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HARVEST HUBE V E R Y O N E D E S E R V E S T O E A T W E L LG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

INTROOur greatest desire was to create ameaningful project that would beso appealing to everyone, thatpeople wouldn’t think twice aboutthe stigma that sometimessurrounds federal social supportinitiatives like the SupplementalNutrition Assistance Program,SNAP. The goal of the Harvest Hubwas to create a project soappetizing that people would besurprised it’s so healthy, and aproject that would bring the entire community together with thenotion that EVERYONE DESERVESTO EAT WELL. I knew at that moment we made asmall step toward reducing stigmaand simply celebrating food aspeople. It turns out that the Harvest HubMeal Box pilot project did just that.The defining moment for me wasduring the second meal boxdistribution. As I interacted withpeople coming through the line, Inoticed we had those who werepaying with SNAP cards, those whowere affluent, a retired colleague,a teacher, and those who neededthe box and didn’t have any moneyleft on their SNAP card. Allstanding together talking in thesame line. It was also the firstmonth people purchased mealboxes and donated them tofamilies in need. Go! Garrett County - Posted October 20, 2023 (11 comments)Facebook - Posted October 23, 2023 (401 Reach / 4 Interactions ) G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4“This box gaveus a boost andtook some of thestress away.”

GOALThe GrantThe Maryland Department ofHealth, Center for Chronic DiseasePrevention and Control (Center),awarded the Garrett CountyHealth Department’s PopulationHealth, Informatics & InnovationUnit an award through acompetitive process to work withinthe Community SupportedAgriculture (CSA) project. Ali Macstudy, MPHProgram Team Manager, Christa B. Thornton, MPHProgram CoordinatorCenter for Chronic Disease Prevention andControl, & Maryland Department of Health The GoodsThe Harvest Hub Meal Box is acarefully curated box of locallysourced ingredients thoughtfullycombined to create a large,nutritious, and delicious meal thatcomfortably serves four people. It’scomplete with a recipe card, a livevideo tutorial on how to prepareeach step of the meal, and kitchenequipment upon request. The GoalTo increase access to CommunitySupported Agriculture (CSA)opportunities, expand and educatelocal farmers on SNAP, andimprove SNAP recipients’utilization of local food systemsand fresh foods to prevent andreduce chronic diseases. Written by Shelley Argabrite, MA Garrett County’s Health Strategist and the Director of PopulationHealth, Innovation and Informatics at the Garrett County HealthDepartmentDesign Credits: John Corbin, (BS, CPT, MCPT, CSNC)Communications, Data Science, and Informatics AdministratorHealth Equity/Minority Health Coordinator, Public InformationOfficer | Suzannah Sisler, Public Affairs SpecialistMore info onpage 00G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

Program PlanningNew partnerships are forming to explore every opportunityto help Garrett County residents prevent and managechronic diseases. There’s an association between lack ofaccess to healthy foods and poor health outcomes likeincreased rates of death from heart failure. G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

An important factor in setting upa program is to get communityfeedback and thoughtfullyengage with the people theprogram is designed to serve.Ideally, they help in every part ofthe program from design all theway through to evaluation. Thismethod is often referred to asparticipatory design. We had the opportunity to dojust that and the Harvest HubMeal Box program was designedby the stakeholders it wasintended to serve. Additional public meetings wererecorded and are accessible onGarrettCountyFood.com.Watch the focus group held onOctober 26, 2023 that broughtincredible insight into theproject:https://garrettcountyfood.com/public-meeting-recording-10-26-garrett-county-harvest-hub/Designed by local farmers,people receiving SNAP benefits,food service professionals,community members, foodcouncil members, agriculturalrepresentatives from localgovernment and from publichealth professionals. COMMUNITY-BASEDPARTICIPATORY METHODSG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

FARMER PARTNERSHIPSAfter our initial focus group we developed an interestform and with the help of our partners from theUniversity of Maryland Extension Service and theWestern Maryland Food Council’s extensive lists wesent out an interest form to local farmers andpartners who may be interested in working alongsideus on this new pilot.939 people opened the email with the interest form.Fourteen farmers filled out the form, and four farmscompleted the entire application process with acomprehensive Farm Infrastructure Readiness Form. A panel met and voted to fund all three Marylandfarms who applied. Due to the constraints of thegrant funding we were unable to support ourneighboring out of state farms. G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4Go! Garrett County - Posted May 1, 2024 (11 comments)Facebook - Posted May 2, 2024 ( 348 Reach )Instagram - Posted May 2, 2024 (24 Reach / 2 Interactions)

