Newburgh Urban Food and Farm, Inc.

Food systems planning is a collaborative process among farmers, retailers, consumers, nonprofits, health systems, and government to develop priorities and implement policies and practices that shape how local or regional food systems operate. Benefits of food planning include improving food procurement at public institutions, supporting local retail food businesses, and strengthening outreach and enrollment in benefits programs. NYHealth is supporting eight food planning groups in New York State that are developing tailored food system plans. With a 2021 NYHealth grant, Newburgh Urban Farm and Food, Inc. (NUFFI) conducted the first in-depth study of Newburgh’s food system, which included 72 community meetings and events and surveys with 600 local leaders and residents. In 2024, NYHealth awarded NUFFI a grant to operationalize its plan to make healthy, local food more available to Newburgh residents.  

Under this grant, NUFFI will enhance the city’s emergency food system by reducing overlap and gaps in food availability, building capacity among providers, supporting language access, and facilitating a workgroup of food pantry managers. NUFFI will develop and publish a map of food resources and assets for residents, including food retail locations that accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), emergency food schedules and contact information, farmers market programs and schedules, culturally relevant food access points, and food and nutrition education materials. NUFFI will also increase market opportunities for local growers through capacity building, formalize the structure for its task force and working groups, and implement additional programs to increase access to healthy, affordable, local foods.