FOOD | Etna EcoDistrict

FOOD ETNA ECODISTRICT

FOOD February 2019

ETNA ECODISTRICT Ecodistricts focus on both the hardware or physical systems of places, as well as the software of social and cultural resiliency. The Etna EcoDistrict, along with its Triboro Ecodistrict partners in Millvale and Sharpsburg, is focused on six key areas of planning and strategic action: water, mobility, air, energy, food, and equity.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: References to materials or processes developed by EcoDistricts®, and the Etna EcoDistrict are referred to as “EcoDistrict”, while the term ecodistrict without capitalization is used to refer to other districts, programs, and processes that are not the intellectual property of the EcoDistricts® organization.

Etna’s Food Vision

Etna is a foodsecure community with opportunities to grow, buy, share, and eat food locally.

4 | Etna EcoDistrict

ETNA’S FOOD STORY The relationship between Etna residents and food has changed over time.

Where we purchase food, how much we eat, what we eat, and how much food we waste have all changed significantly over the past 100 years.

Feeding a community requires a diversity of foods and a lot of land area to produce and process the food.

To grow enough food to feed all Etna residents for a year would require an area over seven times larger than Etna.

While most people come into contact with food on a daily basis, the food system is largely hidden from view.

The food system is complex and consists of many stages - production, processing, distribution, consuming, and disposal. The food consumed by Etna residents comes from a variety of sources, ranging from hyper-local (made in Etna) to international sources.

Our food choices affect the environment, human health, the economy, and equity.

The food system creates jobs and local businesses are able to recirculate money in the community. The food system both affects and is affected by the environment.

Food insecurity is an issue in the region, which is impacted by food costs, transportation, and other factors.

Etna Borough has taken significant actions related to food.

The Bread of Life Food Pantry, the Garden of Etna, and the Etna Farmers Market all contribute to improving quality of life in Etna.

Etna residents and Food Champions are planning for the future.

October 2018 was “Food Month” in Etna. Residents came together to discuss food issues and opportunities as well as to develop Etna’s Food Vision Statement.

FOOD | 5

OCTOBER 2018 WAS FOOD MONTH! The Etna EcoDistrict Education Series focused on a different Quality of Life Issue each month.

6 | Etna EcoDistrict

Etna Food Education 43 Attendees October 3, 2018 The Etna EcoDistrict Education Series was an opportunity for attendees to develop a shared understanding of “food”, share information about the Borough’s food initiatives, and allow residents to provide their own thoughts and opinions regarding food. The Education Session covered a variety of topics including: •

How has food changed over time? The history of food businesses in Etna and how our eating habits have changed.

•

How much food do Etna residents consume and how much area does producing that food require?

•

Information about honey bees, including a sampling of locally produced honey.

•

Where does Etna’s food come from? An overview of the food system and food places in Etna.

•

What are the effects of our food choices? The impact on the environment, human health, the economy, and equity.

•

How Etna residents can make an impact and food partners that are working to increase food security in the region.

•

Etna’s food initiatives, including efforts to increase prevalence of local food and increase food security.

At the beginning of the session, attendees shared their “Etna Food Stories”, and several individuals shared their stories with the greater group. Many stories touched on growing your own food in the Garden of Etna, equitable food access, healthy food, and food as a way to build community. Following the presentation, attendees wrote their ideas for Etna’s food future on comment cards.

Photos by evolveEA & Robert Tuñón FOOD | 7

Etna Food Champions 13 Attendees October 10, 2018 Following the Education Session, a group of 13 individuals who are particularly passionate about food attended the Champions Meeting to have a more in-depth conversation about Etna and food today, and to craft a vision for Etna’s food future.

The Champions Meeting consisted of an in-depth discussion about the following topics: •

The content covered during the Education Session.

•

The Food Stories, Food Vision Statements, and general comments from the Education Session attendees regarding Etna’s food future.

•

The Bread of Life food pantry’s impact on the community.

•

The relationship between food and the environment, and food and equity.

Following this discussion, the Food Champions broke up into groups of two to discuss what Etna’s Food Vision Statement should be. Through the discussion, a few themes emerged, including: •

Having more healthy and affordable food options in Etna.

