A message from our Director, Maddie Chera: |
The latest breaking news over at Food Policy Council (FPC) headquarters is the launch of our new FPC webpage! |
Fuller integration with Green Umbrella’s communications and identity as the Regional Climate Collaborative is one of our strategic goals for 2024. This relocation furthers our efforts to make information easier to find, to better serve our members and our communities, and to make our collaborations stronger. |
As we sunset the standalone FPC website that came online in 2021, we extend so much gratitude to all who contributed to the extensive and colorful FPC site we’re retiring (especially Susan Jorgensen, Anne Schneider, Claire Greweling, Amanda Lukas, and Michaela Oldfield). Please check out the new page, bookmark it, and let us know if you run into any issues or errors.
|
|
|
We have been busy sharing our work and engaging more folks on regional food systems issues, with lots of representation at the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit (event recap here), as well as FPC-organized panels at the Regional Green Schoolyards Summit and Cincinnati’s Neighborhood Summit. FPC Members have reported back from the Urban Food Systems Symposium at OSU, the ReFED Conference in Baltimore, and GrowFest at the Civic Garden Center, too.
|
| |
|
We also hosted a webinar on calculating the climate impact of the local food economy in the first session of our series on Food Systems Circularity, with more installments in the works. Make sure you’re involved in our committees to be first notified of these networking and learning opportunities and to get briefed from peers on their travels! |
|
|
As we get ready for fall, we’re looking to leverage all the resources we can as a region (see Featured Opportunity) and to celebrate all we’ve done together (see Upcoming Events). We hope you’ll join us and the other members featured here! |
|
|
| Cheers,
Maddie Chera, PhD
Director, Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council |
|
|
Reply to this email to reach Maddie, or reach out to FPC Community Manager, Qeiara, for general information or to get involved in a Policy Committee at qeiara@greenumbrella.org |
|
|
|
"At Rich Life Farm, we cultivate gourmet mushrooms year-round in a controlled environment. We work directly with local restaurants, retail markets and consumers. My work as a Council Member on the Food Policy Council aligns well with my work in my farm business, serving shared goals to increase access to local, nutritious food, bringing awareness to small-scale farms and to support regional food systems infrastructure. Advocating alongside other members is empowering, and I'm excited to see the impact on local communities."
|
|
|
- Emalee Richman, Co-Owner, Rich Life Farm & Fungi (Green Umbrella Member + FPC Council Member, Steering Committee |
|
|
Yale Godfrey, a graduate student in University of Cincinnati’s Nutrition Science Program, recently finished a six-week Community Nutrition Rotation with the Food Policy Council. One outcome of Yale’s efforts to offer us communications support is a short guide to a government program called “USDA DoD Fresh,” which schools can use as a means to serve more local produce into the cafeteria.
|
| |
|
Yale built on his interest in nutrition education and Farm to School programming by speaking to expert stakeholders in our network. Together, they identified ways school food service providers could tap such programs creatively in order to procure more fresh, seasonal, and local foods for area kids. Learn more on the blog! |
|
|
Save the Date for September 19: Cultivate + Connect, A Celebration of Our Regional Food System |
|
|
In past years, you might have joined us for our fall Gather celebration or for the Harvest party hosted by our fellow Green Umbrella program, the Common Orchard Project. This year, we’re joining forces to host a celebration of our regional food system that highlights all the assets we’ve collectively cultivated, including you! At this evening event at Urban Artifact’s Reliquary space, we’ll enjoy local food and drink together, as we make new connections and strengthen old ones. Please plan to join us to hear from Food Policy Council members leading food systems work and to (re)discover your place in our regional food system. Tickets will be available soon - stay tuned!
|
| |
|
-
National Urban Agriculture Conference: NUag Initiative, Aug. 4-6, Detroit, MI
-
2024 Local Government Climate Action Showcase: Green Umbrella, Aug. 8, 3-4:30pm, Cincinnati, OH (featuring food-related projects!), followed by Green Drinks at Somerset OTR, 5-7pm
- 2024 Annual Partner Meeting: National Farm to School Network, Aug. 14-16, Minneapolis, MN
-
Row by Row: Gorman Heritage Farm, farm-to-table dinner fundraiser, Aug. 24
-
2024 Annual Meeting: Kentucky Food Action Network, Sep. 7, Berea, KY (free!)
-
State of the Soil Conference, Black Soil, Sep. 8-11, Rogers, KY
-
The People’s Summit on Food Systems and Urban Agriculture: Food in Neighborhoods, Sept. 13, Louisville, KY
-
2024 Black Farming Conference: BIPOC Food and Farming Network, Sep. 27-28 (location TBA), proposals for workshops and skill shares due July 15
-
Advocacy for Thriving Communities Roadshow: ThriveKY, Oct. 8, 1-4pm, Covington, KY
|
|
|
Professional Opportunities |
|
|
Cities across the Midwest are digging into urban agriculture and building resilient urban food systems. With support from the RE-AMP Network, a coalition working to enable collaboration on climate solutions in the Midwest, our Food Policy Council and the rest of the Action Team are building a network to share ideas and resources. Monthly resource sharing sessions, with a focus on federal, state, local, and private funding available at the intersection of urban food systems and climate change, will be held on Zoom, 3-4:30pm ET on Mondays: July 8, August 12, September 9, October 7, and November 7.
|
| |
|
More opportunities & resources: |
-
Youth Climate Action - Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant: Office of Environment and Sustainability, City of Cincinnati, deadline July 15
-
Public Health Survey for Hamilton Co. Adult Residents: Hamilton County Public Health, available until Aug, 31, anonymous, some qualify for entry to win a gift card!
-
Culinary Education Instructor - Contractor: La Soupe
- Manager, Cr(eat)e Culinary Studio: Cincinnati Museum Center
- Support Staff: Hyde Park Farmers Market, LLC
-
Executive Director: Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub
-
Farm to School Leadership Academy: Shelburne Farms, applications due July 10 (tomorrow!)
-
Nominations for Farmers and Ranchers to Serve on Local County Committees: USDA Farm Service Agency, due Aug. 1
-
Ohio Local Procurement Guides for Farm to Early Care and Education: OSU Extension, free online, for ECE providers and local producers
-
Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons course and guidebook: OSU Extension, free online
-
Look out for an opening to come this fall with the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability for a VISTA position focused on food access and communications!
|
|
|
Where are you looking for funding resources right now? |
|
|
FPC Steering Committee Member, Board Member of Hamilton Urban Garden Systems (HUGS), and 2024 Green Umbrella Sustainability Leadership Award Recipient |
|
“I subscribe to email lists that keep me updated on grants, whether local or federal. The biggest tip I have for finding out about grants is to get involved in your local startup community. One other great resource is www.Helloalice.com, which offers available grants for a subscription. If anyone needs help with grant applications to Main Street Ventures please reach out to me [via Qeiara], and I can explain how I applied to receive it last year. That opportunity was recently in the Hamilton County Business Opportunities email, and the USDA sends out opportunities like the 2501 Program for Underserved and Veteran Farmers.”
- Gary Beatty |
FPC Council Member and Communicator for the Infrastructure Committee, and Founder and CSO of Inland Shrimp Company |
|
|
Do you have a must-read/-watch/-eat/etc. you want to share with fellow members? Email us your suggestion for the chance to be included in our next newsletter or join a Committee so you can share with our network directly! |
|
|
Green Umbrella leads cross-sector collaboration to accelerate climate action across Greater Cincinnati. |
| |
|
|
