Fish-N-Loaves
How it started
Several years ago, Fish-N-Loaves co-founder and executive director Austin Avery, III was diagnosed with high blood pressure and incurable polycystic kidney fibrosis. His son Josiah also was diagnosed with the two diseases. “It became obvious that we needed to find a way to improve our eating habits, which in turn, would improve my and my son’s quality of life/life expectancy,” Avery said. “We also wanted to help others that were not food and health conscious, didn't have access to healthy food, and/or didn’t know how to prepare healthier meals.” So in 2017, Avery sold his dream home in the suburbs and moved to the under-resourced Frayser community in Memphis, Tennessee — where his wife was raised. He then partnered with subject experts and local governments, schools and restaurants to develop sustainable solutions.
How it works
Fish-N-Loaves uses innovation to address basic needs such as nutritional food, clean drinking water and renewable energy. In the last 24 months, Fish-N-Loaves has recovered over 27,000 pounds of food destined for landfills and distributed it to poverty-stricken families in the Mid-South region, primarily in Frayser (38127 zip code). After completing three solar project build-outs, Avery’s organization has deployed a 6.9 kwh solar-power infrastructure that powers the community water well and treatment system (septic). Fish-N-Loaves also works with local government and community partners in Hernando, Mississippi to address similar issues.
What’s next
Fish-N-Loaves is developing a semi solar-powered aquaponics community garden in the heart of Frayser. The project will grow foods; provide healthy groceries to 30 to 50 families a week initially; leverage the aquaponics facility to engage 350 children at Westside Elementary School in hands-on science exploration; and provide the neighborhood clinic with evidence-based tools for treating widespread chronic problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Avery has also purchased 7.2 acres in Byhalia, Mississippi and is completing Phase I of a semi solar-powered sustainable living community. The goal is to deploy more semi solar-powered aquaponics community gardens and expand its food waste recovery and distribution network.
What’s needed
Additional funding