Unity College Receives Jane's Trust Grant to Support Local Food Production and Distribution Networks

Unity, Maine – January 11, 2011 –  Unity College, a champion of local food production and programs in Maine, has been awarded a grant from Jane’s Trust, a regional trust that makes grants in education, environment, health and welfare and arts and culture in Northern New England, greater Boston and southwest Florida.

     The $75K grant will help the College to build, grow and strengthen existing community-based food production and distribution networks.

     “We will use the funds to grow a community food network,” explained Jesse Pyles, Sustainability Coordinator at Unity College. 

     Unity College hosts the Veggies for All project of the Unity Barn Raisers.  The three year old project of UBR is an ongoing community agricultural project dedicated to alleviating rural hunger in the greater Waldo County region.

     “This grant will allow us to enhance infrastructure on campus that will support the good work of Veggies for All throughout the community, in the long term,” noted Sara Trunzo, Food and Farm Projects Coordinator at Unity College. Trunzo co-coordinates the Veggies for All program and oversees partnerships with local food pantries.  Purchasing a new tractor is high on the list of needs that will be addressed by this grant.

      An immediate priority for the grant distribution will be to focus on the improvement of campus facilities to support local food production.

     Veggies for All, under the leadership of Project Manager Tim Libby, maintains four gardens, two on campus and two in the community, totaling an acre.  Approximately 15,000 pounds of produce was grown in the past year with the majority being distributed to approximately 700 food insecure area residents by the Volunteer Regional Food Pantry in Unity, Maine.

     Both Pyles and Trunzo are in the enviable position of developing an action plan to ensure that the Jane’s Trust grant will have the most significant, long-term impact possible.  Their overall food production also contributes to college sustainability efforts, with additional campus gardens supplementing Unity College dining services offerings during the academic year.

     “We are looking at facility improvements for vegetable processing and storage on campus,” Pyles said.  “Our current washing and processing stations are temporary and we have very limited storage space.  Improved facilities allow us to integrate more campus grown food into our dining hall as well as increase capacity for Veggies for All.”

      “We are particularly interested in dry storage opportunities too,” said Pyles. “When Tim harvests crops like onions, garlic and winter squash, we will need a place to dry and keep those crops throughout the fall and early winter so that we can distribute them to our own dining services as well as the food pantry.”

     All projects pursued will be supported by an established network of volunteers both within the Unity area and college communities. 

     Trunzo pointed out that interest in organic and sustainable agriculture, food security, and local food systems is high within the Unity College student body.  The addition of a new Agriculture, Food and Sustainability major at the College has also provided a boost to food production and distribution networks, with students pursuing food related curricular and co-curricular projects.

     “Another vital player in this plan is the Volunteer Regional Food Pantry in Unity,” noted Trunzo.  “The pantry not only distributes produce from Veggies for All but offers educational programming to help clients become healthier and thrifty.”

     The Volunteer Regional Food Pantry offers classes in gardening, cooking, and food preservation.

     Unity College is a small private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education which emphasizes the environment and natural resources. Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.