Milwaukee County’s SEED Program Progresses With Partners
Fresh Mobile Market and Urban Fruit Orchard Move Forward; Will Allen Leases Land for Fruit Trees
Will Allen, founder and President of Growing Power, has signed a lease with Milwaukee County to cultivate ten acres of land and plant 4,000 fruit trees in Oak Creek that will bring fresh fruit and jobs to our community, it was announced today.
The Milwaukee County Board adopted the S.E.E.D Program, (Sowing, Empowering, and Eliminating Deserts of food) recently. Aimed at eliminating food deserts by working with community partners to provide fresh produce to neighborhoods in need, increasing community gardens, and planting urban fruit orchards, S.E.E.D will improve the health and quality of life in Milwaukee County.
Through the S.E.E.D. program, Milwaukee County will partner with the Hunger Task Force, Growing Power, and UW-Extension. Hunger Task Force will operate a Mobile Market within the county to serve residents who live in food deserts, coordinating with the existing Stockbox delivery program to our seniors. This Mobile Market will provide opportunities for residents to purchase nutritious food in neighborhoods while accepting food benefits.
Recently, County Board members toured the new Fresh Mobile Market with Hunger Task Force. The mobile market will begin traveling to senior housing and meal sites in November.
“The S.E.E.D. program is blooming and the fruits of our work and vision are being harvested for the people we represent,” said Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic. “We need new, bold solutions for the challenges we face in our neighborhoods. We can reduce health problems and increase nutritional value with these partnerships. We are on the road to a stronger city and county with the S.E.E.D. program”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food deserts as “urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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