G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4https://garrettcountyfood.com/local-farmer-funding-opportunity/

PARTNERSPictured left to right: Allison Boyd,Co-owner of Honey Moon Farm,Shelley Argabrite, MA., Director ofPopulation Health, Innovation, andInformatics at the Garrett CountyHealth Department, Larry Tichnell,Co-owner of Ma & Pa’s CountryStore, and Katherine Dubansky,Co-owner of Backbone Food Farm.Now that we’ve identified ourfarmers through a public andtransparent process, the meetingsstarted and we got to know oneanother.Guided by grant requirements webegan working through severalaspects of the project. We gavethis “work” a name, the HarvestHub. In order to continue withparticipatory design we developeda survey (you can view on the nextpage) to help us better understandwhat people want. Ensuring we letdata drive our decisions. G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4We collected 118 surveys from ourcommunity. We also had pages ofcomments from the members ofGoGarrettCounty.com who helpedbuild the Harvest Hub. Part of thework was investing heavily in localfarms, paying them for their timeas we worked together to design aprogram that enabled each of themto accept SNAP cards as paymentfor their goods. https://garretthealth.org/the-garrett-county-harvest-hub-a-new-program-to-support-local-farmers-and-expand-community-supported-agriculture-csa-opportunities-is-underway/

Zip Code: Are you a SNAP recipient?O Yes O NoHow much would you be willing to pay for a meal box?O $45O $30O $15 Which pick-up locations would be most convenient for you? (Select all that apply.)*O The GladesO MeadowsO Head StartO Southern High School O Northern High School O Ma & Pa’s Country StoreO Backbone Foods Farm O Honey Moon FarmsO Ruth Enlow Library O A Public Site In My Zip Code What pick-up time would be the most convenient for you?O Noon O 5:30PMWhat delivery options might you need?O I can pick up my food box at one of these sites indicated. O I don’t have access to transportation and require deliveryContact InformationName Phone Number EmailMore opportunities to easily purchase locally grown, affordable, healthy food are sprouting inGarrett County this spring! If you are interested in learning more, please complete this programplanning survey.New partnerships are forming to explore ways we can help people eat healthier and support ourlocal farms. Please take a few minutes to let us know your preferences as we continue building theHarvest Hub.Backbone Food Farm, Honey Moon Farm, and Ma & Pa’s Country Store are teaming up with theGarrett County Health Department and Chef Rob Scardina to provide locally grown produce &raised meats to create delicious meals that serve up to four with instructions on preparing the food,a video link, and a recipe card.HARVEST HUB - PROGRAMPLANNING SURVEY Survey Results:118 responses17 were fromSNAP recipients53 (64%) said theywould pay $30.00 65 (54.6%)responded fromOakland 115 (96.6%)reported theycould pick up theirboxSouthern GarrettHigh School wasthe preferred pick-up location and5:30 was thepreferred time.G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

E A T C O L O R F U L L Y A N D M A K EV E G E T A B L E S A N D F R U I T Y O U R G O T O ! Our graphic designers developedmaterials to promote each farmand market the collective HarvestHub. The Tichnell Farm didn’t havea logo so our designer workedclosely with the family to create alogo and build brand recognition. Bringing exposure to our farmersthrough our marketing channelsand design expertise is one way wesupported our farmers other thanthe financial payments we wereable to award them through thegrant to help them grow theirbusiness.“Hope you get a greatresponse for these!”“Wonderful Program!”“Great idea for thefarmers & the localcommunity.”Go! Garrett County - Posted May 24, 2024 (8 comments)Facebook - Posted May 28, 2024 (975 Reach / 7 Interactions) Instagram - Posted May 28, 2024 (24 Reach / 2 Interactions) G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

Powered byPartnershipsG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U BG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

Backbone Food Farm is celebrating it's 25thanniversary of providing naturally grown foods inGarrett county. Healthy soils are the foundation forour top quality produce, small fruits and pastureraised meats. We have used sustainable and organicmethods from the very beginning to provide ourcommunity with food they can trust. We also offernutritious gourmet mushrooms, vibrant cut flowersand on-farm events. Visit our website for moreinformation! www.backbonefarm.comBACKBONEFOOD FARMWho is....Backbone Food Farmbackbone_foodfarmG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

