Scott Anderson’s Post

Apparently our Governor has declared October Pork Month in Missouri. Since getting involved in the Foundation's Food Justice initiative, I have learned so much about the meat industry in Missouri and especially the small, family farmers who are part of and help invest back into our local economies. The model of Patchwork Family Farms in central MO is all about supporting community through the food system. Food is community. Food is wellbeing. #FoodJustice #HealthEquity 🐷 https://lnkd.in/ge-s9HfH

Education is a powerful tool in the fight against food insecurity. Creating awareness and knowledge about nutritious meals is critical to teach the next generation. Did you know we have an agribusiness program at a Tulsa middle school that addresses these issues daily? #EducationForChange #FoodInsecurity

In an inspiring collaboration, Dollar General and Bayer are uniting to support K-12 school districts across America. Their mission: extending nutritional assistance to children and families beyond regular school hours. Students in select states can now receive coupons for fresh produce redeemable at local Dollar General stores. "As of Q2 2023, DG offers fruits and vegetables in more than 4,400 stores with plans to offer produce in more than 10,000 total stores over the next several years, with a meaningful number of them in the current United States Department of Agriculture defined food deserts." With Dollar General stores strategically located within five miles of 75% of the U.S. population, this partnership aims to tackle #foodinsecurity and improve access to nutritious foods. It highlights the vital role of schools in promoting childhood #nutrition and reducing #hunger. 🍇📚 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eXTrKb3Q #foodwaste

So important that children understand where their food comes from... and that you can actually grow it! Think it's key that we try and and connect youngsters with their food - after all they will be the grown-ups buying food for their own families! Nice piece from Emily Ashworth, Farmers Guardian #foodeducation #farmlife #knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom #buylocalproduce #eatabalanceddiet

I am excited for the possibility of getting more local food into school lunches. We know that school meals provide a very significant and important source of nourishment for so many school-aged children nation-wide. I am also intimidated by the barriers -- institutions often have rigid systems and requirements, and buying local introduces a lot of flexibility and spontaneity. How to get local food producers ready for institutional relationships? And, just as critical, how to get institutions ready for local producer relationships? Loads of work to do! https://lnkd.in/eJvKNkt4

Did you know? Brazil boasts one of the largest school meal programs in the world, serving upward of 40 million children in public education every day. For many, that midday meal is the only one they receive, so when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, food insecurity rates soared. As the country works to recover, its government is focused on strengthening public policies to combat hunger including increased federal funding for the program. An elementary school in São Paulo is going a step further, asking parents to manage on-site gardens and teaching youngsters how to cook with the food grown in them. The city also aims to source all school lunch supplies from producers who practice sustainable farming by 2026 and serve 100% organic meals by 2030. Though it is the students receiving free food, the program is expected to have a trickle-down effect. In low-income families, often the children eat first as the adults would rather go without. This worry is alleviated when adults know their children will be fed a proper meal at school. It is therefore argued that school meals reduce hunger not just for kids but for adults too.

Feeding Families, Supporting Farmers | Our Farm to Foodbank Initiative provides fresh, locally grown produce to our neighbors facing food insecurity and supports our local farming economy! Check out the quick video below to learn more ▶

Even though Indiana is known for its significant agricultural output, close to a million Hoosiers deal with food insecurity, according to Feeding America. But it’s not about access to just any food, leaders addressing food insecurity want to make sure people can access affordable and nutritious food that promotes health and prevents disease. In 2020, leaders at the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation (SJCHF) helped launch Double Up Indiana, a program that allows people who use SNAP/EBT cards to double their buying power when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Participants receive a dollar’s worth of fruits and vegetables for every SNAP dollar they spend for up to $20 per day. Double Up Food Bucks Michigan, which has approximately 250 participating sites, helped the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation start Double Up in Allen County. Currently, 53 locations (farmers markets and grocery stores) across the state are Double Up participants. This includes 11 locations in Fort Wayne. While SJCHF’s efforts have helped get more fruits and vegetables into the hands of Allen County residents, hunger remains a problem in the state. To help address this the Indiana Department of Health, which helped fund the growth of Double Up in Indiana, has applied for a grant that would allow Double Up to expand to even more locations across the state. We learn more about what an statewide expansion could look like. https://lnkd.in/gWZFnSVg

During #NationalNutritionMonth, learn about the various types of farms that produce the foods you love, from family farms to bee yards and everything in between: https://lnkd.in/gXVYSgex #PCHC #YourHealthOurMission