It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have learned about the passing of our beloved founder, Tallu Schuyler Quinn. A Nashville native, Tallu founded The Nashville Food Project in 2011 at the age of 31. With fierce hope and an expansive vision, she shepherded the organization for a decade through an incredible evolution.
Partner Spotlight: Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE)
Prior to this August, the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) helped in the resettlement and community-building processes for about 80 individuals per year. In the past four months, however, they’ve worked to welcome more than 180 new Nashville arrivals from Afghanistan–and they don’t expect to slow down for a few more months.
Growing Together: Highlights of 2021
The Growing Together program is small, but its impact is deep. This year, there were six families farming our one acre of land. More than 20,000 pounds of vegetables were harvested from this green and compact corner of our city. More than 5,000 pounds of that were purchased by The Nashville Food Project from the farmers and then shared with partners and community members who helped distribute to those who otherwise lack access to fresh produce. We are also grateful for the customers who participated in our community supported agriculture (CSA) program. In this post, we share a few favorite moments of the year.
Joining Forces for Free Community Health Days
In late 2021, thanks to generous funding from Welcoming America’s Resilient Rapid Response Fund, the TNFP team had the opportunity to lean into a new form of community health and care. We leveraged our resources and community connections to increase opportunities for New American communities to access COVID-19 vaccines and health information with intentional language support alongside access to fresh, local produce distribution and other essential services.
Tips from the Kitchen: Butternut Squash
Partner Spotlight: The Village at Glencliff
Food Access Coordinator Annie Slaughter writes about The Village at Glencliff, one of our meal partners. The Village at Glencliff is a medical respite community which aims to bring people experiencing homelessness dignified and quality medical care after they have been released from the hospital. The Nashville Food Project shares about 85 meals a week with the residents.
Q&A with Justin Hiltner, featured musician for our 10th Anniversary Picnic Party
When banjoist, songwriter, journalist and activist Justin Hiltner recorded a set at our headquarters for the upcoming 10th Anniversary Picnic Party, he took a minute to introduce a new song about “anxiety and growing Old Tennessee melons, called Muskmelons.”
A whole song about growing melons? We were obviously smitten.
To say we have loved working with Justin for this event would be an understatement. Learn more about him below, and don’t miss the streamed show, which will air Sunday, September 26!
Reflecting on Summer's Sweet Peas
Over the summer, our meals were prepared, packaged and delivered to 16 meal partners for Sweet Peas, a summer program sharing healthful meals with kids during the critical months when school is out. Also critical, Sweet Peas happens thanks to the generous financial support of sponsor Jackson®, which funded the program to help share more than 18,000 meals this summer!
Partner Spotlight: Growing Together + Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition
Growing Together Manager Tallahassee May writes about the farmers’ produce-sharing partnership with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
“In growing food for local sales and distribution, [the farmers] have the autonomy to grow food that is both culturally meaningful to them as well as crops that support relationship-building with different cultures.”
Meat of the Matter: A Visit with Trusted Protein Partners
Red Clover & Carrot Cupcakes
The Nashville Food Project’s Sustainability Team invited the wise Leah Larabell of High Garden Tea to join our staff meeting and lead us in a session of ethical wildcrafting. Naturally, we served snacks too including these Red Clover and Carrot Cupcakes. We’re sharing the recipe (from Elke) with a bit of Leah’s advice too.
Partner Spotlight: Elmahaba Center
We spotlight Elmahaba Center, a nonprofit serving the Arabic-speaking community, as well Ashraf Azer, interpreter for the Arabic-speaking gardeners at the Community Farm at Mill Ridge. We are privileged to host seven Egyptian gardeners on the farm this season and have loved learning about a specific type of green used to make Molokhia, a beloved Egyptian soup.
An Update on the Leadership of The Nashville Food Project
As many of you know, we have been on a long journey under difficult circumstances to find a new CEO for The Nashville Food Project. While Tallu Schuyler Quinn will remain in the Founder role, it is crucial to establish strong leadership moving forward.
After intensive planning, interviews and the careful consideration of a Search Committee comprised of board and staff representatives, the Board of Directors has hired C.J. Sentell who will begin as CEO of the Food Project, starting July 6.
The Evolution of a Mural
Addressing Child Poverty Beyond the Pandemic
Development Manager Johnisha Levi wrote an article for Yes! Media on the American Rescue Plan’s potential to reduce child poverty in the United States. The plan seeks to uplift American families suffering from the economic impacts of COVID-19 with a series of cash transfers and expansion of benefits. While the focus of the bill is specifically COVID-19 relief, it has potential to have lasting impacts on childhood poverty and hunger in our country.
Kale Yeah!
Partner Spotlight: Darrell Hawks of Friends of Mill Ridge Park
The Nashville Food Project stewards a portion of Mill Ridge Park as the Community Farm at Mill Ridge, as space that currently hosts about 80 community garden participant families. Our partnership with Friends of Mill Ridge Park (FMRP) has been essential in the continued success of TNFP’s efforts to create infrastructure and land access opportunities for folks to grow their own food in the South East Nashville area. As we celebrate the ways that our work is intertwined with other types of environmental justice work in Nashville, we spoke with FMRP Executive Director, Darrell Hawks.
Recipes That Tell Our Stories: Meg's Overnight French Toast
Going "Full Circle" at the Community Farm at Mill Ridge
This year we will host our largest group of community growers yet including the Full Circle gardeners as well as about 50 gardeners with individual plots at the Community Garden at Mill Ridge and more than 20 growers at the McGruder garden in North Nashville. All skill levels and at least four languages flow in these spaces.
