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The funds, awarded through the new Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive program, will increase affordable access of fruit and vegetables for people throughout the country, said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in a press release.
“It is an honor for Wholesome Wave to be awarded such a significant grant from the USDA,” Wholesome Wave Founder and CEO Michel Nischan said in a press release.
Wholesome Wave is a U.S. nonprofit organization that creates partnership-based programs that enable underserved consumers to make healthier food choices by increasing affordable access to health, locally and regionally grown foods.
For the grant, Wholesome Wave and its partners were required to contribute matching funds for three years, so a total of $7.4 million is committed to affordable food access, Vilsack said.
“This USDA SNAP nutrition incentive award is a watershed moment for me and my colleagues at Wholesome Wave,” said Gus Schumacher, vice president of Wholesome Wave, in a press release.
“This initiative will provide our vulnerable seniors, disabled veterans, working poor and children on SNAP with the opportunity to access healthy, local fruits and vegetables provided by hardworking family farmers.”
Schumacher especially lauded the efforts of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), USDA leaders, and members of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s advisory committee.
“Funding was ensured in a timely manner, especially for the upcoming 2015 farmers market season,” Schumacher said.
Nischan, a Fairfield resident, has been named a recipient of the 2015 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year award. This honor is given to an individual or organization whose work in the realm of food has improved the lives of others and benefited society at large.
He will be honored at this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards on May 4 at Lyric Opera of Chicago.
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