Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Grant

Since January 2023, Birdhouse has participated in an LFPA grant funded through the USDA. This grant allows local food pantries to purchase fresh local foods directly from Birdhouse farmers and food producers through our online market.

The grant is designed to serve the needs of two very different populations:

First, small local farmers have an opportunity to sell more of what they grow. This grant was designed to provide customers to our smallest farmers, many of whom grow on tiny plots of land, often under 2 or 3 acres. With access to a few relatively large customers, these farmers can plan and plant for reliable sales, improve their bottom line, and increase our community’s local food supply.

Second, those experiencing food insecurity have access to fresh local fruits and vegetables and other fine products, based on their needs (and seasonality). The quality and freshness of the food serves to improve the diet and health of those receiving it.

So much of the produce donated to food pantries is effectively compost by the time it reaches people in need. Because Birdhouse has an online shopping option, we are able to provide two of our local food pantries with locally grown, freshly harvested food. Through this program, pantries can now order based on what is seasonally available in our area and choose foods they know their clients are looking for.

The LFPA grant will operate through mid July 2025. It is part of our planning to find funding to continue long after the grant funding ends.