When it comes to the topic of food, commitment to our community and the environment is what matters most. What many often forget is the difficulty people face when trying to eat and live healthy, especially if one does not have access to a variety of food options nearby. For the past three years, we've gathered thousands of Long Islanders together in an effort to combat this problem with initiatives such as the youth-run farmers' markets in low-income communities.

We are pleased to invite you to join us on the evening of December 20th at Oheka Castle for a cocktail-party and fundraiser. Sustainable Long Island is honoring Ann Rathkopf and Bhavani Jaroff for their work establishing Slow Food Huntington and Joseph M. Gergela III for all his accomplishments as Executive Director of the Long Island Farm Bureau. There will be food, fun, and festivities during this cocktail party with a brief program.

A $150 ticket to this cocktail reception will be considered your donation to continue Sustainable Long Island's work, will show your support for local eating and local food, and include a FREE one year membership to Slow Food USA. Call Jean Cipriano or Scott Woodson at 516-873-0230 to register today!

Sustainable Long Island's youth-run farmers' markets have officially come to a close for the season, resulting in over $28,000 in sales and supplying over five thousand community residents with fresh, affordable produce . Earlier this year Sustainable Long Island teamed up with local community partners and the Long Island Farm Bureau to launch these projects in North Bellport and Roosevelt, two communities historically underserved by food retailers and markets.

Throughout the season (July 11 - October 31) residents had the option of purchasing affordable fruit and vegetables from high school students of each community who ran the markets, which were stocked with produce from six Long Island Farms including Anderson Farms,  Deer Run Farms, Milk Pail Farms, Natural Earth Farms, Philip Schmitt & Sons Farms, and W&K Farms. Over 90 boxes of cabbage, 240 bags of corn, 870 bunches of beets, and 3200 pounds of tomatoes made their way fresh from the farm to North Bellport and Roosevelt resident's kitchen tables. More amazingly, 65% of total transactions came from EBT sales and WIC and Senior Checks, cementing the fact that access to fresh, affordable food alternatives is needed now more than ever in many low-income communities.

Throughout the summer and early fall months, numerous elected officials visited the markets including Legislator Kevan Abrahams, Legislator Kate Browning, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher, and Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano - who held a press conference to highlight the Roosevelt Markets' success. The market sites became more than just a shopping center, but a festive-family-fun  atmosphere with unique activities and demonstrations occurring throughout the season, including cooking demonstrations, steel drum bands, interactive games, and informational tables on nutrition, agriculture, and health services available in both North Bellport and Roosevelt.

Earlier this month we attended a groundbreaking ceremony in downtown Wyandanch was held for a sewer project that has been decades in the making. The sewer infrastructure being built by the Town will make it possible to implement the Wyandanch Rising Hamlet Plan - the community's vision for the future.

"This is an historic achievement for Wyandan ch that will pave the way for the development of a real downtown, new jobs, affordable housing and a better environment," said Supervisor Bellone. "This achievement would not have been possible without the incredible work of Senator Schumer, Congressman Israel, Assemblyman Sweeney and our other partners."

The sewer plan the Town is implementing was developed with the $450,000 in federal funding Congressman Steve Israel secured for a comprehensive study and project design. US Senator Chuck Schumer, along with Congressman Israel, was instrumental in securing the federal support for the financing the Town will receive through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (NYS EFC), headed by CEO Matt Driscoll. Assemblyman Bob Sweeney, as Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, worked closely with the EFC to insure that Wyandanch would be funded. Assemblyman Sweeney has also secured an additional $300,000 grant for the project.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and the Suffolk County Legislature under the leadership of Legislator DuWayne Gregory, Presiding Officer Bill Lindsay and Minority Leader Dan LoSquadro joined together to eliminate sewer connection fees that could total up to $11 million.

The NYS Empire State Development Corporation granted the Town $2 million for the project; the NYS DOT awarded $486,000 and the US EPA awarded $410,000 for the project.

"Sewers are one of the pivotal pieces in making Wyandanch Rising a complete reality - bringing the necessary economic development in terms of tax revenue, jobs, businesses, and housing to continue the revitalization process spearheaded by Supervisor Bellone," says Sarah Lansdale, executive director, Sustainable Long Island.  "Suffolk County has identified the expansion of sewers in targeted areas as an economic development tool, and their support of the Wyandanch Rising process propels this revitalization effort forward."
 

After the New York State Environmental Facilities Corp. approved $14.66 million in low-cost financing funds for a Wyandanch sewer project, the great news continued. Recently The Town of Babylon was awarded a $20,000 Affordable Green Neighborhoods grant, which comes from the U.S. Green Building Council and Bank of America. Plans include a new parking and transit structure at the train station, open plazas and mixed-use retail and housing nearby.

We are pleased to announce that Sustainable Long Island has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation for its ongoing work to address the issue of food equity across Long Island. With this new stream of funding, Sustainable Long Island has been able to continue to focus on identifying solutions for communities which lack access to fresh, affordable food.

"The need to address the issue of food security on Long Island has become increasingly urgent given the current economic climate," said Sarah Lansdale, Executive Director of Sustainable Long Island. "With the Verizon Foundation's assistance, we are able to maintain the success we have accomplished with the creation of youth-run farmers' markets in low-income communities."

Earlier this year Sustainable Long Island teamed up with local community partners and the Long Island Farm Bureau to launch two youth-run markets in North Bellport and Roosevelt. Through this project, high school students from each community had the opportunity to run the markets, under the supervision of a market manger, while learning small business and customer service skills. Sustainable Long Island has used this additional funding from the Verizon Foundation to expand the educational opportunities at the market for youth, using the lesson plans at Thinkfinty.org to train the 10 teen staffers on nutrition, agriculture, and health.

"There's nothing more important than helping our young people get started in the right direction," said Patrick Lespinasse, Verizon Director of Government and External Affairs.  "Sustainable Long Island's unique educational and community-minded program helps to build strong skills within our children, while making sure that our needy neighbors on the Island have avenues for food supplies. It's a great partnership."

The students have developed and executed peer-to-peer nutritional activities and a nutritional survey at the market this year. This project has equipped young people with planning tools, educational nutrition information and sample activities, and knowledge to continue to make a positive impact in their communities.
 

• Check out Peter Bronski's, of Long Island Pulse magazine, story "Eat Like a Locavore" on eating locally, mentioning our youth-run markets!

• On November 20th, many of the students who worked at the Roosevelt and North Bellport Markets attended the Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners conference in Brooklyn to share their success and learn about career opportunities in this burgeoning field. This was the first annual conference to forge food, farming and policy solutions and convened farmers, gardeners, activists, students and community leaders from across the nation.
   

Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners Conference Closing Keynote Ralph Paige