Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. However, stark disparities persist by race and ethnicity, and communities of color experience disproportionately high rates of food insecurity and diet-related disease. The communities most affected by these disparities often have the best solutions to improving food equity. However, systemic barriers often exist, and historically, organizations led by people of color have not had equal access to or benefited from traditional philanthropy funds and resources. In 2024, NYHealth issued an inaugural Request for Proposals (RFP), “Healthy Food, Healthy Lives: Supporting a More Equitable Food System,” to advance racial health equity in the food system. NYHealth awarded Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE) a grant to participate in this initiative. 

Under this grant, RISE will expand its community farm by creating systems to aggregate and distribute produce grown by refugee and immigrant farmers. RISE’s Agriculture Program supports 19 refugee and immigrant farmers to independently manage 3 acres of land on its 180-acre farm property. RISE will increase the reach of produce grown and donated by refugee farmers to community members each season. It will coordinate with the Central New York Regional Market Authority, Brady Farm, and Salt City Harvest Farm to increase income opportunities for RISE farmers through facilitated market and donation channels. RISE will also hire community liaisons from the refugee community to provide interpretation services and help coordinate the farmers’ sales.  

See a full list of grantees working to advance racial health equity in the food system.