GusNIP Partner Feature: Field & Fork Network

GusNIP Partner Feature:

Field & Fork Network

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Field & Fork Network is a 501 (c)3 food and farming nonprofit organization based in Buffalo, New York that “connects communities to innovative solutions that foster a sustainable food system.” Dedicated to developing equity-minded solutions to healthy food access and building healthier neighborhoods and future generations, Field & Fork Network launched Double Up Food Bucks New York (Double Up NY) in 2014. This program doubles the value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits spent at participating farmers markets, mobile markets, farm stands, small retail and grocery stores. Since its inception, Double Up NY has grown from its original seven pilot farmers markets to over 220 unique program sites across 30 New York counties. Double Up NY has become a national model by helping tens of thousands of people bring home more healthy fruits and vegetables while supporting local farmers and creating more vibrant local economies. We had a chance to talk with Nichole Borchard, communications and partnerships director at Field & Fork Network, about the work they are doing in Buffalo, New York.  

What is at the heart of Field & Fork Network’s mission? How do the organization’s values and vision drive change in the nutrition and food security landscape across New York State? 

The heart of our mission is connection. So much of what we do as an organization and the impactful results we hope to achieve are only possible with connections. The nutrition and food security work we do on a local and statewide scale with Double Up NY is only achievable through collaborative partnerships. Collaboration is a core value of our organization and allows us to have deep, meaningful relationships with our partners across a very large state. Another organizational value at the forefront of our work with nutrition incentives is innovation. We firmly believe innovation is what drives long-lasting and sustainable improvements to our food system that benefits all. 

Pictured above (from left to right): Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA) Intern Rebecca Garofano, SOFSA Special Projects Intern Camryn Corbett, Schenectady Greenmarket Market Manager Ariel Winter, SOFSA Program and Evaluation Public Policy Intern Ellen Pitstick, Soul Fire Farms Co-Executive Director of Communications and Development Cheryl Whilby, Kingston Farmers Market Food Access Manager Elizabeth Wynn, Field & Fork Network Communications and Partnerships Director Nichole Borchard, Field & Fork Network Co-Founder and Executive Director Lisa French, Americorps VISTA for Double Food Bucks NY Chloe Cabrera, SOFSA Co-Founder and Director Maura Ackerman, Honest Weight Food Co-op Front End Manager Erin Fox, Honest Weight Food Co-op Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator Amy Ellis, SOFSA Equity, Inclusion and Engagement Coordinator Avalon Gupta VerWiebe.  

Field & Fork Network recently shared an infographic about the Double Up NY 2022 Program Impact. What are the biggest wins the program celebrated and where do you see the biggest opportunity for impact moving forward? 

The biggest win this past year was New York State investing in the program for the first time. After eight years of successfully operating an impactful nutrition incentive program across New York State supported by only private and federal funding, inclusion in the state budget was a key indicator for long-term sustainability of our program. The Double Up NY program grew exponentially during the pandemic—reaching more people who utilize SNAP than ever before—and that momentum hasn’t slowed. The state investment ensured we could sustain our existing footprint of over 220 program sites and opened the door to conversations with grocery store chains that previously were kept out of the nutrition incentive conversation due to our limited funding. Offering Double Up NY at a wide variety of sites only makes our program more accessible to those who need it most.

In April, the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) highlighted Double Up NY’s partnership with Hub on the Hill on a new online pilot related to SNAP benefits online. How is this project moving the needle on food security and healthy food access?  

This was a huge win for our partner Hub on the Hill and their ability to reach more customers who utilize SNAP across a very large rural area. Transportation is a major barrier for many in that community, so to be able to offer SNAP transactions online along with Double Up Food Bucks was a significant leap forward in the food access space. The one thing the pandemic put a spotlight on was the need and demand for more options for online grocery shopping. As the first fully automated solution for Double Up Food Bucks online, we are hopeful this solution can be scaled and replicated to become a significant game changer for food access. This is a great example of a collaboration – with Hub on the Hill and our technology partners at Forage and at Grocerist – that yielded an innovative solution to reach more people who utilize SNAP. 

What milestones have you felt most excited about hitting at Field & Fork Network? How do you foresee the organization evolving and expanding over the next five years?  

One of the most exciting milestones for our organization was when we decided to become a statewide organization versus a regional organization. This growth was mainly fueled by the success and demand for the Double Up NY program. This was around the same time we were finishing up our first Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives (FINI) (now GusNIP) grant. We were seeing more demand for the program outside of Western New York and the federal funding helped us build capacity to make the leap to go statewide. We are fortunate to work with many community partners across the state when it comes to Double Up NY. My hope is that we can bring our other programs—such as our youth development programs, Food Pathways and Urban Seeds— to these communities and build upon the impact of Double Up NY. Additionally, we have seen sustained success in doing resident-led, local food action planning and implementation work in Niagara Falls that we hope to bring to other communities across the state. 

Does Field & Fork Network have any organizational or staff food philosophies or customs that you would like to share? 

When Field & Fork Network started in 2009, one way we connected local agriculture to the larger community was through an authentic farm-to-table dining series called Seasonal Suppers. We did these from 2011 to 2012. They were incredibly popular community dinners out at local farms featuring the bounty of the season and a burgeoning local artisan beverage network. We plan to resurrect these popular dining events starting this year as they are a great way to showcase our work and connect communities to the food system in a way that is meaningful and long-lasting.