The Central Appalachian Food and Agricultural Systems Working Group (FASWG) Healthy Food Access welcomes all community partners working towards a fair food system to create healthy, local food for all. This Working Group addresses the reality that in both rural and urban areas, low-income families experience high levels of food insecurity and poor dietary options. This lack of access can lead to hunger, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Many rural communities across Appalachia exist in food deserts, where residents have limited access to fresh and healthy food. This Working Group hopes to draw connections between food producers, food pantries, and food-insecure families who need access to healthy, fresh, local food.
WHO SHOULD JOIN
Regional actors, from farmers markets to food pantries, are collaborating to improve food access by connecting low-income families to fresh, healthy, local foods. Advocacy, education, and investment in food access are critical to ensuring healthy rural people and economies. We have an open invitation to all who are invested in increasing access to healthy foods to join the conversation.
MEETING DETAILS
Contact CAN for the next meeting
CO-CHAIRS
- Leslie Schaller – Appalachian Center for Economic Networks
- Martin Richards – Community Farm Alliance
WORKING GROUP PRODUCTS
A Fair Food System: A Summit on Scalable Solutions to Creating Community Food Systems
CFI distributed around 700,000 pounds of seed potatoes, from Jackson Area Ministries, to 175 families and organizations at their 2023 Seed Potato Giveaway at ACEnet.
PARTICIPANTS
- Appalachian Center for Economic Networks
- Community Food Initiatives
- Community Farm Alliance
- Appalachian Resource and Development Council
- Rural Action
- Mountain Association
- Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development
- Economic Development Greater East
- Appalachian Sustainable Development
- Partner Community Capital
- WV PAD Network
- Coalfield Development Corporation
BLOG POSTS
Regional Food Business Center Grant Invests in Appalachia with Funding for Food and Farm Businesses
The US government’s largest single investment in the Appalachian food system just hit our region. The U.S. Department of Agriculture […]
Read More ›Connect with Producers in Central Appalachia
FASWG Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution (PAD) members have launched a Facebook group to connect producers of all skill levels and […]
Read More ›A Fair Food System: Summit 6 Recap
Summit Five March 23, 2023 9:00AM–1:00PM EST Day Six Recording: https://youtu.be/fi5W6vPUm6Q Slides: CAN Summit 6 Slides Links & Additional Resources: […]
Read More ›