Black Soil: Our Better Nature will leverage The Lee Initiative's contribution and additional match funding to activate its mission of reconnecting Black Kentuckians to their heritage and legacy in agriculture. We represent over 60 Kentucky based Black farmers, culinary artists, value added product makers, artists/makers.

Our Goals:

● Provide support to under resourced Kentucky based artists affected by COVID19 in partnership with The Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center

● Directly support 6 Kentucky based Black small scale farmers for 20 weeks in subsidizing (10) weekly shares of local farm product (local eggs, seasonal vegetables and meats) to single/expectant mothers living at or below poverty in partnership with

1. Cleav's Family Market (LaRue/Hart Counties) 2. Ballew Estates/ The Flying Lotus Doula Services (Madison County) 3. Hutchinson Produce (Wayne County) 4. Miller's Farm (Lincoln County) 5. SlakMarket Farm (Fayette County) 6. Stoner View Farm Bed and Breakfast (Bourbon County)

● Directly support meals and household goods (disinfectant, cleaners) in partnership with Believing in Forever, Inc. for 20 weeks for 50 end users of local nonprofits such as Step by Step, Ampersand Sexual Violence and Resource Center, GreenHouse 17, Arbor Youth Services and Community Action Council. Additionally, support will leverage food costs and stipends for 7 Lexington based culinary brands: 1. From the Heart Catering 2. The Jerk Lex 3. Daughters' Southern 4. Not Your Ordinary Vegan 5. BakEd 6. Taco Queen Catering 7. Woke Junk Food Vegan

● $16,000 to match an infrastructure grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. To date, Black Soil has redistributed $16,000 in direct impact to 9 KY based farmers to improve their business efficiencies via technology (laptop, hot spots, WiFi services, home printers) 

● $10,000 to match microgrants from The LEE Initiative and the Betty Hall Family Fund to support COVID19 response providing Weekly Farm Shares, hot meals and household goods to support and empower socially and financially vulnerable community members.

● (1) Insulated truck and (4) delivery trucks (Ford F150s) to sustain and support logistics and transportation for statewide Food Hubs, Grocers, and Farmers Market supported by Black Soil network farms

● Starting July 26th, 2020, (TSCxM) will be feeding those in our communities in need of a homecooked Sunday dinner. Founder of The Sunny Collection, Marley Carter is recruiting 10 - 15 young men who are available the last Saturday of each month to reel in enough fish to prepare 100 meals (goal). For anyone wanting to volunteer their time but is without a permit, please email misguided859@gmail.com - your first and last name, age, phone number, any fishing experience.