•

Better education of residents about food and food issues.

•

Increasing access to local food.

•

Minimizing food waste in Etna.

•

Increasing education surrounding the Garden of Etna and how to get more people involved.

•

Emphasizing building community by bonding over and sharing food together.

Following the meeting, three attendees (Karen Tomaszewski, Jessica Kirin, and Veni Mittal) volunteered to craft Etna’s Food Vision Statement informed by the conversation, and present it at the next Education Series meeting.

The Champions crafted the vision statement thoughtfully and intentionally.

“Food-secure” means having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food, which is a crucial equity concern.

“Grow, buy, share, and eat” refers to several stages of the food system.

Etna plans to increase options and better connect residents with existing assets (the garden, farmers market, restaurants, etc.).

“Locally” is used because interacting with food locally reduces food miles and therefore minimizes environmental impact. Also, patronizing local businesses helps to keep wealth within the community.

The vision statement they developed is written below.

FOOD VISION STATEMENT Etna is a food-secure community with opportunities to grow, buy, share, and eat food locally.

Photos by evolveEA, Robert Tuñón, & Kendra Clarke 8 | Etna EcoDistrict

FOOD | 9

The ecodistrict process is intended to empower and activate residents by providing them with the information and tools necessary to envision Etna’s future and then to achieve it.

For this process to be successful, evolveEA, ECO, Etna Borough, and residents must listen to one another and work together to have open and honest conversations and share knowledge and resources.

An essential part of this process is 10 | Etna EcoDistrict

asking for and integrating community thoughts and expertise into the process. The adjacent page shows the results of the Etna Food Value Statement exercise that informed the Food Champions’ conversations, and will ultimately inform the EcoDistrict Protocol Roadmap. Key themes from the community meeting feedback were quantified and will be revisited during Roadmap development.

It is important to me that...

90 responses

I can walk to a store that sells fresh and healthy food.

20 Leftover food scraps are composted or put to other productive use in Etna.

16 The food sold in Etna is affordable.

15 Butler Street is home to staple food businesses, such as a bakery and butcher shop.

14 I can grow my own food in Etna.

7 I learn how to cook fresh, healthy, and delicious meals for myself and my family.

6 Etna contains many food-related job opportunities.

6 Etna is home to new and popular restaurants.

2 “Made in Etna” is known as a mark of quality food products.

1 Photos by evolveEA & Robert Tuñón FOOD | 11

Pfaub’s Grocery Store

John Roth’s Bakery

Spagnola’s Fruit Store

Cheese Delivery Truck

ETNA’S FOOD CONTEXT Etna’s relationship with food has changed over time.

12 | Etna EcoDistrict

Ben’s Confectionery

Stilz’s Meat Market

Americans are farther removed from the food system than ever before.

Food provides essential nutrients for growth and development, energy to carry out physical work, and tastes and pleasure that add enjoyment to life and help define who we are. While most people come into contact with food on a daily basis, our food system is largely hidden from view. Fewer Americans have direct farming, gardening, or food preservation experience today than at any time in history.

The evolving relationship between humans and food has impacted main street business districts significantly, including Etna’s Butler Street.

Since before Etna was established as a municipality, the community contained many locally-owned, small food-related businesses. This included but is not limited to: •

Grocery Stores: Pfaub’s store (formerly next to Winchel’s Hardware), August Stilz’s grocery store on Grant Avenue, Stoney’s Grocery, A&P, Marty’s Supermarket, and many more

•

Bakeries: John Roth’s, Kohst’s, Stadler’s, Dorner’s, Gnamm’s, and Wilhelm’s Bakeries. Etna had a street that was referred to as “Bakers Alley” because many bakeries occupied that area

•

Candy and Ice Cream Stores: Stilz Candy Store and Ben’s Confectionery

•

Meat Markets: Stilz’s, W.A. Braun’s, Stumpf’s, and D.E. Cubbage Meat Markets

As well as a fruit store, tea company, cheese company, liquor store, brewery, and much more.

Where Americans purchase food is changing.

