SustainFloyd - Floyd

SustainFloyd is a non-profit sustainable food and agriculture organization located in Floyd County,Virginia.

General About the Organization/Mission

SustainFloyd is located in the town of Floyd, Virginia. The organization, founded in 2008 is focused on creating a resilient economy in Floyd County through efforts to sustain and strengthen the agricultural and crafts assets of the local area. You can have a membership with SustainFloyd and volunteer with them during community projects.

Basic Info

Type of Organization	Non-profit
Website	http://sustainfloyd.org
Primary Contact	Mike Burton
Social Media	. .

Issues of focus

Developing a more local economy
Enhancing and protecting natural resources
Enhancing and protecting cultural resources
Advancing issues related to strengthening food systems, energy independence, transportation, waste and recycling, and education

History of Organization

SustainFloyd was founded in late 2008 following a meeting funded by the Floyd Fund--a local affiliate of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

Programs and Projects

Floyd Farmers Market

Runs every Sat from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. from May through October. Located in the Floyd Community Pavilion in downtown Floyd.

Farm to School

SustainFloyd has received grants and directed programs around connecting local farms and local schools. The organization envisions a county in which 20-40 percent of the food eaten at county schools are supplied by local producers.

The Floyd County Healthy Community Action Team

This team is a partnership between a variety of organizations and agencies in the Floyd County. The group works to raise public awareness about issues related to health and well-being. A 95210 campaign has been a central component of the team's outreach. 9 hours or more of sleep at night for school-age children; 5 servings of fruits/vegetables each day; less than 2 hours of recreational screentime; 0 sugary beverages and tobacco products.

The team has also been supported by a Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth to increase the amount of local produce in county schools.

Childhood Obesity Prevention Program

SustainFloyd received a grant through the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, their plan calls for “a comprehensive approach to obesity prevention that includes improving physical activity patterns, nutrition, access to healthy foods, food and beverage marketing, school policies, and the physical environment within the community." This program is a collaborative effort between SustainFloyd and other community partners, including local schools and the farmers market.

For this project SustainFloyd partnered with:

Blue Valley Organic Farm

A working 1-acre farm that was used as an exploratory project to model the feasibility of one person making a living off of a small intensive farm.

The farm utilizes a 6 pocket method of farming that incorporates hoop houses and small acreage intensive farming to provide produce for whole sale. As of the summer of 2015 the farm is wrapping up it's tenure as a working farm model.

Film Screenings

On a regular basis, SustainFloyd screens films on issues relevant to its mission.

Voluntours

SustainFloyd works with Via International to bring groups of students to the county to learn about the work of organizations like SustainFloyd, while also contributing volunteer labor to local projects.

Partners and Frequent Collaborators