Chef Michel Nischan Brings 'Wholesome Wave' Initiative To Struggling Gulf Families

In 2007, chef Michel Nischan founded Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit organization helping needy families get access to fresh local foods. Wholesome Wave brings farmers markets to poor communities, allowing shoppers to use food stamps to get double the value in produce and other food items.

Now, CNN's Eatocracy reports Nischan is teaming up with New Orleans-based organization MarketUmbrella to bring the concept to Gulf communities still reeling from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The massive spill forced fishermen and many other Gulf workers out of a job for months.

Their joint venture, called MarinersMatch, will allow fishermen and their families to receive tokens to redeem for groceries at local farmers markets.

According to Eatocracy,

"Fishers can go to farmers markets and take pressure off their income. The market is a place of social healing, and a safe place to bring kids and form relationships with the community and farmers," Nischan tells Eatocracy. "Fishers will see that this is a good place for them to be -- buying and even selling. At the farmers market, they can diversify and build relationships."

Read the full story on CNN.

Visit HuffPost Impact's 'How To Help' page for more information on ways to make a difference for struggling Gulf families.