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RI Community Food Bank Launches Summer Food Drive

During the summer, the need for food assistance among families spikes as children lose access to the healthy, nutritious meals they normally receive at school. To help fill the gap throughout the summer months, the Food Bank is asking the community to support the Summer Food Drive.

Here’s how you can help:

Drop off donations of non-perishable food
Pick up donation boxes and posters for a food drive in your workplace or community (or download and print your own poster).
Get the kids involved in an activity to benefit the Food Bank
Make a financial donation to help end hunger in Rhode Island

First Gentleman of Rhode Island and Chair of the Summer Food Drive Andy Moffit launched the campaign along with Food Bank CEO Andrew Schiff by encouraging Rhode Islanders to join the effort and help their neighbors in need.

Get more details and a list of most-needed items»

Watch the Summer Food Drive kick-off with Andrew Schiff and Andy Moffit:

Newport Vineyards Brings the Napa Experience to Newport with Summer Events, Tours & Tastings, Live Music & Seasonally Inspired Dining

Newport Vineyards

Newport Vineyards, an award winning winery located in beautiful Middletown, RI, has a big summer planned with tours, tastings, special events, live music and much more. Founded by brothers John & Paul Nunes in 1995, the vineyard is the largest grower of grapes in New England. The winery produces nearly 30,000 cases of estate-grown wine each year through sustainable farming methods on 75 acres of historically preserved farmland. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2015, the winery has become a culinary and wine destination offering multiple experiences including daily tours and tastings, 100% from scratch culinary programs at Brix Restaurant and The Vineyard Café, The Marketplace, seasonal live music, private events and public activities.

Each Wednesday evening through the summer, enjoy an extended evening wine tasting from 5-8pm! Hear live music from a variety of artists while you sip and savor around the welcoming fire pits. In addition to wine, beer and sangria, snacks from the kitchen are available. The vineyard also hosts a weekend music series from 1- 4pm on Saturday & Sunday afternoons. Savor the season, glass in hand! No tickets are needed and all are welcome. For more details, including the artist lineup, please visit www.newportvineyards.com/calendar-of-events.

Dine at Brix Restaurant following an afternoon at the winery or just because! Cozy up around the fire with a glass of wine. Enjoy expansive views of the vineyard and the entire winemaking operation through two walls of windows that drape the room. The culinary approach, artfully prepared by Executive Chef Andy Teixeira, starts with the basic belief that it is their responsibility to provide truth in their food. “We love the food from the minute in comes in the door, to the minute it goes into the guest’s mouth,” said Chef Teixeira. The seasonally inspired menu highlights local farms and offers something for everyone’s palate. Wednesdays are Flight Night – just $10 for a tasting of four wines or beers.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon sipping wine and local beer with friends amid the vines, grabbing a quick breakfast or a leisurely lunch, enjoying a gourmet dinner, or hosting a private event, Newport Vineyards truly has it all. Located just 45 minutes from downtown Providence, experience summer at its finest on Aquidneck Island.

Follow Newport Vineyards on Facebook @NewportVineyards, Twitter @NewportVines, and Instagram @NewportVines. For more details, please visit www.newportvineyards.com.

Tasting Room	Winery Tours	Vineyard Café	Brix Restaurant
*Mon – Sat* 10am – 6pm *Sunday* 12 – 6pm	*Sun – Fri* 1pm & 3pm *Saturday* hourly, 11am – 4pm	*Sunday* 12 – 5pm (seasonally) *Monday* closed *Tues – Thurs* 11am – 4pm *Friday* 11am – 5pm *Saturday* 9am – 12pm breakfast sandwiches only 11am – 5pm full menu	*Tues – Thurs* 5 – 9pm *Fri & Sat* 4 – 10pmClosed Sundays & Mondays, but always available for private events, day or night

Six Farmers Markets Increasing Food Access To Open In July

Farm Fresh RI Farmers Market

Farm Fresh Rhode Island is excited to announce six of their farmers markets opening in July. Located in neighborhoods at risk for health disparities, Farm Fresh RI markets focus on increasing access to fresh, local food and nutrition education.

In July, shoppers can expect to find tomatoes, corn, peppers, blueberries, melons, grapes, greens, herbs, cheese, radishes, mushrooms, carrots, bitter melons, fresh bread and so much more! It’s easy to find a farmers market in your neighborhood and shop for fresh, local fruits and vegetables all summer and well into fall. Many markets also feature live music, prepared foods & food trucks and family-friendly activities.

According to a recent study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “When comparing product prices between farmers markets and retail stores, local products are competitively priced – within a 10 percent price range – at farmers markets a majority of the time, even less expensive for some foods. Local, certified organic products at farmers markets are almost always competitively priced when compared to prices at retail stores.” (May, 2016; source with graphic: http://blogs.usda.gov/2016/05/19/local-and-organic-food-shopping-finding-the-best-price)

Farm Fresh RI markets accept cash, credit, debit, SNAP, WIC Fruit & Vegetable checks, and Senior vouchers. And in partnership with Wholesome Wave (wholesomewave.org), Farm Fresh RI provides Bonus Bucks—an additional 40% bonus for customers using EBT—to increase access to fresh fruits and veggies for low-income individuals receiving federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The following markets, managed by Farm Fresh Rhode Island, open in July.

