Niagara County

 
 

Come Celebrate with Us

August 1-5, 2012

At the Niagara County Fair

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make A Donation

Make a difference!  Your gift, no matter what size, is important.  Whether it be a corporate sponsorship, foundation donation, annual cash contribution, or a one time gift - all help strengthen our programs.   Would you like your donation to go towards a particular program?    No problem - you are in control.  Please take the time to see what CCE offers this community and make a choice to help us do more!

 

Closing and Cancellations

When the Lockport District schools are closed due to inclement weather, 4-H meetings on the grounds are also cancelled. When the county offices are closed in Niagara County, our office is automatically closed.

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Hunger-free Communities

 

 Niagara County Food Security Survey Report, click here

Focus Group Data:  Food Assistance, Food Producers, and Food Shopping Patterns

CCE of Niagara County awarded Competitive Nationwide USDA grant

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County announces the receipt of a highly competitive grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s “Hunger Free Communities” program, one of a series of new initiatives aimed at helping communities increase food access by promoting coordination between public, private, and non-profit partners. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the USDA will invest in research, planning, and other hunger relief activities to help end hunger in America. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the Farm Bill, authorized $4.98 million in grants to 14 communities in 8 states to end hunger and improve the nutrition of low-to-moderate income Americans. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service will oversee the grants. Niagara County was awarded $96,175 to fund a Planning and Assessment project over the next year. Executive Director Cathy L. Maloney reports that Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County was one of only ten chosen out of hundreds of applicants nationwide.   Maloney states, “We are thrilled to receive this much-needed funding that will allow CCE to work with our community partners not only to better understand the extent of hunger and food insecurity in our County, but to develop a concrete plan to increase access to fresh, healthful foods for our most vulnerable residents.”  

While Niagara County boasts a rich agricultural community, initial data collected by CCE of Niagara County suggests that food insecurity is a significant factor in approximately one-quarter of homes surveyed. Eighteen percent of respondents indicated that they had run out of food “almost every month” and 6% indicated that they ran out “every month.” Food insecurity has been also been linked to serious health conditions, such as obesity and diabetes. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings rated Niagara County as 57 out of 62 New York State counties in terms of health outcomes (with 1 as the healthiest).  Reducing the number of individuals and families experiencing hunger in this community and increasing access to healthy foods will help improve overall health outcomes and enhance the quality of life for residents of Niagara County.

The Hunger-free Communities grant funds will be used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the level of food insecurity in Niagara County and identify ways to alleviate food insecurity and hunger countywide. As part of the grant, a random sampling of Niagara County residents will be surveyed to determine the extent of hunger.  Project staff also will lead focus groups using open ended questions to discuss the causes of food insecurity and barriers to food access. In addition, data collection will include resource mapping, retail food assessment, and food systems mapping. A Food Policy Council will be formed with representatives from each of the partnering agencies including: the Niagara County Department of Health, the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center, the North Tonawanda Farmer’s Market, the Niagara Community Action Program, Inc., Niagara University’s ReNU Niagara, and the Niagara County Farm Bureau. From the research, a comprehensive set of recommendations, projects, and action steps will be developed by a Food Policy Council to support a healthier local community, economy, and environment.

Kathie Kudela of the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center comments that “it is amazing that given our country’s rich agricultural resources, people living within 20 miles of local farm markets are in virtual food deserts with little or no fresh produce available to them. My hope would be that this grant will result in a county wide success story in creating a healthy, secure and sustainable LOCAL food system that reaches everyone.”

Suzanne Shears of the Niagara Community Action Program, Inc. says, “NCAP is pleased to partner with CCE in reducing hunger in Niagara County. Our goal is to empower individuals to reach their fullest potential.” JoAnn Greenwald, Mayor of Barker, said, “I’m thrilled that CCE has been awarded this grant. Your assistance in evaluating where we fit into the food system will help us receive what we need.”

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County provides high quality, research-based information to the citizens of Niagara County.