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Borrego Springs is a small (summer popuation 3200 locals/winter 7,000 snowbirds), rural community located in the middle of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, two hours from any large city. The majority of our year-round residents are Hispanic and low socio-economic, with jobs based on landscaping, agriculture and housekeeping. With the high cost of fuel, driving out of Borrego is prohibitive or at least done rarely.
With only two small grocery stores and two liquor stores, our families are challenged to find and afford healthy and nutritious food. Consequently, many of our children are seen eating their favorite meal of "hot cheetos and a soda". Obesity, diabetes and pre-diabetes are serious health problems for our children and their parents. Data from our school nurse and from our local medical clinic are strong indicators of these health issues.
The goal of this grant, A Better Borrego, is to educate and introduce our families to a more nutritious way of preparing their Mexican diet as well as to make available fresh produce from our local farmers market and bi-weekly organic vegetable-box program. Clases would be offered on how to prepare healthy and fresh foods unknown to the Hispanic diet. Currently, families on food stamps and WIC may not use them at our October - May local farmers' market nor with the vegetable-box program and prices prohibit our families from shopping there.
The grant would pay for:
1) Bilingual Nutritionist to come to Borrego Springs for a series of 8 classes (4 to teach and presnt cooking demonstrations on "Strategies for making the Mexican Diet More Nutritious" and 4 classes on preparing new and nutritious vegetables and fruits from the farmers' market and organic vegetable box as well as (16 hours of instruction @ $90 hour = $1,440; hotel for 8 mights = $720; mileage=90 miles one way x 16 trips x .555 = $799 for a TOTAL OF $2,960
2) Materials for cooking demonstrations: fresh food, hot plate; assorted cooking dishes and utensils (approximately $1000)
3) Bus Transportation for our most disenfranchised families living 18 miles out of town in the Ocotillo Oasis Trailer Park (location of our Rotary sponsored Literacy Center)and other parents with no transportation: 8 trips at $235 a trip= $1,880
4) Babysitting during class: 2hours @ $10 hour x 8 classes = $160
5) Miscellaneous = $80
TOTAL = $6,000
Total number of adults directly affected - approx. 50
Total number of children indirectly affected - approx. 150
Total number of other family members indirectly affected - approx. 100
Rotarian involvement: Rotarian Martha Deichler (school superintendent) and Diane Hydowsk and Sandy Angle are the Rotary's direct liaisons between the community and the school district. They will work together with the families, the nutritionist and the community to ensure the success of this worthwhile project.
In addition, Rotary will speak with the San Diego Farm Bureau and Farmers' Market Association to discern the feasibility of our local Farmers' Market accepting food stamps.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
Yikes! The grant was signed by others before I had a chance to finish and now it won't let me edit the incomplete portions:
Budget - Miscellaneous - $80 FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $6,000
I need to alter the amount requested from a total of $5,000 to a total of $6,000
$3,000 from Borrego Springs Rotary matched by $3,000 from the Rotary District
Number of people who will be directly affected - approx 50 adults
" " " indirectly affected - approx 100 children; 50 additional adult family members
Rotary Involvement: Rotarians Martha Deichler (school superintendent), Diane Hydowski and Sandy Angle are strong liaisons between the school distict and Rotary. They will work with the community and the schools to ensure the successful implementation of this worthy grant.
I HAVE JUST NOW SUBMITTED THE LAST DOCUMENTS WITH SIGNATURE PAGE AND ONE MORE RECEIPT.IT APPEARS THE GRANT HAS ALREADY BEEN "REPORTED" AND PERHAPS CLOSED IN WHICH CASE I UNDERSTAND. THANKS, MARTHA
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