Food Well Alliance - an organization committed to uniting communities in Atlanta to build a robust, local food system - has announced that it is investing $300,000 in 13 organizations that are creating a vibrant and more resilient city through locally grown food.

The investment is a part of Food Well Alliance's annual Local Food Grant, and supports a group of farmers, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs and educators who have demonstrated through collaborative projects why locally grown food is the most sustainable and equitable choice for ensuring healthy food access in Metro Atlanta.

All 13 of these dynamic organizations are implementing innovative approaches to increase the production and consumption of sustainably grown, local food in Metro Atlanta. The 2018 recipients include:

Aluma Farm; The Come Up Project; Concrete Jungle; East Point Farmers Market; Ecosystem Farm; Grayson High School; High Hog Farm; Hungry Heart Farm; Little Ones Learning Center; Miller City Farm; Open Hand Atlanta; Organix Matters For All; and The Paideia School.

"The response this year was overwhelming and demonstrates that leaders see the value in working collaboratively with their nearby farmer or garden, to help educate, feed, and improve the health, economy and the social fabric of communities in Atlanta," said Kim Karris, Food Well Alliance Grant & Community Capital Manager.

"At Food Well Alliance, we see grant recipients as partners in creating lasting change on improving how Atlantans eat, share and grow food together. To that end, we are committed to providing flexible and equitable funding by offering opportunities for peer learning and capacity-building that accelerate early-stage businesses and programs in the local food movement."

The 2018 Local Food Grant cohort includes a diverse group of leaders across Metro Atlanta's five most populous counties:

• 46% are local farmers

• 69% are led by people of color or women

• 54% are based in Fulton County, the remaining are distributed equally across Clayton, Dekalb, and Gwinnett counties

• 54% are working on farmer viability and economic development

• 46% are working on improved health through local food access and education