HONEY MOONFARMWho is....Honey Moon Farm is a CertifiedNaturally Grown produce farm inAccident, MD. We use biointensiveplanting methods, whilemaintaining a focus on soil healthand ecological systems, to grow awide variety of vegetables, fruits,herbs, and cut flowers. We believein growing high quality produce forour community while caring for ourland. We take pride in theappearance, taste and nutritionalvalue of our crops and arepassionate about making healthylocal food as accessible as possible.We attend several farmersmarkets, sell to local restaurantsand offer a CSA membershipprogram. We are on social media ashoney_moon_farm_md and ourwebsite is: www.honeymoonfarmmd.comHoney Moon Farmhoney_moon_farm_mdG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

MA & PA’S COUNTRY STOREWho is....Ma & Pa's country store was started 3 years ago. Wewanted to serve our local community and built thestore to replace an old store. We feature Soft ServeIce Cream and beef that is raised on our farm. We useno growth hormones or stimulates. Our beef is raisedon grass, hay and finished with grain. Try ourhamburger and steaks, and you will keep coming back.We also handle a variety of other food items. Stop inat 5423 Gorman Rd Oakland, MD,and check us out.Ma & Pa‘s Country Store LLCG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4E X A M P L E S O F T H E S A M P L E D E S I G N S P R O V I D E DA N D W O R K I N G T H R O U G H L O G O C R E A T I O N

G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4Firefly FarmsfireflycheeseFIREFLYFARMSWho is....Yes, we’re different. And it’s not just thatwe’re one of the most awardedcheesemakers in the U.S. From fairrelationships with our farmers, to poweringcheesemaking with our own solar energy andactive conservation efforts, to donating ourwhey to local farmers and pig growers, to ourcommitment to handmade cheese – onlyhandmade, and always from fresh milk –we’re working to make our community andthe world a better place for all of us – onewheel of cheese at a time.fireflyfarms.com

G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4Levi and Mariah Lantz. Farm fresh produce and annualgreenhouse plants.Family is the whole reason this adventure was startedat a young age. Our parents, Arlene & Willie havetaught us valuable life skills & lessons. They havehelped shape us into the entrepreneurial people weare today.ALL Produce & Greenhouseallproducegreenhouse2004ALL PRODUCEWho is....

G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4WILDOMFARMWho is....We are a regenerative farm thatprioritizes animal welfare, ecology,and human health. Simply put, weproduce food that is good for theanimals, the land, and you.We raise multi-species in a forestand pasture based system. Ourcattle, sheep, and chickens grazeour holistically managed pasturesand our turkeys and pigs foragethrough our forests. Our animalsare rotated to new areasconsistently. This movementallows them to always access freshforage and explore new territory,while also giving the soil anopportunity to rest, recover, andregenerate.wildomfarm.comWildom Farmwildomfarm

“Great plan tobenefit all”“I completed thesurvey. This soundslike a greatprogram!”Go! Garrett County - Posted March 20, 2024 (15) comments)G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

Allison Boyd from Honey Moon Farmvolunteered to use her website to take pre-orders and process payments of the Meal Boxesfor our entire pilot project. In addition to thewebsite management, Allison handled all of thetransactions and money exchange for the group.We used GarrettCountyFood.com as the faceand then linked the Harvest Hub button to herwebpage so people could pre-order and pay on-line. She also accepted gracious donationswhen folks paid $30.00 for a meal box to donateto those in need.EGG FRITATTABOX #1“This is great!”“My Harvest Hub Boxwas a culinary delightof the freshest farmgrown food!” 30 Boxes Ordered / 30 SNAP Recipients G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

GARRETTCOUNTYFOOD.COM/BOXG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

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Katharine Dubansky volunteered an area at herfarm for all of us to package the fresh produce,farm raised meats, specialty cheeses, and therecipe cards on distrubution days. It was wonderfulto see the months of planning come together in thisphysical box full of goodenss. It was truly acollaborative effort that was very rewarding! MEAL BOX #1F R E S H L O C A L F O O DT H O U G H T U F L L YP A C K A G E D G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4“Good idea andaffordable!”ORDER YOUR MEAL BOX TODAY!PUBLISHED: 2024/05/24 AT 9:21 AMENGAGEMENTS: 166https://gogarrettcounty.com/order-your-meal-box-today/