The businesses mentioned previously served Etna during a time when patronizing decentralized, small businesses was the only way to procure food if you were not growing it yourself. However, the way that we shop for food has changed significantly since this time.

Now we see far fewer main street food-related businesses and more people shopping at chain supermarkets. Supermarkets became popular in the 1920s because they had the ability to offer lower prices (since they were buying in bulk) and they offered additional conveniences and services, such as providing a pharmacy, gas station, or other nonfood items on-site.

The idea of providing a “one-stop shop” was taken a step farther in the 2010s as stores like Target and Walmart expanded, putting nearby independent food stores, and even supermarkets out of business. In areas where big box stores are the only place to purchase groceries, if you do not own a car you may be left to shop for food at convenience stores, fast food stores, or other places that are more easily accessible.

In 2018, companies such as Amazon Fresh are further distancing Americans from where their food comes from, by allowing customers to grocery shop online and have the goods delivered to their doorstep. While delivery services such as this are helping to make food shopping more accessible, Americans now rarely associate a face and name with the food that they consume, and have less of a concern about where the food comes from.

Source: Etna Centennial, Phillips Edison FOOD | 13

Pollak’s Candy

The Shiny Bean

However, not all small food businesses are gone.

Even with the changes that have occurred, Etna is still home to several successful, well-loved, small foodrelated businesses. For example, Pollak’s Candy is a family-owned business that has been in operation since 1948. Their candy is both produced and sold in Etna. Cop Out Pierogies, founded by a former 14 | Etna EcoDistrict

Apoidea Apiary

sergeant from the Shaler Township Police Department, supplies local restaurants in addition to offering 14-count “dozens” for stop-in customers. Apoidea Apiary is another business with a long history in Etna.

Their hives are located across the region, including several in Etna. There are also new food-related businesses in Etna, such as The Shiny Bean. The Shiny Bean is a community-oriented coffee shop, that also sells light food.

How many calories does the average American consume daily?

How much food does the average American waste?

2,600

calories

2,017

calories

40%

wasted food!

1970

2016

How much we spend on food and what we eat is also changing.

In 2003, the average American spent 53.6% of their annual food spending on food consumed at home. Thirteen years later, in 2016, this percentage decreased to 49.8%, meaning that Americans are eating out more than they have in the past.

Americans are also eating more food than ever before. In 2016 the average American consumed 29% more calories than in 1970 (2,600 per day compared to 2,000). This roughly equates to 1,855 lbs of food per year, or 67 tons of food over the average lifespan (80 years).

What Americans are eating has changed as well. Nearly half of the

average American’s daily calories comes from just two food groups flour and grains, and fats and oils. In 1970, red meat, poultry, vegetables, and fruits composed a greater proportion of the daily diet.

Lastly, food waste is increasing.

Food waste is the number one source of garbage in landfills and is responsible for 17% of U.S. methane emissions. Some food is lost at the farm (due to severe weather, poor management, insects, or spoilage), some is lost in transportation (poor handling or packaging), and some spoils on the shelves of grocery stores. However, consumers are the biggest contributor to food waste, with the average American throwing away 40% of their groceries annually, or $165 billion of value every year.

Source: Pollak’s Candy, The Shiny Bean, Robert Tuñón, Nielson, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Pew Research Center, Calorie Bee, Apoidea Apiary FOOD | 15

0.2 miles2

0.22 miles2 0.52 miles2

20-30 ft.2 per cow 0.22 miles2

Land Area to Grow Food For All Etna Residents for 1 Year

HOW MUCH FOOD ETNA EATS Feeding all Etna residents for a year requires an area larger than the Borough.

16 | Etna EcoDistrict

Food production requires large areas of land.

692,770 cups of apples annually,

While some residents grow food at the Garden of Etna or in their own backyards, this is not enough space to grow food for the entire community.

1,993,996 cups of carrots annually,

If all Etna residents met suggested nutritional goals based on age and gender, then the community would consume 2,406,189,500 calories per year.

The United States Department of Agriculture suggests that your daily diet consist of the following food groups composed in the following proportions on your plate: Fruits Grains

Vegetables Protein Dairy If all Etna residents were to eat apples, carrots, milk, oats, and chicken to satisfy their nutritional needs, this would require:

1,099,380 cups of milk annually, 525,600 cups of oats annually, and 432,160 cups of chicken annually.

