Addison County Relocalization Network Inc

ACORN DEVELOPED A NEW EAT LOCAL VT MOBILE APP TO PROVICE UNIQUE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR AGRICULTURAL, RURAL, GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED AREA. AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FOR FREE, THE APP MAKES IT EASY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS IN VERMONT'S CHAMPLAIN VALLEY TO FIND AND CONNECT WITH NEARLY 250 FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. ACORN RAN A PILOT ONLINE FARMER'S MARKET IN APRIL AND THEN SURVEYED AND CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS WITH FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS IN THE REGION TO DETERMINE THE KEY FEATURES NEEDED FOR A REGION-WIDE ONLINE WHOLESALE MARKET. CURRENTLY IN ITS R&D PHASE, THIS PLATFORM WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL IN AUTOMATING AND INCREASING THE VOLUME OF LOCAL FOOD TRANSACTIONS AS WELL AS LEVERAGING THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR MORE EFFICIENT AGGREGATION, STORAGE AND DELIVERY. THE 2020 FARMACY PROGRAM SERVED 65 FAMILIES IN THE PORTER MEDICAL CENTER AND BRISTOL MOUNTAIN HEALTH CENTER SERVICE AREAS WHO WERE FACING FOOD INSECURITY AND DIET-RELATED ILLNESS, WITH A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER'S PRESCRIPTION FOR A LOCAL FARM SHARE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, SUPPLEMENTED WITH NUTRITION AND COOKING EDUCATION.