H A R V E S T H U BB O X N U M B E R# 1 W A S A H U G ES U C C E S S !Go! Garrett County - Posted July 22, 2024 (12 Comments) Facebook - Posted June 20, 2024 (914 Reach / 5 Interactions) Instagram - Posted June 20, 2024 (44 Reach / 1 Interaction) “There is nothing like fresh, localproduce!”“What a terrific idea toshowcase all these differentcommunity groups. To worktogether to benefit All. Greatjob to everyone involved.”G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4Check Out Our First Harvest Hub MealBox! -Includes video from ChefPublished: 2024/06/17 at 1:31 pmEngagements: 215https://gogarrettcounty.com/check-out-our-first-harvest-hub-meal-box/

VIDEOSWITHCHEFWe had the honor of continuing towork with Chef Scardina whocreates an inclusive environmentfor students with disabilities andwho runs his culinary classroomlike a business. It gives all of hisstudents an opportunity to excel inthe kitchen. Even if they chooseanother path, the life skills theylearn with Chef will serve themlong after graduation. I’m not surewho works harder the farmers orthe educators. Seriously, I’m soimpressed with Chef Scardina! He smiles and jokes all the waythrough the chaos and stillproduces exceptional resultsensuring that students of all abilitylevels participate in planning,preparing, and capturing theexperience on video. The recipe videos are a keyeducational piece of theHarvest Hub Meal Box pilotproject!“Great video &opportunity for localfood. Extra bonus forSNAP. Oven safe panis a useful addition toany kitchen.” G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

Lifting others up, sharing resources, and promotingdedicated people with various skills, talents, andpassions is a mark of an abundant community. An unexpected outcome of the Harvest Hub pilotproject was gaining the support of a successful localbusiness, FireFly Farms. They donated high-qualitycheeses to each of our Meal Boxes! In July, the entire crew welcomed us for a kitchentake-over at Fire Fly Farms Market & Cafe located inAccident, MD. Southern Garrett High School wasunder construction over the summer so we needed akitchen to film our cooking demo.Mike, Pablo, and their delightful staff have big plansfor the future of the Harvest Hub as trusted partnerswho share our desire to invest in the local foodeconomy. MEAL BOX #2G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

LIVECOOKINGDEMOhttps://gogarrettcounty.com/live-cooking-demo-place-your-harvest-hub-order-today/Go! Garrett County - Posted August 26, 2024 (13 Comments)Facebook - Posted August 26, 2024 (673 Reach / 3 Interactions) Instagram - Posted August 26, 2024 (17 Reach ) G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4“I made this recipe with a littletwist: Instead of ground beef, I usedground Italian sausage and insteadof zucchini, I used small pieces ofbroccoli. It’s what I had on hand andit was delicious!!”Watch the videohere!

STUFFED PEPPERSBOX #2“Thank you again for speaking at LEADyesterday! I want you to know that you madean impact on the hearts and minds of many inthe group. You were mentioned several timesduring the reflection session at the end of theclass. And yes! The MMM program is a greatidea for the boxes. I’m really glad that camethrough at the session, “ said Allison Boyd. 26 Boxes Ordered / 22 SNAP Recipients with the Maryland MarketMatch / Donations RecievedG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4I was invited to speak to a group ofLEAD Maryland Fellows visiting GarrettCounty in June. This resulted in afantastic discussion about the HarvestHub and a new partnership!Christina, from Maryland MarketMoney, a federal program offered herservices and Allison Boyd volunteeredto set up the account so Harvest HubFarmers could be further supportedfinancially and SNAP recipients wouldreceive a dollar for dollar match on theMeal Box.

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Facebook - Posted August 26, 2024 (907 Reach / 5 Interactions) Instagram - Posted August 26, 2024 (15 Reach ) Facebook - Posted August 23, 2024 (307 Reach)Instagram - Posted August 23, 2024 (23 Reach / 1 Interaction) G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

This box was an example of “the pivot,”the need to change direction quickly.The weather put a damper on the planswe laid out for the third recipe. So wegot creative with the ingredients ourfarms could provide, and our taste budswere pleased! It was a great summer forpeppers, and these don’t taste anythinglike the ones sold at the big box store.This recipe was my favorite; it may havebeen the shishito pepper appetizer thatset this one apart for me :) Often, ourproduce is picked for distribution thesame day, and you can taste it in everybite!We were also able to bring new partnersinto the Harvest Hub for the secondround of grant funding. This helped bringmore variety to our Meal Box! MEAL BOX #3G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