The associated area to grow this quantity of food and keep cows for milk is overlaid on top of a map of Etna on the adjacent page. If every lot, rooftop, and hillside was used to grow this food, Etna might be able to accommodate this space within the Borough boundaries. However, in reality, not all residents can or want to eat only these five foods every day; it is normal to eat a diversity of foods as part of your diet. In addition to this, 28% of Etna residents are considered to be obese (with many more considered to be overweight) and are eating more than the suggested nutritional goals. Because of this, it would require a much larger area of land than is illustrated on the adjacent page to feed all Etna residents for a year. Instead, it is estimated that it would require roughly 5.4 square miles of land to feed all Etna residents for a year, approximately seven times larger than Etna’s land area.

Source: ESRI 2017, U.S. Census, Health.gov, ChooseMyPlate.gov, NHANES (2003-4), Farmland LP, Gardens of Eden FOOD | 17

Food Places in Etna

ETNA’S FOOD SYSTEM The food on our plate is only part of the story of Etna’s food system.

18 | Etna EcoDistrict

Food Places in Etna Production places Processing places Distribution places Consuming places

While most people come into contact with food on a daily basis, our food system is largely hidden from view.

The food system describes how people get their food. It encompasses all stages of keeping people fed, including growing, harvesting, packing, processing, transporting, marketing, consuming, and disposing of food.

It begins with production, which includes growing, harvesting, and packing food. A couple food production places are located in Etna, including the Garden of Etna and an apiary.

Processing is next, which includes primary food processing (transforming agricultural products into food), secondary food processing (turning everyday ingredients into edible foods), and tertiary food processing (transforming ingredients into meals). In Etna, food is processed in commercial kitchens, by catering businesses, processing businesses (such as Pollak’s), mobile food facilities (such as food trucks), and in restaurants, fast food shops, and coffee shops.

The food then goes to distribution, which may occur at grocery stores, markets, or wholesale distributors.

Etna does not contain any grocery stores (there are 2 located nearby in Shaler), but does distribute food through the Farmers Market, a food pantry, convenience stores, a candy store, and a beer distributor.

At this point the food is consumed by a consumer, who either receives it in meal form, prepares the food and then consume it, or they consume the food at a restaurant. In Etna, every household is considered a place of food consumption, in addition to restaurants, and the senior center.

Lastly, food scraps and associated waste are disposed of when sent to a landfill, a recycling center, or a composting location. Etna does not currently have public facilities for managing food waste within the Borough, but residents are served

by Waste Management who collects landfill and recycling waste.

Transportation is also considered a part of the food system because food must be transported between each stage in the process, accounting for an enormous number of miles traveled every year.

PRODUCTION

DISPOSAL

PROCESSING ETNA’S FOOD SYSTEM

CONSUMING

DISTRIBUTION

Source: Cornell University, University of Idaho, Allegheny County, EEDC, USDA FOOD | 19

100 - 150 miles away

HYPER-LOCAL food system

LOCAL food system

Etna’s food comes from hyper-local, local, domestic, and international sources.

Food that is produced, processed, and distributed in Etna is considered hyperlocal. There are only two hyper-local food sources in Etna currently, including an apiary and a candy producer.

Food that is produced, processed, and distributed within 100 to 150 miles from Etna is generally considered to be local food. This can include farms or producers as far away as State College, Erie, and large portions of West Virgina and Ohio.

The majority of the food consumed

by Etna residents likely comes from locations across the United States 20 | Etna EcoDistrict

and even internationally. In the early 1970s, the United States was a net exporter of fruits and vegetables, meaning that the U.S. shipped more fruits and vegetables to other countries than we imported from other countries. However, this has changed over the past 50 years.

Today, the U.S. is a net importer of fruits and vegetables, which has increased by over 50% since 1970.

This shift has had three significant impacts. First, Americans no longer eat seasonally. Prior to the 1970s, most fruits and vegetables were only available during the seasons in which they were harvested. This means that the American diet was composed of different types of fruits and vegetables depending on the season. Today,

DOMESTIC food system

GLOBAL food system

90% of the United State’s fruits and vegetables are imported from Mexico and South Central America, which allows Americans to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables year-round.

