ARLINGTON, Va., July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Applications are
now being accepted for the 2015 Grant Program for Transporting
Healthy Food, presented in partnership by CSX and The Conservation
Fund.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture more
than 23 million Americans have limited or no access to fresh and
healthy food. Many producers and retailers lack the resources and
equipment needed to sustain food quality and safety as they sell,
store, package and distribute fresh produce and other food to the
surrounding communities they serve.
Now in its second year, the Grant Program for Transporting
Healthy Food is designed to support and strengthen local
transportation and distribution infrastructure for healthy food to
communities in need. The program enhances delivery capabilities of
producers and distributors and improves the availability of healthy
food for nearby consumers. In 2014, the recipient organizations
used the grants to purchase refrigeration and delivery trucks,
acquire portable food chests and expand local food supply and
capacity to provide nearly 118 million pounds of nutritious food to
approximately six million people annually.
In 2015, grants ranging from $2,500 to
$10,000 will be made available to charitable entities that
distribute fresh produce and perishable food in 22 states where CSX
operates—Alabama, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New
Jersey, New York,
North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee,
Virginia and West Virginia.
The grants can support a range of activities related to
transportation, including:
- acquiring refrigerated vehicles for direct delivery to markets,
food hubs or distribution center;
- financing mobile market trucks and food stands to bring fresh
food to isolated communities;
- improving on-site and mobile processing and storage—flash,
freezing, drying or refrigeration—of meats and seafood needed for
distribution; and
- purchasing produce boxes and cold storage bins to keep unsold
food fresh for the next day's farmers market or wholesale
purchase.
As one of the nation's premier transportation companies, with an
important role in transporting agricultural, food and food-service
products, CSX recognized the integral role that distribution plays
in supporting access to fresh food.
"CSX aims to make an impact Beyond Our Rails—and one of our
largest focus areas is creating access to healthy lifestyles,
including food, in the communities where we operate and live," said
Tori Kaplan, assistant vice
president, corporate social responsibility. "It's our job to make
connections across our 21,000 mile rail network every day, and
we're proud to continue working with The Conservation Fund to
support local connections between communities and healthy, fresh
food."
"Local and regional food organizations are unsung heroes working
tirelessly to make healthy, fresh food a convenient, practical and
affordable option for everyone, particularly children and other
vulnerable populations, and they deserve recognition and support
for the important role they play in their communities," said
Kris Hoellen, Vice President of
Sustainable Programs at the Conservation Fund. "With CSX's
partnership, we're not only helping these groups expand their food
network, but we're also supporting our local farmers and working
farms—improving the entire food chain from the field to the
fork."
Grant applications are due by September
18, 2015. To download a grant application and see more
information about the program, please visit
http://www.conservationfund.org/partner-with-us/business/csx or
contact Margarita Carey at
mcarey@conservationfund.org.
CSX has long been a supporter of The Conservation Fund's work.
CSX has helped restore critical habitats at two national wildlife
refuges through the donation of more than 13,000 trees and is
helping reconnect children and nature with the creation of a school
curriculum unit. CSX is also entering into its second year of
working with The Conservation Fund on an ongoing program that is
improving access to and the supply of healthy food at local farmers
markets in underserved counties in West
Virginia.
About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier
transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and
rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across
a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial,
construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For nearly 190
years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic
expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every
major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the
nation's population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line
railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major
population centers and farming towns alike. More information
about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at
www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX)
and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund,
we believe that conservation should work for America. By creating
solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are
re-defining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our
future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we
have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect more than 7.5
million acres of land. www.conservationfund.org
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SOURCE CSX Corporation