CSX, Conservation Fund team up to support distribution of fresh food to underserved communities

CSX and The Conservation Fund recently launched a program to provide grants to organizations that would help improve the transportation and distribution of fresh, healthy food to communities in need.

More than 23 million Americans have limited or no access to fresh produce, dairy, meats and seafood, due in part to the lack of infrastructure to distribute the products to market. To help support local distribution, CSX and The Conservation Fund will offer grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to entities that distribute fresh produce or perishable food in the 23 states where CSX operates. The grants can support a range of activities related to the transportation of those goods, such as:

• acquiring refrigerated vehicles for direct delivery to markets;
• financing "veggie vans" to bring fresh food to isolated communities;
• providing better access to food hubs or other sites where produce, dairy, seafood and meats can be stored safely for distribution; or
• purchasing produce boxes and cold storage bins to keep unsold food fresh for the next day's farmers' market or wholesale purchase.

Grant applications are due by Oct. 1, and can be downloaded via The Conservation Fund's web site. The Conservation Fund is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding conservation solutions that balance environmental and economic needs.