Secondly, the food system now has a far greater environmental impact than it did prior to 1970. Now that the U.S. is a net importer of food, food is traveling farther distances, leading to increased fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Currently, the global food system (importing food from other countries) uses 4 to 9 times as much energy and produces 5 to 17 times more carbon dioxide than a local food system (producing and consuming all foods locally).

Thirdly, since the U.S. is importing significantly more food than it used to, this has led to a decrease in domestic food production. Large farms have dominated the domestic food production market, making it difficult for small farms to be profitable. In 2015, across the United States, large farms with over $1 million in sales accounted for only 4% of all U.S. farms, but accounted for 66% of all sales.

Also, the number of midwestern farmers, which used to be significant, is also in decline. In 2015, California’s farm sales were first in the nation (over $47 billion), which is $20 billion more than the second highest state, Iowa.

Source: ArcGIS, Food Systems Documentary, Dirt to Dinner, Office of Creative Research, USDA, The OCR, CNBC FOOD | 21

GHG 70%

of all water that is consumed worldwide is for agriculture

$5m

ETNA FOOD BUSINESSES & SALES

17

30%

of all energy that is consumed worldwide is for the food system

20%

of all greenhouse gases emitted worldwide can be attributed to the food system

CHAIN RETAILER

17 Food & drink businesses Annual sales: ~$5 million

13.6%

24 Retail businesses Annual sales: ~$33 million

$33m

24

#

$

local recirculation of revenue

INDEPENDENT RETAILER

48%

local recirculation of revenue

EFFECTS OF OUR FOOD CHOICES Our food choices impact the economy, the environment, human health, and equity.

22 | Etna EcoDistrict

Our food choices can create jobs and support the local economy.

Currently, there are 17 food and drink-related businesses in Etna, which accumulate almost $5 million in sales annually. This accounts for 41.5% of the total number of businesses located in Etna, and 13% of the total sales. These 17 food and drink-related businesses employ 209 people, accounting for 10.2% of the jobs located in Etna. Of these 209 jobs, 94 are in food stores and 115 are in eating and drinking places.

Patronizing local businesses strengthens the local economy by directly creating jobs in Etna, as well as indirectly by creating more business for their suppliers. Local businesses build local wealth, both for individuals and for the Borough.

Local businesses are much more likely to shop for goods and services (from banking to labor) at other local businesses, and they are more likely to donate to local causes and participate in community initiatives.

As a result, a dollar spent on local goods is more likely to stay within the community, creating a multiplier effect that benefits everyone instead of sending that dollar off to a corporate headquarters far away from Etna. It is estimated that spending a dollar locally generates about three times as much benefit for the local economy as spending a dollar at a chain store.

The food system impacts the environment and contributes to climate change.

Currently, 11% of the globe’s land surface is used for crop production.

Decisions about where to locate food production, processing, and distribution places can put a strain on nearby infrastructure and impact the built environment.

Location of farms and farming practices can impact the natural environment by depleting or interfering with animal habitats, which impacts species diversity and wildlife health. Monocrops (crops producing only one type of food) can severely effect soil quality and improper farming practices can lead to soil degradation.

Lastly, farming practices have led to deforestation in some places.

While often miles away from cities, these impacts trickle into cities via animal migration, watershed issues, availability of local food, and more.

The food system is a very energy and water intensive process as well. 70% of all water and 30% of all energy that is consumed worldwide is used to support the food system.

This extensive energy and water consumption, along with transportation and food waste produces greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to climate change. 20% of all greenhouse gases emitted worldwide can be attributed to the food system.