VIDEOWITHCHEFhttps://gogarrettcounty.com/harvest-hub-meal-box-tailgate-pastaGo! Garrett County - Posted September 18, 2024 (11 Comments)Facebook - Posted September 19, 2024 (692 Reach / 4 Interactions) Instagram - Posted September 19, 2024 (18 Reach ) “What a greatopportunity forstudents atSouthern HighSchool.” G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4P U B L I S H E D : 2 0 2 4 / 0 9 / 1 8 A T 1 0 : 4 5 P ME N G A G E M E N T S : 1 8 7Watch the videohere!

Additonal partnerships made Meal Box #3unique. I had never prepared a poblano peppernor had I tasted pork from Backbone Farms.Those two would have been enough, but wethrew in another surprise. Chef Rob agreed toprepare homemade chicken stock utilizingchicken backs from Wildom Farm. We addedthe White Rock cheese from FireFly Farms atthe end, and the result was fabulous! TailgatePoblano Pasta“I hope you do this nextseason, I got all threeboxes and am sad to seethe growing season end.I looked forward to myHarvest Hub Meal Box“18 Boxes Ordered / 17 SNAP Recipients Go! Garrett County - Posted September 23, 2024 (13 Comments)Facebook - Posted September 20, 2024 (371 Reach) Instagram - Posted September 20, 2024 (20 Reach ) G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

MISSIONWe gave people a second chance topick up their pre-ordered box andfree skillet if they missed distributionday. After a phone call and/or emailwe were able to connect with most toget them their box. When we couldn’treach them Ron Dewitt from DivineHope accepted the food anddelivered it to those in need. Thesecond month we started receivingdonations. Ron was poised tocoordinate transportation andaccepted those donated Meal Boxesand was able to deliver them tofamilies in need. The generosity ofour community is unmatched, and it’sincredible to see how Garrett Countyshows up to help people in need. Thiswas demonstrated in various waysthroughout the program.However, this issue is not somethingwe can fix with one program or bydonating one time. The amount ofpeople struggling who are unable toafford enough food continues to grow.We have an incredible opportunity tocome together because many churchesand organizations are working on thisissue, but do so independently. We areon a mission to reduce food insecurityand improve nutrition at the same time.Our network of willing partnerscontinues to grow but it’s time togather around the table and trulycoordinate. There is still so much workto be done. What this pilot showed usis what’s possible when we worktogether because EVERYONEDESERVES TO EAT WELL and HAVE ASEAT AT THE TABLE.G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

KATHARINE What the farmers have to say...“As a long time local farmerinvolved in direct marketing forover 25 years in my county, Iam aware of food insecurityissues. It was veryrewarding to work with otherlocal farmers, and Shelley, tobe able to coordinate reducedcost food boxes. I lovedknowing that participants werenot only getting a fresh,localmeal, but a cooking lesson toboot! I think this program isheaded in the right direction byconnecting local consumerswith local food! Both partiesbenefit, which is certainly thedirection we want to head in!”G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

LARRY & JANET“As a local vegetable producer, I reallyenjoyed the opportunity to work with theHarvest Hub project. It was a great way forme to collaborate with other farmers Iwouldn’t necessarily work with otherwise,reach new customers, and get healthy, localfood to community members who need it andvalue it. It was really rewarding to connectwith customers directly and hear how muchthey enjoyed preparing recipes with all localingredients, especially when the recipesinvolved new vegetables that they hadn’ttried before.”ALLSION What the farmers have to say...“The program that Shelley coordinatedto put local farmers in touch with peoplein need of food for their families waswell received by both farmers and thosefamilies. It not only gave them food butalso recipes to prepare the food theyreceived. Shelley was very instrumentalin putting this program together!”G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

RECIPECHALLENGEThe Harvest Hub is a coordinatedapproach to begin addressing acomplex issue, taking the guessworkout of what and how to prepare anutritious meal. We go the extra mile—not only is the meal healthy anddelicious, but it’s also locally sourced tosupport our community of farms. Inadditional strategy identified in thegrant was to create opportunities forcommunity engagement related tohealthy food preparation, and recipes.To accomplish this, one objective of thegrant was to launch a communitycontest series we called the RecipeChallenge. Our GoGarrettCounty.com membersblew us away with the recipes theysubmitted! We challenged them totweak family recipes by using thefollowing techniques: include reducingthe amount of fat and sugar,substituting ingredient(s), omittingingredients(s), changing the preparationmethod, and changing the portion size.The details can be found at: https://gogarrettcounty.com/launching-the-go-recipe-challenge/G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

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G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4Social MediaEngaging with the community comes in many forms. Traditional media,social media, email marketing campaigns, and platforms likeGoGarrettCounty.com and MyGarrettCounty.com are utilized to movepeople into action. Huge Shout Out to John Corbin and SuzannahSisler for taking this program to the next level by engaging so manypeople around one of our most critical priorities in Garrett County.

