Hollywood Food Coalition’s Post

Improving our food system has been near and dear to my heart for over a decade as it touches on so many aspects of our lives. While there is much more work to be done in this space, today I want to share more on Black Food Sovereignty with this highly informative post from SAFSF, along with a variety of resources and black-led organizations to learn from and support. #juneteenth #blackhistory #justice #racialquality

NEW ARTICLE ALERT - I’m deeply honored to contribute as a writer for Civil Eats, where I continue to uplift critical conversations about food equity and justice. My latest piece, "Op-ed: Food Security is Urgently Needed in Black Rural Appalachia," is now published. Growing up in Kentucky and conducting much of my research with the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, I traveled extensively throughout the Appalachian counties of Kentucky. There, I witnessed firsthand how residents struggle with limited access to essential resources like healthcare, education, and nutritious food. In this piece, I reflect on the urgent needs of the region, highlight personal stories—such as my grandmother’s experiences—and outline a playbook for meaningful support and critical initiatives. As I write in the article: "True food justice means that policies, resources, and support reach those who need them most, regardless of political winds. With strategic, inclusive efforts, we can create a food system that uplifts all people, ensuring that Appalachia’s families, farms, and communities are no longer left behind but are instead at the forefront of our nation’s progress." Mentioned: Feeding America, Global Food Institute at the George Washington University, The Root Cause Coalition, and Accelerating Appalachia. Find the article linked here:

Learn how Foodlink simplified its distribution process, sending 25 million pounds of food to 400 community partners across 10 counties in upstate New York. Read the case study👇 https://ow.ly/1rRK50TM3F9

If you care about our food system, here's a great roadmap from @civileats on what to look for from the coming Trump administration, and how to counter it.

I am so incredibly proud to be a part of the conversation and movement to support values-based procurement through my work at the City of Kingston, and to be quoted in the latest press release from Community Food Advocates of NYC. Despite not purchasing much food ourselves, I have incorporated these values as "food standards" in vending machine contracts, food vendor guidelines for municipal events, and am exploring how they might be incorporated into our forthcoming Food System Plan. I hope that our work can serve as an example for how other municipalities can find innovative ways to support and promote these values. What is values-based procurement? It essentially is a recognition that we must be more thoughtful, mindful, inclusive, and regenerative in how we purchase food if we are ever to move towards a more just food system. These values are equity and accountability, local economies, environmental sustainability, valued workforce, animal welfare, and nutrition. Gone should be days of buying the cheapest food, made cheap through extractive land and exploitative human practices that results in food that is not nourishing for the body. Let's start putting our money where our mouth is, quite literally. #valuesbasedprocurement #foodsystems #foodjustice

In our white paper, “Uniting on Food Justice: An Innovative Approach from a Health and Human Service Organization,” we examine how #foodsecurity can play a crucial role in reducing health disparities and supporting community wellbeing. We have found that access to nutritious, affordable food is directly linked to wellness outcomes, especially for underserved populations. S:US continues to pioneer strategies to address these disparities, including #urbanfarming, food distribution through #communityfridge programs, and community partnerships that strengthen local food systems. A collaborative community approach is necessary to engage both public and private sectors to tackle New York City’s food insecurity, to promote sustainability, and to build more equitable communities. Through these efforts, we aim to create sustainable solutions that secure #foodjustice for all.

These. Are. Delicious. Self-operated Colleges & University can reedeem poins earned for purchasing these delicious, Bel Brands USA Foodservice plant-based snack cheeses to fund their trips to NACUFS events or a continuing education courses (at no cost to the C&Us)! #longestrunningcanduloyaltyprogram #valueplusprogram #plantbased

✍ New blog: Now’s the time to make food fair Our Chief Executive Sue Pritchard calls on politicians to listen closely to the unprecedented consensus from citizens, farmers, environment and business leaders for action on food. "The Food Conversation reveals that citizens are willing to really listen to each other and to different perspectives, grapple with the difficult questions, to explore choices and trade-offs. They are more thoughtful, more respectful, more insightful, more generous than we are sometimes led to believe. And – to an extraordinary degree (according to pollsters More in Common) – they are less divided, and more consistent on food systems policies than almost any other policy question." Read in full 👇 https://lnkd.in/df2_HkaF

Citizens want a fairer deal for farmers and growers, to enable the sector to shift quickly towards more sustainable, nature friendly and climate safe farming practices, with more investment in the best practices, and effectively regulating bad and outdated practices. They want to see tougher regulation that ensures fair dealing between retailers and other buyers, and farmers; and an ambitious plan to expand the production of the healthy food we need more of – fruit, veg, nuts and pulses. Importantly citizens did not shy away from the discussions uppermost in politicians’ minds right now. How do we make this work when government has so many calls on the public finances? Citizens were startled to hear the cost of inaction to the country right now. From the cost of diet related ill health (some estimates now rising to £98bn across the NHS and the economy). And let’s be clear. There is plenty of money in the food system – it’s just not in the right place and doing the right things. While many of us have been struggling with a grim rise in the cost of living, big food businesses have been doing very well thank you. Not for the likes of Tesco, Cargill or Coca-Cola the need to tighten belts and make hard choices. Tesco profits doubled to £2.7bn!

This week Andrew Schauble, Geelong Food Relief's CEO was asked to speak on behalf of the Regional Food Security Alliance (RFSA) with Cathie Steele at the Inquiry into Food Security in Victoria. The RFSA is an alliance of foodshare hubs including Geelong, Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare, Shepparton Foodshare, Bendigo Foodshare, Mildura and Warrnambool. Submissions are available to be read via this link, https://lnkd.in/g46pyVJM Geelong Food Relief's (GFR) submission emphasises the need for sustainable solutions to food insecurity. GFR plays a crucial role in the G21 region by providing access to nutritious food, having increased its distribution by 33% last year, aligning with its goal to combat food insecurity in line with UN Goal No. 2: Zero Hunger. GFR advocates for a systemic approach to food security, suggesting the creation of a Statutory Authority to oversee a comprehensive food systems strategy and significant investment in Food Hub infrastructure. These recommendations aim to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of efforts to combat food insecurity.