made to Pilot Mountain Pears. Nutrition<br />
Director Alison Frances told us that in <strong>2023</strong>:<br />
“Our kids absolutely love Asian pears. We’ve been getting<br />
them for the last few years, but not from Hendersonville.<br />
ASAP has provided us with great marketing tools to help<br />
us showcase the local farmers that we work with. We<br />
have posters in the cafeterias with farmer profiles. We<br />
put it on menus and share it on our Facebook page.”<br />
In Buncombe County, an introduction was made to<br />
TendWell Farm. Danielle Hutchison, farm owner and<br />
operator told us:<br />
“By providing nutritious options to the school system,<br />
we are not only supporting the health and well-being of<br />
students, but also fostering a connection to the land and<br />
the food we grow. It’s important to us because it allows<br />
us to contribute to the education and nourishment of the<br />
next generation while staying true to our commitment to<br />
produce organic food.”<br />
Local Food Taste Tests<br />
ASAP also successfully brought local food into schools<br />
in <strong>2023</strong> through cafeteria taste tests. ASAP staff led taste<br />
tests in school cafeterias and also provided schools<br />
with Meet Your Farmer banners and printed farmer<br />
profiles that could continue conversations between<br />
teachers and students back in the classroom. All schools<br />
that participated were introduced to the farmer who<br />
provided the produce for the taste test and that farmer<br />
plans to visit the school!<br />
Toward the end of <strong>2023</strong>, the Growing Minds staff visited<br />
Claxton Elementary School in Asheville. More than 350<br />
students, teachers, and staff taste tested a Triple Berry<br />
Kale Salad. The kale was purchased from R Farms in<br />
Weaverville, NC. At the taste test we heard students say:<br />
“This is the best kale ever. It’s better than dessert!”<br />
“I don’t like salad very often, but this is awesome!”<br />
Cooking and Growing<br />
in the Classroom<br />
In <strong>2023</strong>, Growing Minds staff also connected early<br />
childhood education centers to local farms. Farms<br />
provided education centers CSA (Community Supported<br />
Agriculture) boxes and the food was used for classroom<br />
cooking and also shared with the teachers and staff!<br />
ASAP also provided funding to support the purchase<br />
of equipment that could be used to prep food in the<br />
preschool classroom, along with other tools, resources,<br />
and experiences to support educators in implementing<br />
farm to school.<br />
“Selling our healthy, local<br />
organic produce to the<br />
Buncombe county school<br />
system is a meaningful<br />
opportunity for TendWell<br />
Farm. It aligns with our<br />
core mission of promoting<br />
sustainable, communitybased<br />
agriculture.”<br />
Danielle Hutchison, farm owner<br />
and operator<br />
Claxton Elementary School student tries kale.
CONNECT<br />
Danielle Keeter and Mark McDonagh hosting “Fun on the Farm.”
Farmers as Community Leaders<br />
Mighty Gnome Market Garden<br />
in Haywood County<br />
One way ASAP helps local farms thrive is by making<br />
community connections. In 2020, ASAP introduced<br />
Mighty Gnome Market Garden to Haywood Christian<br />
Ministry through the Appalachian Farms Feeding Families<br />
pandemic response program. This partnership continued<br />
into <strong>2023</strong> and is going strong. Farmers Danielle Keeter<br />
and Mark McDonagh told us that this connection gets<br />
at the heart of their farm’s mission—to provide locally<br />
grown, fresh, high-quality produce to their community.<br />
This partnership has meant so much to both parties<br />
that Danielle officially joined the board of Haywood<br />
Christian Ministry in the summer of <strong>2023</strong>, offering more<br />
opportunities to be a community leader and support the<br />
mission of a nonprofit that does so much for residents of<br />
Haywood County.<br />
ASAP staff also helped foster a connection between<br />
Mighty Gnome and the Haywood Historic Farmers<br />
Market. These relationships prompted Mark and Danielle<br />
to purchase land and farm in Haywood County—and, in<br />
<strong>2023</strong>, Mark and Danielle participated in another mutual<br />
aid project to help feed members of their newfound<br />
community.<br />
Farm to School Engagement<br />
Based on their demonstrated leadership in the<br />
community, in <strong>2023</strong>, ASAP’s Growing Minds program<br />
collaborated with Mighty Gnome in several new ways.<br />
Mighty Gnome hosted a “Fun on the Farm” day with staff<br />
from Mountain Projects who serve children in Head Start<br />
centers and filmed a “Meet Your Farmer” video as part of<br />
farm to preschool curriculum. During Fun on the Farm,<br />
preschool educators got to experience team-building<br />
activities, time outdoors learning about the farm, as<br />
well as farm to preschool books and activities that<br />
they could take back to their centers. Laura Passamore,<br />
the Health, Nutrition, and Disabilities Coordinator for<br />
Mountain Projects told us, “The staff have used the<br />
books they received in their classrooms. Our Human<br />
Resources Director that was there even brought back<br />
the smoothie recipe and shared it with all staff of<br />
Mountain Projects.”<br />
Workplace CSA Success<br />
<strong>2023</strong> also represented year four of a partnership with<br />
the City of Asheville that ASAP helped foster. City staff<br />
can sign up to participate in a workplace CSA with<br />
Mighty Gnome. Mark and Danielle collaborated with<br />
the city’s sustainability office to make this happen.<br />
Scott, a participant and city staffer told us:<br />
“Our workplace CSA program makes it so easy to access<br />
healthy delicious produce. With automatic payroll<br />
deduction through my employer, the fresh boxes of<br />
produce simply arrive each week throughout the<br />
season. Our farmer friends at Mighty Gnome keep us<br />
updated each week with details on the deliveries and<br />
new recipes to try out!”<br />
Kiera Bulan, with the City’s Sustainability Department<br />
said: “By hosting a delivery site, supporting promotions<br />
and communications, and offering automatic payroll<br />
deduction, the City is modeling ways to remove barriers<br />
to eating healthy and supporting local businesses.”<br />
“We’re grateful to Mark<br />
and Danielle for their<br />
tireless work growing<br />
top quality produce<br />
and their ongoing<br />
collaboration to bring<br />
this fresh food to<br />
City employees and<br />
residents.”<br />
Kiera Bulan, Sustainability Program<br />
Manager, City of Asheville<br />
Mighty Gnome Market Garden CSA box.