Source: ESRI, InfoGroup, Center for EcoLiteracy, Civic Economies, FAO, Food Source, Food and Climate Ecoliteracy FOOD | 23

In 1940, we used

1

Today, we use

2.3

1

calories of FOOD energy

calorie of FOSSIL FUEL energy

to produce

calorie of FOSSIL FUEL energy

to produce

0.1 calories of FOOD energy

1 glass of MILK

1 serving of RICE

1 serving of CHICKEN

1 serving of PORK

1 serving of BEEF

produces

produces

produces

produces

produces

GHGs

GHGs

GHGs

GHGs

GHGs

1.3

2.6

3.7

The increasing scale and mechanization of food production and processing has dramatically increased the amount of fuel needed to create the food that we eat. Back in 1940, 1 calorie of fossil fuel energy could produce 2.3 calories of food energy. Today a lot more energy goes into producing and processing our food, resulting in 1 calorie of fossil fuel energy producing only 0.1 calories of food energy.

A significant amount of energy also goes into the transportation of food.

On average, food purchased at conventional grocery stores travels more than 1,500 miles to reach the shelf.

Related to this, different foods produce varying quantities of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), 24 | Etna EcoDistrict

5.8

26.6

because each type of food has a different quantity of energy associated with producing and processing it.

Cutting down on meat consumption can significantly reduce the amount of energy associated with your diet, and eliminating meat consumption entirely (becoming a vegetarian) can reduce your carbon footprint by half.

In addition to contributing to climate change, the food system is also impacted by the changes that are happening to the earth’s climate.

Extreme and unpredictable weather impacts food production; ocean warming and acidification impacts sea life and contaminates water; and elevated CO2 levels impact soil quality and can cause insects and animals to migrate to new areas.

POTENTIAL HEALTH IMPACTS Death rate due to heart disease (per 100,000 people – not attributable to air quality only)

ADULTS WHO ARE OBESE

Allegheny County Allegheny County

City CityofofPittsburgh Pittsburgh

28% 32% 181 195 POTENTIAL HEALTH IMPACTS Death rate due to heart disease

(per 100,000 people – not attributable to air quality only)

Etna Etna

28% 336 Source: SWPA Profile, ACHD 2012

DEATH RATE DUE TO HEART DISEASE

Allegheny County Allegheny County

181 181

City CityofofPittsburgh Pittsburgh

Access to healthy food is directly linked to health.

While Etna’s obesity rate is lower than the City of Pittsburgh and equivalent to Allegheny County, access to and education about healthy food is essential for the 28% of Etna residents who are considered to be obese (and the many more who are considered to be overweight). For those who do not have a car or easy access to the grocery stores in Shaler, shopping at local convenience stores and fast food places can become a habit.

These places offer an abundance of unhealthy “packaged foods”, which are affordable but do not support long-term health and wellbeing.

195 195

Etna Etna

336 336 Source: SWPA Profile, ACHD 2012

An unhealthy diet can make individuals more vulnerable to several health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, various types of cancer, and depression. Having a healthy diet and exercising regularly can give people more energy and self-confidence, lessen related health issues, and help individuals live longer.

Source: University of Michigan, WeForum, Sustainable Healthy Cities, Center for EcoLiteracy, WPRDC, ACHD FOOD | 25

Shop ‘n Save

Aldi

Market District

Shop ‘n Save

Bus Routes to Grocery Stores

Access to food is a significant issue in the region.

Having access to food means having the resources to acquire appropriate food for a nutritious diet. Questions that influence food access include: •

How am I going to travel to a food retailer?

•

How much time will it take me?

•

What kind of food can I afford?

•

What kind of food is available?

•

What kind of food is nutritious?

•

How am I going to cook the food once I bring it home?

26 | Etna EcoDistrict

The state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food is described as “food insecurity”. In 2016, nearly 1 in 7 Allegheny County residents was facing food insecurity (approximately 174,000 people).

Part of being food-insecure is not having reliable, affordable, and convenient transportation to food retailers. Since there are no grocery stores in Etna, residents must travel to Shaler to go grocery shopping.

This trip is an easy and quick drive for those who own a car. Those who do not own a car must take a bus and then walk for 14 minutes to reach the grocery store. A weekly trip to the grocery store by bus costs $260 per year (or over $500 for bi-weekly trips).

39.9% of households with children in Etna receive SNAP.

15.6% On average, Etna residents spend 15.6% of their annual household income on food.

Carrying a weeks worth of groceries during a 14 minute walk and then during the bus ride home can be challenging, particularly for people with children or mobility limitations.

