Central Oregon Locavore and the Healthy Food and Financing Initiative
In the heart of Bend, Oregon, a movement is thriving—one that is dedicated to strengthening the local food system and ensuring that fresh, nutritious, and sustainably produced food is accessible to the booming region.
Central Oregon Locavore, a nonprofit indoor farmers market, has been at the forefront of this effort, fostering connections between local farmers, ranchers, and the community. What started as a passion project by founder Niki Timm, a labor and delivery nurse with a deep appreciation for fresh, homegrown food as an agent of health and healing, has evolved into a thriving community marketplace and resource center dedicated to connecting residents with local farmers and food producers.
Niki’s commitment to sustainable, locally sourced food stems from her upbringing. Raised by a hippie mother who grew and made much of their food from scratch, she developed an early understanding of the importance of knowing where food comes from. Inspired by these values, she founded Central Oregon Locavore in 2009 to provide a space where small farmers thrive while individuals and families get to access fresh, seasonal produce, meats, dairy, and pantry staples.
Central Oregon Locavore was founded with a clear and ambitious vision: to support local food and farmers for the health and benefit of individuals, the community, society, and the planet. The innovative nonprofit marketplace model bridges the gap between producers and customers. Unlike traditional grocery stores, Central Oregon Locavore prioritizes high-quality, sustainably sourced products from local growers and artisans, ensuring they receive fair compensation while making nutrient-dense food affordable and accessible to the wider community.
As a cornerstone of the local food economy, Central Oregon Locavore plays a pivotal role in enhancing food security, promoting sustainable agriculture, and fostering a sense of community through food. By purchasing from local producers at fair prices and selling at lower margins, Central Oregon Locavore ensures that small farmers can thrive while individuals and families—regardless of income level—have access to fresh, seasonal produce, meats, dairy, and pantry staples. Beyond the marketplace, some of the programs Central Oregon Locavore offers are Willing Workers on Local Farms (WWOLF) and Edible Adventure Crew excursions that teach sustainable harvesting. The marketplace connects people directly to their food sources with Meet Your Farmer Dinners, bringing farmers and chefs together to showcase local ingredients.
Despite the increasing demand for local food, small farmers in Central Oregon face significant challenges. Without consistent access to retail opportunities, many growers struggle to get their products to consumers. Central Oregon Locavore was created to bridge this gap, offering a reliable and supportive marketplace for over 150 farmers, ranchers, and food producers.
Programs like the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) play a vital role in making this kind of expansion possible, providing reliable funding streams that help grantees sustain and scale their operations.
The HFFI grant helped improve refrigeration and storage facilities, allowing the store to stock a wider variety of perishable goods and extend the shelf life for fresh produce.
Central Oregon Locavore provides access fresh, seasonal produce, meats, dairy, and pantry staples.
Central Oregon Locavore prioritizes high-quality, sustainably sourced products from local growers and artisans, ensuring they receive fair compensation while making nutrient-dense food affordable and accessible to the wider community.
While Locavore has long been a beacon of local food advocacy, the organization recognized the need to scale its efforts to serve more people and increase its impact. This is where Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) became instrumental. Established by the 2014 Farm Bill and reauthorized in 2018, HFFI provides grants, loans, and technical assistance to projects that enhance food access in underserved communities.
With support of an HFFI grant of $74,506 in 2021, Central Oregon Locavore implemented key operational improvements that have significantly bolstered its ability to serve the community. The funding helped improve refrigeration and storage facilities, allowing the store to stock a wider variety of perishable goods and extend the shelf life for fresh produce. Additionally, the grant facilitated increased outreach and community engagement, enabling the store to expand programs aimed at making local food more accessible to low-income families.
A key component of Central Oregon Locavore success is its commitment to serving all members of the community. Through initiatives like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ,and, Double Up Food Bucks, Locavore ensures that families facing financial hardships can purchase healthy, locally grown food. These programs align with HFFI’s mission of eliminating barriers to nutritious food, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
The impact of HFFI’s support is evident in the growing reach and success of Central Oregon Locavore. Since receiving the grant, the store has expanded its network of local farmers and ranchers, creating more opportunities for small-scale producers to thrive. The organization’s ability to stock fresh, local food year-round has not only benefited customers, but has also strengthened the resilience of the local food economy.
Central Oregon Locavore continues to look ahead, exploring ways to further its mission and amplify its impact. Future goals include expanding its physical space to accommodate a larger inventory, launching additional community education initiatives, and increasing its partnerships with local institutions to integrate more local food into schools and healthcare facilities. With a vision of replicating its model in other regions, Central Oregon Locavore aspires to inspire similar food hubs in Eastern and Northern Oregon, creating a web of local food systems that prioritize sustainability, equity, and community well-being.
As Central Oregon Locavore continues to grow, so does its needs. The demand for locally sourced, nutrient-dense food is increasing, and with it, the need to expand the marketplace to better serve the community. “We’ve outgrown our space,” shared Executive Director, Niki Timm. “We need larger refrigeration, more storage, and a bigger retail area to keep up with the demand and ensure we can continue supporting our farmers and customers.”
Programs like the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) play a vital role in making this kind of expansion possible, providing reliable funding streams that help grantees sustain and scale their operations. However, for organizations like Locavore to truly thrive, these funding opportunities must remain consistent and accessible. Continued investment in food system infrastructure ensures that projects like Central Oregon Locavore’s marketplace and educational initiatives can grow alongside community needs, strengthening the local food economy and making fresh, healthy food more accessible for all.
The story of Central Oregon Locavore exemplifies the transformative power of community-driven food initiatives supported by programs like HFFI. By investing in local food systems, we create healthier communities, strengthen regional economies, and ensure that everyone—regardless of income—can enjoy the benefits of fresh, nutritious, and sustainably produced food. The partnership between Central Oregon Locavore and HFFI underscores the vital role that strategic funding and community collaboration play in building a more just and resilient food future for all. Reinvestment Fund, a nonprofit community development financial institution, serves as the National Fund Manager for HFFI, administering the program on behalf of USDA Rural Development.