About The Library
Welcome to the Hunger Free Communities Network’s online resource library! This ever growing database serves as a one-stop shop and home base for anti-hunger organizers featuring toolkits, case studies, research, online tools, community plans and other resources generated by the Alliance to End Hunger, our national partners and hunger free community coalitions across the country.
This is a user-driven tool, so feel free to rate resources and leave a comment! Also, please submit your own resources, so we can share your good ideas with others.
How To Search The Library
- Keyword Search: To run a keyword search, simply type the word(s) or phrase(s) you’re looking for into the box on the top right of the page (e.g. USDA, child hunger) and click “submit.”
- Category Search: To run a category search, use the drop-down menus to the right of the page under the heading “Resource Library Search” to select your desired search topic(s) and click “submit”. This search will yield more results if you limit your selections to one drop-down menu (e.g. “Content Type” or “Activity”). For an explanation of the categories, please click the orange “?” symbol next to the heading for each drop-down menu.
When the search results appear, click on the title of the resource for a more detailed description of that resource. There you’ll be able to directly access the resource.
Featured Resources
The Self-Assessment Workbook (SAW): The goal of the SAW is to assist a HFC coalition in determining for itself the critical elements for effective organizational management and network functioning and to identify those areas in need of strengthening or further development. The SAW is designed to enable organizational learning, foster team sharing, and encourage reflective self-assessment within an anti-hunger coalition. It can be used for strategic planning, evaluation and building group cohesion.
The Advocacy Playbook: The Advocacy Playbook is the Alliance to End Hunger’s signature advocacy toolkit and resource. It helps make the case for why advocacy a good idea and provides guidance on how your coalition or organization can help the cause.
Toolkit for Developing and Strengthening Hunger Free Community Coalitions: This provides a step-by-step guide for building coalitions, plus it gives best practices examples from the field, ideas for implementation, and practical tools. We hope it serves as a jumping off point for your local community’s efforts to find a solution to food insecurity.
Regional Farmers Market Feasibility Study
In Louisville, Kentucky, Market Ventures and Karp Resources completed a Regional Farmers Market Feasibility Study, in an effort to expand the local food economy of Louisville and its surrounding communities. The aim was to study the expected increase in sales of locally grown food in an urban setting like Louisville. In addition, this extensive study...
Read MoreRegional Food Hub Resource Guide
By U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Regional Food Hub Resource Guide is a collection of information, resources and background on everything needed to develop or participate in a regional food hub. The guide presents a series of key questions about the current state of food hub development and examples from operating food hubs. It also outlines the role that food hubs...
Read MoreThe Role of Local Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy
By Congressional Research Service
The Role of Local Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy says that while the current farm bill contains few specific programs that directly support local or regional food systems, such systems should play a larger policy role in the next farm bill. As the farm bill process moves forward, a number of bills have been...
Read MoreSonoma County Community Food Assessment
By Sonoma County Food System Alliance
Sonoma County Community Food Assessment contains information about the existing conditions of the food system. This information will be used to help inform policy and to develop broader awareness needed to facilitate systems change. This assessment is broken down into chapters, based on the eight identified goals of the Sonoma County Food System Alliance. These goals...
Read MoreWorkplace Community Supported Agriculture: Connecting Local Farms to Local Employers
By Center for Environmental Farming Systems
Workplace Community Supported Agriculture: Connecting Local Farms to Local Employers describes community supported agriculture (CSA), widely recognized as an effective way to build direct connections between small- and medium-sized farmers and local consumers. This guide explains the benefits and difficulties of running a CSA program and provides examples from a pilot program. This guide explains how...
Read MoreComience Una Granja En La Ciudad / Start a Farm in the City
By NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project
Comience Una Granja En La Ciudad relata los beneficios del desarrollo de huertas urbanas, las precauciones e información practica que se debe obtener al momento de iniciarlas. Además, incluye valiosos recursos relacionados a agricultura urbana en español, tanto como organizaciones que le ofrece apoyos para empezar, ayuda técnica en como crecer algunos cultivos específicos, y...
Read MoreThe Activities and Impacts of Community Food Projects 2005-2009
By Community Food Security Coalition / U.S. Department of Agriculture / National Research Institute
The Activities and Impacts of Community Food Projects 2005-2009 provides an extensive overview of the activities and impacts of Community Food Projects which received funding from the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program from 2005-2009. Community Food Projects support community food security including the management of Community Gardens, Youth/School Gardening or Agriculture projects, Promoting Local Food...
Read MoreReal Food, Real Choice: Connecting SNAP Recipient with Farmers Markets
By Community Food Security Coalition / Farmers Market Coalition
Real Food, Real Choice: Connecting SNAP Recipient with Farmers Markets is an in-depth study of the use of SNAP benefits at farmers markets. The report examines the issue from a variety of perspectives, including the capacity of farmers markets to operate programs to accept EBT (electronic benefits transfer) cards; the types of programs that markets...
Read MoreCommunity Food Security: Promoting Food Security and Building Healthy Food System
By Community Food Security Coalition
Community Food Security: Promoting Food Security and Building Healthy Food System provides a brief overview of community food security and the community food security movement. Topics covered in this resource include: What is Community Food Security?; Philosophical and Social Perspectives on Community Food Security; Community Food Security in Action; Conclusion and Opportunities for Growing the...
Read MoreTerminals, Tokens, and Time, Oh My! Farmers Market SNAP Success: What Does It Take?
Terminals, Tokens, and Time, Oh My! – Farmers Market SNAP Success: What Does it Take presents a summary of research, recommendations, and a roadmap for expanding and sustaining SNAP in farmers markets. In addition to providing data on recent trends on SNAP use at farmers markets, the presentation highlights 15 profiles of states that have...
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