For a full list of farmers markets in Rhode Island, visit www.farmfreshri.org.

BROAD STREET — 807 Broad St, Providence
July 1 to October 28
Saturdays, 8:00am – 11:30pm

DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE — Kennedy Plaza
July 11 to October 31
Tuesdays, 3:00 – 6:00pm

CENTRAL FALLS — Garfield St Playground
July 5 to October 25
Wednesdays, 2:00 – 5:30pm

WEST WARWICK —Thundermist Health Center, 186 Providence St
July 6 to October 26
Thursdays, 3:00 – 6:00pm

SLATER PARK — 825 Armistice Blvd, Pawtucket
July 9 to October 29
Sundays 12:00 – 3:00pm

NEUTACONKANUT PARK — 675 Plainfield St, Providence
July 3 to October 30
Mondays, 3:00 – 6:00pm

And two other Farm Fresh RI markets are already underway!
ARMORY — Parade St at Hudson St, Providence
May 25 to October 26
Thursdays 3:30 – 7:00pm or dusk

WOONSOCKET — Thundermist Health Center, 450 Clinton St
Year-round (Moves outside July 5)
Tuesdays, 3:00 – 6:00pm

Rhode Island Food Policy Council

Rhode Island Receives $437,000 through USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant Program

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is pleased to announce that federal Farm Bill funds have been secured for Rhode Island through a multi-pronged collaboration to support increased access to fruits and vegetables for the food insecure of Rhode Island, while also benefitting small and mid-sized farmers in the region. Last week, Rhode Island celebrated USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement of $31.5 million granted through the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program (FINI). Rhode Island received two grants through this funding stream, an impressive accomplishment for the smallest state in the nation.

The Rhode Island Public Health Institute received $100,000 to extend the reach of its “Rhody Food on the Move” initiative. Farm Fresh Rhode Island received $337,000 (over three years) to double the amount of nutrition incentives distributed at farmers markets across the state. Farm Fresh is a subgrantee of the national nonprofit Wholesome Wave, who received a $3.77 million FINI grant. Funds from this grant, in both projects, incentivize the spending of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as “food stamps”) on fresh fruit and vegetables.

“These grant awards are the result of a truly collaborative effort that brought together leaders in public health, food systems, and government. The FINI grants provide a double benefit for Rhode Island: the most food insecure residents in the State have increased purchasing power to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and local and regional producers, processors, and distributors directly benefit from the increased sales,” says Kenneth Payne, Chair of the RI Food Policy Council.

Since 2004, Farm Fresh Rhode Island has been committed to building a local food system that values the health, environment, and quality of life for Rhode Island farmers and eaters. They have offered nutrition incentives named “Bonus Bucks” to SNAP recipients at farmers markets since 2009. SNAP redemption at farmers markets has subsequently grown from $500 in 2007 to over $80,000 in 2014. The grant issued to Farm Fresh will enable further expansion of Bonus Bucks incentives for SNAP shoppers through partnership with independently-managed markets across Rhode Island. Markets that offer Bonus Bucks will expand in number from 13 in 2014 to 25 in 2015.

“Bonus Bucks are a win-win for Rhode Island,” says Sheri Griffin, Co-Executive Director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island. “They ensure that federal food benefit dollars support our state’s agricultural economy, while enabling our neighbors affected by poverty and food insecurity to share in the local bounty.”

Farm Fresh received this award as a subgrantee on a larger $3.77 million grant, which nonprofit, Wholesome Wave, obtained from the USDA to support their national network of nutrition incentive partners. Farm Fresh is one of 32 community-based organizations that will join Wholesome Wave in this Large-Scale FINI Project.

The Rhode Island Public Health Institute (RIPHI), a 501c3 non-profit housed at Brown University’s School of Public Health, will use its FINI grant to expand their ‘Rhody Food on the Move’ mobile markets and introduce financial incentives into their project. ‘Rhody Food on the Move’ builds upon the experience and success of the ‘Fresh To You’ (FTY) mobile market program, which was the focus of three, recent Brown University research studies conducted by Kim Gans, PhD, MPH, LDN and Gemma Gorham, MPH. The long-term goal of the grant is to increase SNAP recipients’ purchase and consumption of fruits and vegetables by ‘making the healthy choice easy and affordable’.

“One of the big challenges with helping people to improve their diets is the lack of access to fresh produce in their neighborhoods,’’ said Dr. Amy Nunn, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute. “And even when it is accessible geographically, the costs can be price prohibitive.”

One of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council’s four central goals is that every Rhode Island resident will have access to safe, fresh, affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food, regardless of income or race. The Bonus Bucks expansion and Rhody Food on the Move projects are two prime examples of statewide efforts to pursue this vision.

Wholesome Wave

News Bites: Food Bank Launches Summer Food Drive / Summer at Newport Vineyards / Six Farmers Markets Opening in July

RI Community Food Bank Launches Summer Food Drive

Newport Vineyards Brings the Napa Experience to Newport with Summer Events, Tours & Tastings, Live Music & Seasonally Inspired Dining

Six Farmers Markets Increasing Food Access To Open In July

RI Food Policy Council Media Release: Rhode Island Receives $437,000 through USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant Program

Rhode Island Receives $437,000 through USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant Program