Facebook- Posted March 22, 2024 ( 621 Reach / 3 Interactions) Go! Garrett County - Posted March 25, 2024 (13 comments)Facebook - Posted March 23, 2024 ( 811 Reach / 4 Interactions)Instagram - Posted March 23, 2024 ( 53 Reach / 1 Interactions) SOCIAL MEDIA BLASTG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

Facebook - Posted December 26, 2023 ( 795 Reach / 2 Interactions )Instagram - Posted December 26, 2023 (38 Reach)Facebook - Posted December 29, 2023 (493 Reach / 1 Interactions )Instagram - Posted December. 29, 2023 (25 Reach)Facebook - Posted January 30, 2024 ( 734 Reach )Instagram - Posted January 30, 2024 (27 Reach)G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

The Garrett County Planning Tool found at MyGarrettCounty.comcontinues to empower the entire community to work collaboratively onstrategies that move the needle in a transparent space where data iscollected and acted upon. Our farmers are using this model practice tohelp track their collaborative work for the community. You are invited totrack your food security efforts as well as we work together to capture theefforts our community puts forth to reduce food insecurity. G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

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We hold free classes and fitnessopportunities across GarrettCounty! Wellness Coaching and acommunity- wide step challengeare on-going , you can jump inanytime. Whether it’s a formaldiagnosis of type 2 diabetes, or youjust want to be “healthier” it’simportant to remember you arenot alone! You have a communityon GoGarrettCounty.com justwaiting to embrace you and helpsupport you on your well-beingjourney. Sign Up For Your Free Account Today atGoGarrettCounty.com!Substantial evidence indicates thatrealistic modifications of diet andlifestyle can prevent mostcoronary artery disease, stroke,diabetes, colon cancer, andsmoking -related cancers.Investments to prevent diseaseand even reverse complications toimprove quality of life hold thepromise of maintaining a vibrant,abundant community. Ourextensive well-being portfoliooffers recipes, cooking demos, tipsfor healthier eating that actuallytaste good! G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4

WHAT’S NEXT?G A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4The need to prioritize food and nutritionsecurity was formally identified in the2022-2024 Community Health NeedsAssessment (CHNA). Various partnersstarted taking a more active role inaddressing the need. The PopulationHealth, Innovation, and Informatics unitutilized the data from the CHNA to writefor and win a competitive grant for theHealth Planning Council in 2022. Since that initial competitive grant awardrelating to food in 2022 (story:https://garrettcountyfood.com/about/)we’ve been writing and receiving grants tocreate a sustainable food network inGarrett County. So much has been happening that wecreated GarrettCountyFood.com to helpagencies, healthcare providers, and thecommunity find resources and work bettertogether. Along with coordination among variousstakeholders, securing funding is anotheressential factor in reducing food insecurityin Garrett County.Our most recent funding award will help ustake another step forward to accomplishboth. Recently, the Area Health EducationCenter (AHEC West) was awardedsubstantial funding. The PopulationHealth, Innovation, and Informatics Unit isnamed in that funding award to continueto address chronic disease through food &nutrition security and to increaseopportunities for physical fitness. Thisemerging program will be a continuationand expanded version of our well-beingportfolio found on GoGarrettCounty.com,as well as a variation of the Harvest Hubmodel. In May, our unit was awarded $139,000 ayear for the next five years. Many of ourpartners have also been awarded funds,and together, our goal is to serve 7,000people in Garrett and Allegany Counties inan initiative called Healthy Together. Please visit GarrettCountyFood.com andGoGarrettCounty.com and join us on thisjourney!

Explore More!G A R R E T T C O U N T Y F O O D . C O MG A R R E T T C O U N T Y H A R V E S T H U B I M P A C T R E P O R T - F A L L 2 0 2 4