Rooting Deep. Scaling Up.
A Roadmap for Food System Equity and Viability in Eastern CT”
Funded by the USDA's Regional Food System Planning grant, this partnership is facilitated by the Windham Community Food Network, FRESH New London, the CT Food System Alliance, and Community Foundation of Eastern CT. It convenes producers, community members, stakeholders and allies to capture community-level food system innovation and momentum, particularly that catalyzed by COVID-19, and scale it up to strengthen regional food system resilience.
Specifically, the partnership will explore and develop opportunities that integrate viability for small-scale producers in Eastern CT with equitable access to healthy food and food system decision-making for the diverse residents of the region, one-third of whom struggle to make ends meet, to the mutual benefit of both.
The Process
The values-based partnership is structured around a cohort of Producer and Community Advocates, supported by a core of non-profit, philanthropic and university allies, and integrated with a broader coalition of regional and statewide food system stakeholders and networks.
Through this project, the partnership will:
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Capture current regional food system innovations, stakeholders, needs and opportunities, through a Landscape Assessment, Asset Map and Community Survey Campaigns to identify marketing opportunities and community priorities.
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Explore, develop and fund projects and community campaigns around Roadmap “leverage points” that simultaneously expand markets for small-scale producers and support equitable food access.
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Sustain partners and the partnership, by facilitating connectivity, collaboration and capacity-building through communication tools, common goals, shared resources, and trainings.
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Leverage findings through integration into the statewide policy agenda and Food Action Plan.
Our Partners
