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Sib Pab Food Security Programs at Farmshed

Central Rivers Farmshed is dedicated to supporting a local food community where all people can access local produce, whole, nutritious food, and cultural foods. Through various partnerships, volunteer support, trusting relationships with farmers, and valuable participant feedback, we continue to grow and improve our programs.

 

Our programs include: Sib Pab (Helping Hands), Farm Fresh and Free, Transportation, and Badger Boxes*

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Our food security partners include: Hunger Relief Federation of Wisconsin, Local Food Purchasing Assistance, Department of Public Institutions, Department of Agriculture Trade Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative, Food and Farm Exploration Center.​

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Click here to learn more about our programs and partners.

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*ended in 2023

Sib Pab (Helping Hands)

Sib Pab (Helping Hands) meal program where we provide culturally appropriate meals to Hmong elders, community members with disabilities, and Hmong high schoolers at SPASH to improve their access to culturally specific foods. Ann Vang, the previous Sib Pab lead, developed strong, trusting relationships with Hmong growers and farmers whose produce helps create hot meals each week.

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Since the start of the program, we have served:​

Over 10,900 meals to Elders (2020-2023)

Over 3,200 meals to students at SPASH (2021-2023)

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Sib Pab meals have been put on a pause until we get more funding, but we hope to begin serving meals again soon. The best way to support this program, is to donate.

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A look into the past

We offer culturally appropriate meals to Hmong students in our local schools! We are currently piloting this program with students at SPASH in Stevens Point, WI. Thank you to Monogram Foods for making this program possible, and to Mama Mai's for their continuous support to making Hmong food more accessible to teens.

Read more about how Sib Pab impacted our students here.

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Local food Purchasing Assistance and Farm Fresh and Free

Due to the relationships that Farmshed has with Hmong farmers through the Sib Pab program, we were able to connect families and farmers through Hmong Uplift to the Local Food Purchasing Assistance grant (LFPA). This grant helps purchase farmers produce at wholesale price and quantity and give them to Wisconsin pantries to distribute. Although Farmshed is not a food pantry, we were a designated 'end user' for nine farmers in Portage and Marathon counties which allowed us to develop the Farm Fresh and Free program.

The Farm Fresh and Free is a free food distribution program with the produce we were given from farmers who received grant money from the LFPA. We wanted the program to be as accessible as possible so we don't require any proof of identification, home address, household size, or income. Participants did self-declare this information but purely to track how many participants we served. We held distributions that were open to all community members and some exclusively for Hmong families due to much of our produce was culturally specific from Hmong farmers. Staff have heard many stories from our participants that them and their kids have been able to try new foods and have more fresh produce in their homes. Products are available to community members in need AND meal programs that do not require payment for meals.

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In 2023, 1,223 households were served.

In 2024 so far, 1,249 households have been served.

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This past year we started to receive produce and minimally processed foods from the Food+ Farm Exploration Center, about 5,500 pounds this past year.

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This program typically runs through the growing season, about from June to September.

Innovation through Hunger Relief Federation of Wisconsin Partnership

Our partnership with the The Hunger Relief Federation of Wisconsin began when we became a distribution site for Badger boxes in 2022. We built a strong relationship that has a led to the HTF donating a new refrigerator truck, two coolers, two freezers and a forklift.

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This new infrastructure is instrumental in Farmshed's ability to expand and improve our programs. The refrigerator truck has allowed us to efficiently transport food to pantries and food banks through the Food Hub Cooperative and Farm to School programming.

Farmshed's Food Policy

Central Rivers Farmshed is a non-profit organization and a free local food distribution center. We serve our community seasonal, cultural, local, and fresh foods to minimize the accessibility gap between fresh food access and socioeconomic status. All of our donated produce is sourced directly from family owned, small, new, and/or socially marginalized farms in the central Wisconsin area. We have built partnerships with farms through providing grant writing technical support. In exchange we receive a portion of their harvest to donate to community members of various ethnic backgrounds and low income status. Our distribution is available for individuals and families who fall under the income eligibility established by The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Our self-determining income process, pre-packed bags, and self-serve service allows for quick and easy access to our distribution.

With the seasonality of agriculture, our recipients will receive a variety of produce throughout the year. When Wisconsin’s growing season ends in winter, we will transition from fresh local produce to frozen produce that will be distributed from January to May. The produce will be processed and frozen at peak ripeness during the summer season, maintaining its nutrient content and taste. Additionally, they will receive the produce preprocessed, making these bags a convenient, fast cooking ingredient. Participants therefore will have the opportunity to choose local, whole produce year round in Wisconsin.

Central Rivers Farmshed also offers a hot, cultural meal program from September to May for Hmong elders in the Stevens Point and Plover area and lunches to Hmong teens during the school year at Stevens Point Area High School. These meals are delivered directly to the school and homes, made with ingredients that are local or sourced from Hmong farmers. Meals are delivered once a week by volunteers and cooked in Farmshed’s kitchen. 

Farmshed fills a unique role in the food distribution network by being dedicated to ensuring that local farmers benefit economically and our communities eat healthy by prioritizing local, fresh produce in our distributions. The financial burden to purchase fresh produce is relieved by receiving 2-3 days of produce to supplement groceries during the week allowing individuals and families, who may be missing essential nutrients, to be more able to practice diet recommendations for a healthy, thriving life. Any foods processed and leftover will be given to other food programs in need.

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Healthy people 2030

In 2021, Central Rivers Farmshed became a Champion in the Office of Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion's Healthy People 2030. The mission of the program is to promote,  strengthen, and evaluate the nation's efforts to improve health and well-being of all people.

Farmshed is working towards that mission in several program objectives including: safe food handling, nutrition and health eating, health of older adults, and health of the workforce. We mainly achieve these goals through our food security programs. 

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To learn more about the Healthy People 2030 program, click here.

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Sponsorship Opportunities 

Looking to contribute to our cause? Make a donation below or reach out to our Executive Director, Ann Vang (ann@farmshed.org) for information on how you can support our programs and community health efforts.

find out more

contact us

about farmshed

phone ::  715.204.7201

address ::  1220 Briggs Ct

Stevens Point, WI 54481

Farmshed’s mission is to grow a resilient local food economy.

We partner with family and cooperatively owned farms and local food businesses throughout the region to ensure everyone in our community can choose healthy and delicious food. 

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