Seed Saving
Community Gardens
Composting
CFI Donation Station
Edible Schoolyards
Community Food Initiatives is an Athens, OH non-profit that works to increase local food security and self reliance. We do this in the following ways:
"From Seed to Self-Reliance"
Through our Seed Saving Program, the seasons of independence and food security are brought full circle. We work to educate the public about the benefits of saving open pollinated, heirloom varieties of vegetable seeds. We also host several free seed and tomato plant giveaways. We distributed hundreds of seed packets, 14,000 lbs. of potatoes and nearly 70 flats of free tomato plants through the help of Jackson Area Ministries and the Society of St, Joseph this year.
Composting creates healthy soil, which creates healthy food, and ultimately healthy people. CFI educates the public on small scale, relevant composting techniques. Our "Composting Angels" are hard at work organizing compost tours and workshops for late summer and fall. Watch for announcements with details about upcoming events.
Our Community Garden Program is thriving over 6 gardens in 2 Counties. We are facilitating leadership development and organizing these gardens so that they will become independent organizations. This project is  starting with the over 150 member Westside Community Garden.  CFI Manages gardens in Athens, Nelsonville, Chauncey, Stewart, Glouster, and Chesterhill. There are open spots in all of these gardens!! For more information on obtaining a community garden plot please contact us.
We are currently creating a curriculum and gathering materials to prepare for the upcominng schoolyear. Thes curriculum has already recieved positive positive reviews at East and The Plains Elementary Schools. Also, we are currently establishing an attractive and Productive garden at The Plains Elementary through a relationship with Kids on Campus.
The CFI Donation Station meets Athens County's most immediate food security issues. We gather monetary donations at the Athens Farmers Market that are used to buy the fresh, local and healthy goods sold there. We also recieve donations from community gardeners and market vendors themselves. These products are then distributed to over 35 locations in Athens County.  Halfway through 2010, the donation station has supplied over 25,000 lbs. of fresh produce to those in need. 
Upcoming Events:
  • Workshops for August, 2010 include Jam and Jelly creation, as well as Salsa/Tomato Canning. Dates TBA
  • August 28, 10:30-12:00 at The Athens Farmers Market,   CFI will host a Salsa Dip-off. For a $2 donation to CFI, market goers will be designated judges. The salsa with the most votes wins a framed certificate, and the opportunity for their recipe to be posted online.
  • Sept 25, 2010 Location TBA. CFI's Annual Harvest Dinner