Welcome to the Wholesome Wave Blog! Check back weekly for updates on community happenings, program successes and farmers market news from across United States. We’ll keep you updated on local heroes and our partners, all working to better the landscape healthful food access and affordability.
May 11, 2012
By Gus Schumacher Garden on the Go Mobile Truck Sponsored by Indiana University Health, their Garden on the Go™ mobile market improves access to affordable fruits and vegetables in Indianapolis’s "food deserts." Operating year-round, the market truck >>Read more
May 09, 2012
Wholesome Wave commends the USDA’s announcement today that it will provide $4 million in 2012 to help make it easier for consumers receiving SNAP benefits to purchase fresh local healthy foods by helping more farmers markets acquire wireless Electronic >>Read more
May 09, 2012
by Ashley Gaudiano On May 24th, Wholesome Wave is celebrating its New England roots and love of local food with some of Connecticut’s most celebrated culinary artists as it presents this year’s Whole Hog fundraising event. Hosted at Clarke’s Showroom >>Read more
May 02, 2012
by Ashley Gaudiano On April 23-25, 2012, Wholesome Wave held its Third Annual National Convening in Washington D.C. at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel. The convening provided our 60 partners with the opportunity to gather, learn and discuss the >>Read more
April 27, 2012
(Bridgeport, CT) The Senate Agriculture Committee’s work on the 2012 Farm Bill required difficult choices and compromise. Wholesome Wave applauds the bipartisan leadership of the committee, led by Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, (D-Michigan) and Ranking Member >>Read more
April 19, 2012
Wholesome Wave staff is busily preparing for our 3rd annual meeting in Washington, DC next week. The convening officially kicks off on Tuesday April 24th. This year we are very fortunate to have Chef José Andrés and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen >>Read more
April 11, 2012
By Ashley Gaudiano The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formally known as the food stamp program, was the focal point of a new study by the USDA. The study, released at the height of a political debate surrounding the food assistance >>Read more
April 10, 2012
Lawmakers working to pass the 2012 Farm Bill received a strong message from nearly 100 advocacy organizations, including Wholesome Wave, that improving health and increasing access to healthy affordable food among the nation’s vulnerable populations must >>Read more
March 30, 2012
by Gus Schumacher Demand for fresh, local produce is booming. Farmers in colder climates are making investments to extend the growing season – building seasonal high tunnels and adding new and old varieties of winter greens. Doing so allows shoppers >>Read more
March 21, 2012
Brass City Harvest of Waterbury, Connecticut, one of Wholesome Wave's new Double Value Coupon Program partners for the 2012 season, hosted a press conference Tuesday (March 20, 2012) with local and state officials to celebrate joining Wholesome Wave's >>Read more
March 17, 2012
by Gus Schumacher Eli and Misty Cook are expanding to meet the exploding Metro DC demand for year round fruits and vegetables. Adding acreage, new John Deere tractors (Eli now has seven) and state-of-the-art high tunnels, their West Virginia Spring >>Read more
March 12, 2012
Kashi, a leading natural foods company, invited Michel Nischan, CEO and founder of Wholesome Wave, to join them in their campaign to raise awareness about the “Real Food Deficit” at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, last >>Read more
March 07, 2012
In a letter sent March 6th, 2012 to senior Congressional lawmakers charged with crafting the 2012 Farm Bill, the mayors of 10 major metropolitan cities, including Boston, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago made it clear that they consider food assistance >>Read more
February 27, 2012
Providence, Rhode Island, which is turning into a vibrant “healthy food hub” of activity, served as the perfect host city this week for Wholesome Wave’s first Northeast Food Hub Operators convening. The two-day meeting, led by Wholesome Wave’s >>Read more
February 02, 2012
Yesterday during a “Twitter Party” for FOOD & WINE’s Chefs Make Change $1 Million fundraising challenge, our own CEO and Founder Michel Nischan put a price on his ponytail. During the live chat, FOOD& WINE asked, “Chefs, what would you be >>Read more
January 31, 2012
Wholesome Wave’s first annual Fruit and Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) Program Convening was truly inspiring. 17 representatives from FVRx partner sites in California, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island, traveled to Waltham, MA, on Friday January 6th to >>Read more
January 25, 2012
Benefiting Seniors Testify with Wholesome Wave Leadership and Farmers Market Partners Two vivacious seniors from Washington D.C, Ms. Katherine Anderson and Ms. Elizabeth Stockton, testified yesterday in front of the D.C. City Council about their >>Read more
January 23, 2012
U.S. Conference of Mayors Food Policy Task Force Holds First Meeting at Winter Conference On the gridiron their cities may be at odds, but when it comes to food, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake are >>Read more
January 19, 2012
This week Mayors are meeting for the 80th Winter Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors in Washington DC . The Winter Meeting is the premiere forum for leaders to come together and discuss pressing issues impacting our cities and metro areas. >>Read more
January 16, 2012
Today is the national Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Americans across the country are honoring the civil rights leader’s legacy by volunteering in their communities. It was 26 years ago today that the first federal holiday to mark the birth of >>Read more
January 13, 2012
Talking over the din of a busy lunch-crowd at Roberta's, a popular restaurant in Brooklyn’s gritty Bushwick neighborhood, more than a dozen leaders and entrepreneurs in the food world gathered Tuesday afternoon to talk about ways we can improve our >>Read more
January 11, 2012
By Gabrielle Blavatsky City food policy advisors and colleagues others interested in food system change gathered in New York City at a meeting convened by Wholesome Wave. Six advisers spent two days sharing innovations and developing policy goals >>Read more
