Bringing fresh, local food from RI farmers and fishers to Rhode Islanders in need.
The Rhody Feeding Rhody initiative pays growers and fishers for food to distribute to Rhode Islanders in need.
This project, performed in partnership with Hope’s Harvest RI and the Commercial Fisheries Center of RI, supported healthy communities by providing fresh, culturally appropriate foods to people who likely would not have access to them otherwise. Also important, these customers provide a consistent market for products that may not have robust sales channels otherwise (e.g., grade ‘B’ produce and underappreciated seafood species).
Pandemic-era supply chain failures exacerbated the American food system’s longstanding issues with systemic racism, xenophobia, and poverty. During that time, RIFPC designed dedicated efforts to build and support sustainable, locally-based solutions that would have a lasting impact.
In September, WPRI-12 featured Rhody Feeding Rhody work in two pieces, aimed at raising awareness about hunger and highlighting locally-based solutions. The features included partner organizations SunRise Forever, Inc, Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, the RI Community Food Bank, and Hope’s Harvest RI.
Rhody Feeding Rhody: Whole Fish Donations Pilot Identifies Key Market
Rhode Island consumes just 1% of the seafood our thriving fisheries sector lands. Despite abundance and delicious variety, many local species of fish are underappreciated and therefore underutilized locally. Additionally, finding a consumer market for whole fish is particularly challenging.
There is a vibrant and growing immigrant and refugee population in Rhode Island; many people from cultures that have strong culinary traditions that include skillful handling and cooking of whole fish. Unfortunately, these newcomers to Rhode Island face systemic barriers in economic opportunity, food access, and food sovereignty, among many other challenges.
The Whole Fish Donations Pilot launched in August 2020, seeking to understand how to increase food security and to address the collapse of markets for local seafood. The program leveraged foundation funding, with which RIFPC, along with partners Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island and Eating with the Ecosystem, made direct purchases of fresh, whole fish landed at Point Judith, to then be donated to partner SunRise Forever, Inc. and other community partners for food insecure Rhode Islanders.
Pilot Program Partners
African Alliance of Rhode Island
George Wiley Center
The Narragansett Indian Tribe
Refugee Dream Center
SunRise Forever, Inc.
Women’s Refugee Care