Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced that Engine, a nonprofit organization in Biddeford, will receive technical support from Local Food, Local Places (LFLP), a federal initiative that that helps communities reinvest in existing neighborhoods and improve quality of life as they develop the local food economy. Local Food, Local Places will host a two-day planning assistance workshop to support Biddeford’s historic Main Street and Mill revitalization project, which includes Engine’s plan to develop an 8,000-square-foot green space, urban rooftop garden, and grow local food-related businesses.
“This federal support will be a major asset in keeping up the momentum of Biddeford’s downtown revitalization. Over the last 10 years, it has been exciting to watch Biddeford rebuild its local economy with new manufacturers and other creative entrepreneurs. Bringing food production there to the next level has huge potential for drawing more attention and investment to the community. I congratulate Engine for undertaking this exciting local food initiative and hope the technical assistance Local Food, Local Places provides helps to put their project on a fast track for success,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
At the two-day workshop, a team of experts will help community members develop an implementable action plan that promotes local food and neighborhood revitalization. Click here to see examples of action plans from past community workshops organized through this assistance. This assistance is not a grant, and the program does not provide money directly to communities.
The LFLP initiative is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Delta Regional Authority. Since its launch in 2014, LFLP has helped 78 communities across the country develop local food enterprises, such as farmers markets, community gardens and cooperative grocery stores, that improve environmental, economic and health outcomes.
For more information about LFLP 2018 projects (PDF): https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-05/documents/2018_summary_report_05-21-18-508.pdf
For more information on LFLP: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places
For more information on previous LFLP awards in Maine: https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=23a2be73da6d48f699655195f62d3158