<strong>2023</strong> Impact<br />
Farmers Markets<br />
Farmer Support<br />
835+<br />
100+<br />
farms participated in the Appalachian Grown<br />
certification and branding program.<br />
farmers were assisted through individualized<br />
marketing support, working groups, and oneon-one<br />
assistance.<br />
100+<br />
1,250+<br />
farmers markets received assistance from<br />
ASAP in the form of marketing, community<br />
engagement activities, promotional materials,<br />
and planning support.<br />
SNAP households participated in the Double<br />
SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables program.<br />
$114,453 in SNAP was doubled across 9<br />
farmers markets.<br />
200+<br />
450+<br />
farmers attended trainings and workshops<br />
hosted by ASAP.<br />
retail locations, restaurants, and institutions<br />
partnered with Appalachian Grown farms in<br />
sourcing local.<br />
450+<br />
households participated in the Farm Fresh<br />
Produce Prescription program. $173,142 in<br />
prescriptions was redeemed across 13<br />
farmers markets.<br />
Growing Minds Farm to School<br />
Community Engagement<br />
Nearly<br />
2,500<br />
community members were engaged<br />
in-person through ASAP’s Farm Tour<br />
and CSA Fair.<br />
20,000+<br />
1,000+<br />
$49,000+<br />
preschool through high school students<br />
benefited from farm to school activities<br />
and resources.<br />
educators trained and/or provided<br />
resources for farm to school<br />
programming.<br />
in mini-grants distributed to 75 early<br />
childhood education centers, schools,<br />
and community organizations.
Revenue<br />
83%<br />
RESTRICTED<br />
FUNDS<br />
Expense<br />
84%<br />
PROGRAM<br />
EXPENSES<br />
2 MILLION+ ANNUAL REVENUE<br />
17%<br />
UNRESTRICTED<br />
FUNDS<br />
Restricted Funds<br />
52% Government grants<br />
36% Private foundations<br />
12% Individual donations<br />
Unrestricted Funds<br />
52% Donations & sponsorships<br />
48% Program income<br />
1.75 MILLION+ ANNUAL EXPENSES<br />
13%<br />
OPERATIONAL<br />
EXPENSES<br />
3%<br />
RESOURCE<br />
DEVELOPMENT<br />
Program Expenses<br />
74% Local Food Campaign<br />
22% Growing Minds<br />
4% Local Food Research Center<br />
Leading the Way<br />
CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
CARRIE KELLER<br />
President<br />
WENDY BRUGH<br />
Vice President<br />
NILOFER COUTURE<br />
Secretary<br />
FRANCISCO CASTELBLANCO<br />
Treasurer<br />
Making It Happen<br />
CURRENT ASAP STAFF<br />
REI ARGEROPLOS<br />
Farm Fresh for Health Program<br />
Coordinator<br />
EMORY BRANDON<br />
Graphic Design Coordinator<br />
BRITT GARRETT<br />
Finance Coordinator<br />
SARAH HART<br />
Communications and Engagement<br />
Director<br />
SIGRID JENSENOYASKI<br />
Local Food Campaign Program<br />
Coordinator<br />
MELINDA LEQUIN<br />
Finance Director<br />
AMY MARION<br />
Associate Director<br />
MIKE MCCREARY<br />
Farmers Market Program Director<br />
SARAH MINTER<br />
Local Food Campaign Program<br />
Coordinator<br />
MOLLY NICHOLIE<br />
Executive Director<br />
BILL DURR<br />
CRAIG MAUNEY<br />
LISA C. PAYNE<br />
MARY WALSH<br />
MADELEINE O’TOOLE<br />
Market and Events Coordinator<br />
SUZI PALLADINO<br />
Growing Minds Program Coordinator<br />
JESSICA RUIZ<br />
Community Research Coordinator<br />
DANIELLE RAUCHEISEN<br />
Growing Minds Program Director<br />
NORA SCHEFF<br />
Development Director<br />
DAVID SMILEY<br />
Local Food Campaign Program<br />
Director<br />
CALEB THOMASON<br />
Farm Fresh for Health Program<br />
Manager<br />
DEBBI TIMSON<br />
Growing Minds Program Coordinator
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