Food costs are also related to food insecurity. On average, Etna residents spend $5,887 on food annually, which is 15.6% of the median household income. The average American only spends 10.1% of their household income on food, meaning that food costs are more burdensome for Etna residents than the average American.

On average, Etna residents spend 61.5% of their annual food budget on food consumed at home, and 38.5% on food consumed away from home.

This could indicate that Etna residents

do not eat out as often, and/or when they do eat out, they patronize restaurants that are more affordable.

People with low-incomes, elders, and persons with disabilities are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which issues electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food and prevent food insecurity. 433 Etna residents, or 12.6% of the Etna population, receive SNAP benefits.

39.9% of households with children in Etna receive SNAP benefits. SNAP is currently only accepted at one of the convenience stores in Etna.

Source: Just Harvest, USDA, PAAC, ESRI, Consumer Expenditures Surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013-14, SWPA Profiles, ACDHS, 2014 FOOD | 27

ETNA’S FOOD INITIATIVES We have done some amazing things with food in Etna!

28 | Etna EcoDistrict

Bread of Life Food Pantry

Etna Farmers Market

Bread of Life was established in Etna in 1989 following a flood event by a group of concerned citizens and the pastor of Calvert Church. The food pantry is fully staffed by devoted volunteers and allows food-insecure individuals to select food from the pantry free of charge. About 100 - 120 families (250 - 290 individuals) benefit from this program. The food pantry also coordinates a senior boxed lunch program (serving 35 families) and a summer lunch program for children.

The Etna Farmers Market wrapped up it’s 11th year of operation in the fall of 2018. The farmer’s market is open annually from the beginning of June through the end of October on Thursdays across from the Municipal Building. It is a great opportunity for residents to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, and other food from local farmers and food producers. In 2018, some of the vendors included Snakeguy’s Pepper, Dillner Family Farm, Stein’s Apiary, Just Right Spice, Lisa’s Reading Nook, Nedal Gyro, Filippo Lampasi, and more.

Garden of Etna Formerly a vacant lot, the Garden of Etna currently has sixteen residential beds, which residents can sign up for free of charge. The garden also has four beds that are dedicated to the Bread of Life Food Pantry, which includes seedlings that were grown and donated by Shaler Area High School students. In 2017 these beds provided over 550 pounds of donated food to the food pantry.

The Garden contains a rain barrel, storage shed, a composter, and a new solar array that sits atop a newly constructed carport. The solar array provides electricity to the Garden so that decorative lighting and equipment can be plugged in and on-site cooking demonstrations can be given. The solar array also powers an electric car charging station that is located under the carport.

The Garden is well-loved by the community and has been described as a place that has strengthened great friendships and has built a wonderful sense of community.

Source: Etna Borough, EEDC, Calvert Church, Robert Tuñón, evolveEA, Garden of Etna FOOD | 29

HOW YOU CAN HELP! Here are five things you can do tomorrow...

30 | Etna EcoDistrict

1. Reduce your food waste.

Minimize food waste by only buying what you need, making an effort to use leftovers and extra ingredients, purchase food with minimal packaging, and compost scraps in your backyard.

2. Participate in or start an urban garden.

Reconnect with the food that you eat by either starting a garden in your backyard, along your porch, in a window planter box, or by joining the Garden of Etna.

3. Support local food businesses.

Buy local at the Etna Farmers Market and local food businesses.

You can also support local farmers by participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program or by shopping at a food co-op.

4. Become a Food Rescue Hero.

Volunteer with 412 Food Rescue, an organization that organizes and transports food that is donated by food retailers and delivers it to people and organizations who are food-insecure.

5. Eat at a sustainable restaurant.

Patronize one of the many designated “Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurants� in the greater area. This designation program recognizes restaurants that demonstrate a commitment to take economic, environmental, and social actions that benefit the region. Over 100 restaurants are now designated.

FOOD | 31

ETNA ECODISTRICT Cover Photo: Beets sprout at the Garden of Etna. Photo by Robert Tuñón.

Funding provided by Henry L. Hillman Foundation.

The Etna EcoDistrict is supported by

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