Oasis Fresh Foundation

PROJECT PURPOSE

One million Oklahomans live in food deserts. Food deserts represent our most underserved communities and experience higher unemployment, morbidity and mortality rates, lower education and incomes, limited transportation, and lower life expectancy. Oasis Fresh Market exists to eradicate food deserts by providing fresh and healthy access to all, however, we have tangentially launched our non-profit, The Oasis Project, in addition to help reduce other disparities experienced in food deserts. The vision of the non-profit is to serve as a bridge builder to other resources for our most underserved customers and clients by providing access to wrap-around services in the domains of food, medical and education. We exist to equip our customers with access to state and local services for sustained life change. In partnership with public and private entities, universities, and state and local agencies, we are seeking $8 million to establish a non-profit alongside every Oasis Fresh Market in eight food deserts across the state. Through sustained life change, this symbiotic model will catalyze underserved communities into thriving, productive communities and change the lives of millions of Oklahomans, both in this generation and in generations to come.

EVIDENCE

The targeted outcomes we hope to shift in our communities are food insecurity, chronic disease, job readiness & security, educational success outcomes, access to medical care, and ultimately, improved life expectancy. Programs that are in place at our flagship non-profit are evidence-based best practice programs that have been pilot tested or systematically researched in communities with similar demographic and socioeconomic makeup as our own communities to improve on the above outcomes. We have already started to see similar successful outcomes from the programs that we have launched so far.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The Oasis Project?s expansion strategy is synchronous with that of Oasis Fresh Market and meticulously thought through and advised by various governmental bodies including, but not limited to, the Departments of Commerce, Human Services, Transportation, Agriculture, and Oklahoma?s Health Care Authority, Employment Security Commision. Preliminarily identified target communities meet the following criteria: 1) USDA-classified food desert, 2) an ?Enterprise Zone,? 3) a TIF district (or potential), 4) socioeconomic, education and health disparities 5) strong community stakeholder commitment with fiscal matching. HUD Qualified Census Tracts will also be of importance in guiding our expansion priorities. The seven preliminarily identified communities are West Tulsa, Boley, Okmulgee, Wagoner, Muskogee, Pryor, and Pawhuska, representing an approximate combined population reach of 400,000. This strategy ensures that funds will be invested in Oklahoma?s most economically disadvantaged, disproportionately affected, and underserved communities, many of which are racial minority communities.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

In partnership with local health departments, universities, and other resources, we have established a robust process for tracking and measuring project performance and programmatic data, and also wider community health and socioeconomic outcomes. The leadership team of The Oasis Project has a lot of experience managing federal, state, local and philanthropic grant funds from experience with other organizations, so robust metrics and reporting regulations are not unfamiliar. We have taken a lot of time establishing processes for tracking data at the flagship non-profit, and these measures will be expected across all locations for consistency in reporting procedures.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma