The Urban Food Systems Pact Kicks Off!
Updated: Apr 27, 2021
We are Launching our Food Justice Collaborative with a Strong Community Foundation and Powerful Vision
The Urban Food Systems Pact officially kicked off with our first partnership meeting on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Skyway community members, representatives of community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and institutional partners met over zoom to get to know each other and begin to create our vision for “an equitable and just food system in Skyway.”
In creating our vision, we are building on a strong foundation of community assets. Right now, we are already seeing the following:
Community coming together to support one another; people donating & helping each other
Multiple community-based food distribution sites
Recognizing the food system isn’t working -- and dedication to changing it
Land available for development
Skyrocketing community engagement
Greater sense of cohesion within the Skyway community than ever before
Our vision for Skyway, 10 years in the future, includes:
Gardens everywhere: balconies, schools, open land, community spaces
Skyway farms & gardens provide food for Skyway (and other areas)
Everyone has access to healthy, culturally relevant and affordable food
Youth and students in leadership roles
All generations, young and old, engaged
Widespread knowledge and use of food as medicine
Black and Brown knowledge tapped to provide restorative engagement in gardens
A sit-down family restaurant (with ingredients source from the neighborhood!)
Outdoor preschool with gardens
Reductions in childhood obesity, with less disease and health problems
A big community park, a place where kids can come after school and have fun
Finally -- we heard a lot of positive words for how folks are about partnering for food justice through the UFSP, as represented in the word cloud below
How do you feel about building an equitable and just food system in Skyway? Drop us a line to let us know!
Also, if you missed our kick-off, don’t worry -- it’s not too late to get involved! Skyway residents and representatives of community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, Black and Brown farmers, and other partners interested in supporting food justice in Skyway are invited to Join the Pact!