Indiana County Growing for Good Health Initiative - Using Partnerships to Reach New Audiences

Breakout session on Wednesday, February 12, at 9:00 a.m.

The ICCD Growing for Good Health Initiative was launched with a goal of inspiring and empowering our older adult population to prioritize nutrition and health through the benefits of growing and consuming fresh produce. Participants in this workshop will learn how the ICCD was able to utilize non-traditional partnerships to implement a unique specialty crops program to reach an undeserved population in Indiana County.

Speakers: Blake Mauthe, Indiana County Conservation District, District Educator and Douglas Beri Jr., Indiana County Conservation District

1. Growing for Good Health Initiative Nutrition, Gardening, and Empowerment through  Partnerships for Indiana County’s Older Adults & Beyond Presenters Doug Beri Jr. - Executive Director Blake Mauthe - Conservation Program Specialist, Education

2. A Little About Us - Doug Started at ICCD in November of 2018 Associates Degree in Environmental Technology , Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership, and working on a Master's Degree in Human Resources Management 18 Years of Management Experience in Government, Non-profit, and Private Industry

3. A Little About Us - Blake Started at ICCD in August 2023 as AmeriCorps Bachelor's Degree in Conservation, Ecology, Evolution Biology Current Conservation Program Specialist (Education/Outreach Focus) 2024-Current

4. ICCD Overview Through education, technical assistance, projects and partnerships, the Indiana County Conservation District will serve as a model in protecting and conserving natural resources to improve the quality of life and local economy for current and future generations.

5. Strategic Partnerships? A collaborative relationship with another organization, whether another non-profit, a for-profit business, or a government agency, where both parties work together to achieve a shared goal by leveraging each other's strengths and resources, ultimately aiming to create a greater impact than either could achieve alone; this often involves long-term commitment and mutual benefit beyond simple transactions or sponsorships.

6. Benefits of Strategic Partnerships Expanded Reach / New Audiences Access to Additional Resources Expertise and Innovation Brand Awareness Community Impact Volunteer Recruitment Advocacy Power

7. The Birth of an Idea

8. Growing for Good Health: Funding Funded in 2022 by USDA Specialty Crop Grant through the PA Department of Agriculture. Allowed for Greenhouse & Raised Bed implementation Seed Starting & Education Space

9. Challenges Leading to Growing for Good Health Staff Turnover: Key personnel changes led to disruptions in program execution. Time Constraints: Shortened timeline required deliverables to be met more quickly than expected. Grant Management Challenges: Adjustments needed to align with available resources and staffing. Meeting Deliverables: Required components of the grant, such as SNAP education, gardening workshops, and nutrition-focused cooking demonstrations, had to be implemented efficiently. Coordination with Partners: Existing partnerships needed to be reinforced, and new collaborations had to be established quickly. Participant Engagement: Ensuring meaningful participation despite time limitations and logistical challenges.

10. Growing for Good Health: Purpose Purpose: Improve nutrition, food access, and empowerment for older adults, and more. Why it matters: Addressing underserved demographics for better health and well-being.

11. Who Should you Partner With? MISSION ALIGNMENT TARGET AUDIENCE OVERLAP PROGRAM IMPACT FINANCIAL STABILITY COLLABORATION POTENTIAL REPUTATION AND TRANSPARENCY

12. Partners Great Pittsburgh Food Bank Adagio Health Aging Servies (Indiana, Mahoning, & Blairsville) 3 Locations in Indiana County

13. Mutual Benefits

14. Growing for Good Health Overview Three stages : Education: Introduce ICCD’s role and food access resources. Gardening: Hands-on planting workshops in raised beds. Nutrition: Cooking demos and tailored health presentations. Focus: Practical knowledge for growing and consuming fresh produce.

15. Session 1: Introduction & Education Introduced ICCD’s role in supporting food access and community connections. Education took place in early May at Aging Services social centers. Partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank established trust and familiarity with participants. SNAP education emphasized that participants could purchase seeds and seedlings with their benefits. Connected participants to food access resources such as community gardens, food forests, and food banks.

16. Session 2: Planting & Gardening Gardening workshops held in late May at Aging Services social centers. Participants planted raised beds, learning hands-on skills like planting techniques, pest management, watering schedules, and harvest timing. Some participants were so inspired they bought additional plants to add to their raised beds and pots. Workshops fostered community engagement and provided a fulfilling outdoor experience. Greenhouse at ICCD supplied plants and seeds for the raised beds, ensuring fresh, nutritious produce for participants.

17. Session 3: Nutrition & Cooking Demo Cooking demonstrations and health presentations conducted in late July . Partnered with Adagio Health to deliver interactive and practical nutrition workshops. Featured creative recipes like zucchini fritters , showcasing new ways to use the produce participants grew. Participants shared stories about their gardening experiences, expressing joy and pride in their achievements. Many participants asked if the program could be expanded, highlighting its success and positive reception.

18. Sustaining a Strategic Partnership Clear Communication Aligned Goals Mutual Benefits Trust and Respect Joint Performance Monitoring Adaptability and Flexibility Collaborative Problem Solving Regular Review Meetings Celebrating Milestones Investing in Relationships This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

19. Successes On the Ground Seed Start Locations for ICCD, Community Gardens, Food Forests, Aging Services & Other Partner Organizations Education 50 participants through entire program year 1 Nutrition, Gardening, & SNAP education 80% of Participants reported increasing fresh produce into diet Produce Raised Beds supplemented Aging Services Kitchens New recipes for Zucchini (chocolate zucchini cake, Zucchini Lasagna and much more! Overall Expanded Outreach into the greater community with non-traditional audiences

20. Future Goals Implement more programs at Aging Services Grow community gardens, & public growing space Share goals and successes Grow Specialty Crop Hub at ICCD Increase Access to Fresh Produce & Food Decrease Food Insecurity Continue Growing for Good Health Initiative Build upon, and grow

21. Questions? Contact info  (724)-471-4751 [email protected] [email protected]