Invitation: June 3 Food Summit Facilitator

[Tyson B. Domer]

FYI

Tyson

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsored by the City of Indianapolis, Indy Food Council, and Purdue Extension-Marion County

 

Mayor Joe Hogsett is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty and solving issues of food access and food security in Indianapolis. Across the city, and especially in low-income neighborhoods, residents may face barriers to accessing healthy and affordable food. Lack of access to nutritious food can negatively affect diet and health, and can often be traced as a root cause of crime. The People’s Food Summit aims to bring together the people of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County with City officials and subject-matter experts to engage in developing a comprehensive strategy for addressing problems of limited food access.

 

The Food Summit’s Morning Session will include an exploration of current and upcoming activities across Marion County. The Morning Session will be followed by a catered lunch provided by the Indy Food Council.

 

The Food Summit’s Afternoon Session will include strategic planning preparation be led by Purdue Extension-Marion County. The session will allow community members to organize themselves, based on their personal interests in the food system, by defined strategic topics. Each strategic working group will develop a vision, mission, objectives, and strategies to create a positive impact on Marion County’s food system. Following the Summit, the working groups will dedicate themselves to three subsequent meetings to develop a comprehensive, replicable strategy to addressing a specific food access challenge.. By the end of the year, all strategic documents will be compiled to create a county-wide, community-based strategy for food access.

 

Strategic Topics

 

The following topics will guide the strategic planning process. The strategic topics encompass all aspects of the City of Indianapolis’ and Marion County’s food system; from agricultural production to foodservice outlets.

 

1. Urban Agriculture

Urban agriculture involves cultivating, processing, and distributing food in a city. Urban agriculture can also involve community gardening, animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry, urban beekeeping, and horticulture.

 

2. Alternatives to Retail Supermarkets

Nontraditional forms of healthy food retail, outside of supermarkets, that are bringing fresh food to residents of underserved communities. In many cases these markets have adopted unique and innovative business strategies to successfully serve consumers. Examples include mobile delivery, farmers’ markets, buying clubs, etc.

 

3. Improvements to Food Service

More than 30 million U.S. schoolchildren eat at least one cafeteria meal per school day. Over one-quarter of people in the U.S. eat at a fast-food restaurant two or more times per week. Although, schools and restaurants had made strides on including healthier options in the last several years, there is still work to be done.

 

4. Health & Nutrition

The compliment to improving accessibility and availability of healthy, affordable food is educating individuals on the benefits of good health and nutrition. Educational and community-based programs encourage and enhance health and nutrition by educating community members on various topics.

 

5. Transportation

Improving transportation options to and from such food sources as supermarkets and farmers’ markets increases a community's access to healthy foods. Transportation improvements may include increasing bus routes to food retailers and supermarket-sponsored shuttle services.

 

6. Hunger Relief

One in five residents of Marion County is food insecure, meaning that they don't always know where their next meal will come from. Despite federal nutrition programs and charitable hunger relief organizations providing assistance, hunger is still a persistent problem in our city. Hunger relief partners are working on new ways to improve access to healthy foods for all Marion County residents.

 

Other

Have something you want to see that's not included? Tell us! Fill out the text box when you register.

 

AGENDA:

10:00am- Gather and check-in

Thanks Rabble Coffee and Wildwood Market for morning coffee and snacks!

10:20-12pm- Updates/ Presentations

10:20 Indianapolis LISC

10:30 City of Indianapolis

10:50 Urban Agriculture

11:00 Alternatives to Retail Supermarket

11:10 Improvements to Food Service

11:20 Health and Nutrition

11:30 Transportation

11:40 Hunger Relieve

11:50 State of Food System Report

12-12:30pm Grab lunch and screen Urban Ag Incubator and Neighborhood Food Champion Videos

 

Thanks Tlaolli for providing lunch!

 

12:30- 2:30pm Breakouts/ Strategic Planning Preparation

2:30 Re-group

3:00pm Depart