4AP and Second Harvest Heartland celebrate a successful pilot

This summer 4 Access Partners collaborated with Second Harvest Heartland and the Minnesota African Immigrant Farmers Association (MAIFA) on a pilot program designed to support small-scale, emerging farmers.

Through this pilot program, six MAIFA farmers connected directly with six local food shelves, creating a win-win for both farmers and the community. Farmers were paid fair market prices for their produce, while food shelves received culturally relevant produce that’s often hard to come by.

We’re proud to support initiatives that strengthen farmers from under-represented communities, provide access to fresh, culturally connected foods, and drive equity within our food systems.

Huge thanks to Second Harvest Heartland and MAIFA for their commitment to making this vision a reality. And props to this amazing team!

From left to right:  Mila Sanchez, Julien Munezero, Heidi Coe, Funwi Tita, Christen Majors, Ariel Pressman, Lindsey Ochmanek and John Mendesh