Food Equity Coalition
The Montgomery County Food Equity Coalition is a countywide initiative which aims to support a food system that ensures everyone, no matter their race, income, or ability, can access and afford a basic healthy diet. The coalition members represent government, healthcare, agriculture, universities, civic/volunteer organizations, concerned citizens, and residents living in food deserts. We have six teams addressing various parts of our food system: food insecurity, healthy people, sustainable ecosystems, vibrant farms, thriving local economy, and strong communities.
How Can You Support the Local Food System?
- Purchase local foods through a Community-Support Agriculture (CSA) subscription
- Ask your local grocery or convenience store to sell fresh, local, and affordable foods
- Start a backyard garden
- Minimize food waste
- Donate to your local Foodbank
- Promote Produce Perks
Goal: to increase community food security in Montgomery County by
- Decreasing food waste
- Increasing the availability of healthy, local affordable food
- Decreasing food insecurity
Misson
The Food Equity Coalition’s mission is to increase community food security in Montgomery County by:
Decreasing food waste
Decreasing food insecurity
Food Summit 2021
Food Champions
The Montgomery County Food Champion Awards were created in 2019 to recognize and honor community members who have made a significant and positive impact on our local food system.
A Food Champion is a community member serving in Montgomery County who has demonstrated dedicatation and commitment to their community, applied a new solution to an existing problem, and has inspired and empowered meaningful work in others.
Food insecurity is the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of lack of money or other resources (Food Access Research Atlas, USDA).
Vibrant farms are often “local farms” that shorten the gap between farmer and consumer and actively contribute to sustaining and revitalizing regional food systems and economies.
Fact: Food is one of the top three waste materials being landfilled.
Materials contributing to landfills could be decreased by 15% if food waste was eliminated.
The increasing popularity of local foods may be attributed to their perceived higher product quality and freshness. Purchasing local foods help support local farm economies and/or farmers that use certain production practices that are more environmentally sustainable.
Risk factors for many chronic diseases can begin early in life, but evidence shows that making dietary and lifestyle changes may prevent disease progress and premature death.
Low income areas are less likely to have supermarkets or chain grocery stores nearby and tend to have a higher number of convenience stores and small food markets that carry foods of lower nutritional value.
What the food plan is
To meet Public Health’s strategic goal to “use the collective impact model to address high priority health needs,” the Montgomery County Food Equity Coalition has been developed with stakeholders, partner organizations, and community members. The Food Equity Coalition has been implemented using the Incident Command System and Whole Measures frameworks. The coalition’s first goal is to develop a comprehensive, system-wide approach to improve community food security with in Montgomery County, known as the Food Equity Plan. The Backbone Support section and six branches have been meeting monthly to develop a Food Equity Plan with measurable outcomes.