January 10, 2012
Don’t miss FOOD & WINE’s Twitter party with each of the chefs and Dana Cowin on February 1st, starting at 3 PM EST. To take part, just follow #ChefsMakeChange and @fandw. Click HERE to go directly to the LIVE chat! FOOD & WINE launched today a >>Read more
January 08, 2012
The first food-centered website dedicated to male readers, is bracing for a wave of wholesome this week. Food Republic, invited our own Michel Nischan, CEO & Founder of Wholesome Wave, to serve as its guest editor. Food Republic’s regular editors >>Read more
December 22, 2011
By Ned Porter, Director of Regional and National Policy at Wholesome Wave With a goal of growing and sustaining the food system in the Northeast, Wholesome Wave is collaborating with three other organizations, American Farmland Trust, Northeast Sustainable >>Read more
December 19, 2011
The latest news from the USDA is proof positive America’s taste for locally grown food is growing. A recent USDA report revealed that since 2010, winter farmers markets increased by 38%, from 886 to 1,225. That means more locally produced fruits and >>Read more
December 14, 2011
The Farm Bill can be difficult to understand. It is an intricate process that concerns many different stakeholders in the farming, food and conservation circles and ultimately affects how all Americans are connected to agriculture. Wholesome Wave, American >>Read more
December 09, 2011
Hugh Acheson, a longtime friend of Wholesome Wave and critically acclaimed Chef/Owner of three restaurants in Georgia, is once again helping to put healthful food on the tables of those in need. Hugh’s dedication to Wholesome Wave’s mission is apparent >>Read more
December 07, 2011
When it comes to health insurance companies very few walk the walk like Kaiser Permanente. KP joined forces with Wholesome Wave this year to help community members across the United States improve their diet by making it easier and more affordable to buy >>Read more
December 02, 2011
Michel Nischan, our CEO and Founder, was in Washington this week at the Partnership for a Healthier America Summit. The event drew food retail and hospitality corporations, with the aim of creating real business solutions that rework America’s food system >>Read more
November 23, 2011
By Skye Cornell To continue the celebration after the press release from Wholesome Wave and Kaiser Permanente, we wanted to share highlights from a trip to Oregon. Ashley Fitch and I visited Forest Grove Farmers Market, located in one of seven Kaiser >>Read more
November 11, 2011
With new statistics emerging weekly from widely respected groups and publications, articles are emerging that help demonstrate the importance of our work. Tami Luhby and Fareed Zakaria have posted great articles for CNN and the Washington post, citing >>Read more
October 25, 2011
The Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act would expand opportunities for farmers and make it easier to access healthy, locally grown food, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D- ME) told a crowd of about 100 people Monday afternoon/morning. The group had gathered on a >>Read more
October 21, 2011
Improving the access to and affordability of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables for underserved communities recently received a $2 million boost from the USDA. The Agricultural Marketing Service announced last week awards under its Farmers Market >>Read more
October 18, 2011
We are proud to announce our partnership with Sur La Table! Sur La Table and Wholesome Wave are a natural fit; the dinner table is a place where we both want to see all people enjoy the company of the ones they love, over healthful, delicious meals. >>Read more
October 14, 2011
This August Billings Forge Community Works, of the Billings Forge Farmers Market, has been the very fortunate recipient of a generous grant from March of Dimes, which knows the true need for making fresh, locally grown foods affordable. The grant was awarded >>Read more
October 05, 2011
By Gus Schumacher Cafe La France from wholesomewave on Vimeo. I had arrived early at the train station in Providence. I was catching the Northeast Regional at 6:55 a.m. on my way to Bridgeport for meetings at Wholesome Wave. I had time so I ordered >>Read more
October 03, 2011
There needs to be a place at the table for all types of agricultural production, retail food access, and business opportunities,” says our CEO & Founder, Michel Nischan, in his latest article entitled “Let’s Make Let’s Move! Even Better.” >>Read more
September 26, 2011
By Gus Schumacher Dave Dumaresq was persistent. A young farmer growing over 100 crops in Dracut, Massachusetts, Dave called and said, “Gus, you’ve got to drop by the Lynn Farmers Market when you’re in town.” It begged the question, what is so >>Read more
September 19, 2011
By Daniel Bowman Simon Late last year, I got a phone call out of the blue from Gus Schumacher. He’d read the short piece I’d written on the history of soda in the Food Stamp Program for the Huffington Post. He wanted to know if I’d be interested in >>Read more
September 16, 2011
This busy summer is coming to a close, but harvest season is just around the corner We have been busy this summer, working to expand Wholesome Wave Programming into new states and making regular visits to existing partner markets in an effort to deepen our >>Read more
September 13, 2011
Massachusetts is launching a unique Farmers Market Ambassadors program at 10 Boston area farmers markets this summer. Started as a joint program by Commissioner Julia Kehoe of Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and Commissioner Scott >>Read more
July 19, 2011
Xiong and Zee Chertai make the long drive from Fresno to San Francisco every Saturday to sell their unique vegetables at the popular Alemany Farmers Market . Harvesting some 52 varieties of vegetables including bitter melon, Asian long beans, Korean and >>Read more
July 18, 2011
As hundreds of farmers markets around the country expand access to fresh local healthy food with EBT installations and nutrition incentive “double vouchers”, innovative markets in Maryland, California and more recently in Massachusetts are developing >>Read more
July 10, 2011
Rosa Sanchez (Crossroads SNAP Outreach) with USDA Undersecretary of Food and Nutrition Services Kevin Concannon-October 13, 2010-Crossroads Farmers Market, Takoma Park, MD Rosa Sanchez was deluged with young families at her SNAP Outreach pre-screening >>Read more
