Riceboro Georgia— May 22, 2021 — Today at the City of Riceboro Georgia’s City Workshop, The Coastal Georgia Minority Chamber Inc. is changing the narrative on Economic Development via their cooperative program called the Coastal Food Garden Cooperative. The cooperative will improve our relationship to food system planning, sustainability, public health, and the coastal region's economic disparities. “Whenever we speak about Economic Development, we tend to talk about jobs, business, new projects, all of which reshape our economy. However, the critical piece to our brilliance is the people,” said Sabrina Newby, CEO at Coastal Georgia Minority Chamber, Inc.
The Cooperative comes to Southeast Georgia at a time when it recovers from COVID. According to Second Harvest, the coastal community's food insecurity rate climbed from 14.8% in 2018 to 20.4% in 2020, and Feeding America is forecasting an increase to 26% in Coastal Georgia this year. This project is sure to influence the economy within Coastal Georgia. “Food insecurities impact our lives, children, jobs, and health. This insecurity is attached to increased depression, hypertension, and diabetes, especially within underserved communities. The impact has the potential to devastate our economic development. When our minds and bodies are not functioning accurately, jobs and businesses are ultimately compromised,” said Newby, CEO.”
“We hope to foster economic growth with community awareness, business enhancement, and healthier educational practices. We believe this will potentially eradicate food apartheid in Coastal Georgia and better our economy.”
The Chamber plans to end food apartheid in Coastal Georgia by launching the Coastal Food Garden Cooperative that gives coastal residents access to free organic locally grown fruits and vegetables and serves as an entrepreneurial market that teaches business skills to vulnerable groups.
Founded in 2015, Coastal Georgia Minority Chamber, Inc. is the premier minority chamber in Coastal Georgia. The Coastal Georgia Minority Chamber Inc is a 501c3 chamber uniquely created to focus on the economic development of Southeast Georgia.