NOFFN formed in 2002 to answer the huge need for affordable and locally-grown fresh produce in the City. Our approach is to support the sustainable growing of food in backyards, community gardens, and on nearby farms, which is an important way for communities to directly increase fresh food access.
Central to NOFFN’s work is supporting ownership of projects among partner organizations and participants, which has made us a key network organization with strong connections to non-profit, civic, neighborhood, faith-based, and educational groups.
Since its inception, NOFFN has focused on working with historically underserved neighborhoods that have significantly limited fresh food access.
Focusing on target neighborhoods, we developed relationships with residents and organizations to create projects specific to each neighborhood’s identity and assets in sustainable growing, cooking and food-related entrepreneurial activities.
Through public education, training, and assistance in creating food-growing gardens in backyards, schools, churches, and community gardens – focused on “growing growers” who have become community leaders in advancing food security.
We are the only organization in New Orleans providing support, capacity-building, and technical assistance to a wide range of emerging agricultural projects and groups. Over the past 9 years, NOFFN has initiated several projects to advance urban farming:
- Good Food Neighborhood Project – Community organizing focused on leadership development and capacity building specifically in Algiers, Hollygrove, and the Lower 9th Ward. NOFFN was integral in the establishment of a demonstration urban farm site and educational center in the Hollygrove that has evolved into the independent Hollygrove Market and Farm that now acts as a local purveyor of local foods (city and foodshed) while also serving as a demonstration urban farm.
- Farm Yard Project – Public education, outreach, and trainings that supports current growing as well as growing new growers.
- Food Maps – Community mapping of food-related assets in all of the post-Katrina New Orleans neighborhoods.
- Policy – Initial partner and current Steering Committee member of the New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Council that has developed school food recommendations; is developing recommendations for zoning changes to support urban farming; and created the now City-adopted New Orleans Community Food Charter
As we enter our sixth year of recovery from Hurricane Katrina’s devastating effects, our collaborative work has had impressive results:
- Garden leaders offer technical and labor assistance to neighbors
- Various market growers sell to local businesses
- Schools are changing their food service to include more fresh food
- More people are interested in local food availability.
Together, NOFFN and urban growers are making real the vision that neighborhoods most-in-need can be the key to revitalizing our city by cleaning up spaces, providing jobs and growing good food.
