Annual Report \ 2016

Transcription

1 Annual Report \ 2016

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3 Table of Contents Annual Report \ 2016 pg \ 5 pg \ 7 pg \ 9 pg \ 11 pg \ 15 pg \ 17 pg \ 19 Director s Letter \ Structure Contribution \ Sectors Staff \ Interns Committee \ Working Groups Overview Working Groups At a Glance \ Highlights Pittsburgh Food Day

4 Letter from Director \ Dawn Plummer If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. - African Proverb Our participation in local food systems development is more important than ever. We must remind ourselves that food systems transformation is not a sprint, it is a marathon. At the same time, we hold in focus the urgent need to meet our basic food needs, protect and sustainably utilize our region s natural resources, help our region s farmers thrive and grow our food economy in ways that benefit all. Our strategy is to create opportunities for inclusive civic engagement and policy change that takes into account a systems approach to the challenges we face. In 2016 we continued to connect, coordinate and catalyze food systems change through: Growing our membership to over 80 nonprofit, business, universities, Govt. partners, and 100+ individual members, while increasing our social media presence. Supporting leadership in our region s food movement by broadening our leadership team with increased PFPC staff and intern support. Completing the School Food Environment Report in partnership with Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic. Connecting food with civic engagement at Pittsburgh Food Day with a Sunday Supper and local artists in front of the City County Building for 350 Pittsburghers. Hosting the PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding for a tour of urban agriculture sites and workforce development in Allegheny County. Drafting member approved Guiding Principles which strengthen our backbone and help chart our course through the hard work of our Governance Committee. Our achievements in 2016 resulted from the deep and ongoing hard work of collaboration. We are grateful to our many partners, supporters and funders; a special thanks to the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and the Heinz Endowments for their generous support and belief in the emerging food policy council model. We have deep appreciation for the 18 members of the PFPC s growing leadership team who serve on our Steering Committee or as strong, capable co-chairs of our Working Groups, Committees and subcommittees. An extra special thanks to The Penn State Center Pittsburgh, where we are graciously incubated. And lastly, a shout out to our rock star staff who work hard to build a transparent and powerful Council capable of building a just, equitable and sustainable food system for all. Warmly, Dawn Plummer, Executive Director PFPC \ 2016

5 Organization \ Structure Pittsburgh Food Policy Council Organizational Structure CONNECT \ CATALYZE \ COORDINATE PFPC convenes change makers to build networks, break down silos, enable participation in food system decisionmaking and priority setting, inspire collaboration, provide leadership development and training, develop comprehensive food policy approaches, and strengthen movement building. Through dynamic presentations, collaborative activities, and networking, PFPC hosts regular member meetings to connect groups of advocates, entrepreneurs, community members, and policy makers, helps coordinate activities and policy initiatives of the Working Groups (WG). Pg \ 5

6 Contribution \ Sectors PFPC \ 2016

7 Members \ Food Rescue 4H of Allegheny County 52nd Street Market Allegheny County Conservation District Allegheny County Health Department Allegheny Food Network Allies for Children Ball Field Farm Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh Co-op Borough of Millvale Braddock Youth Project Brazen Kitchen Bridgeway Capital California University of Pennsylvania Carnegie Mellon University, Living Waters Larimer Chatham University Churchview Farm, LLC City of Pittsburgh Community Human Services Inc Community Kitchen Pittsburgh David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership Duquesne University East End Food Coop Family Farm Creameries Farm Truck Foods Five Elements Farm Focus on Renewal Friends of the East End Food Coop Garfield Community Farm; The Open Door Church Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council Grow Pittsburgh Hazelwood Farms Healcrest Urban Farm Hill District Consensus Group Hilltop Alliance Homewood Children s Village Human Rights City Alliance Junior League of Pittsburgh Just Harvest Kiva City Pittsburgh Legume Bistro Let s Move Pittsburgh M-Powerhouse MOSAIC (Movement of Oppressed Sectors Acting in Concert) New Sun Rising Oasis Foods PASA Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture Penn State Center Pittsburgh Penn State Ext. of Allegheny County Penn s Corner Farm Alliance Phipps Conservatory Homegrown Program Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives Pittsburgh Public Schools Pittsburgh Growers Cooperative PPS/Freight Farm Real Food Challenge/ University of Pittsburgh Repair the World Pittsburgh Reuse Central Riverside Center for Innovation Rolling Pepperoni Sankofa Village Community Garden Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Sto-Rox Neighborhood Health Council, Inc. Sustainable Pittsburgh The Food Trust Three Rivers Grown Tobacco Free Allegheny Trellis Legal United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 23 United Way of Allegheny County University of Pittsburgh UPMC Children s Hospital Pittsburgh UrbanInnovation21 UrbanKind Institute Western Pa Conservancy Women for a Healthy Environment Pg \ 7

8 Staff \ 2016 Dawn Plummer Executive Director Sara Buranskas Food Access Coordinator Rachel Samuels Program Assistant \ 2016 Staff Dora Walmsley Outreach \ Communications Manager Karlin Lamberto Urban Agriculture Coordinator Julie Block Administrative Assistant \ 2016 Staff PFPC \ 2016

9 Interns \ 2016 Maddie Halper WG: Regional Food Economy \ Intern Chatham University Melanie Frank WG: Regional Food Economy \ Intern Chatham University Naomi Ritter WG: Regional Food Economy \ Intern Duquesne University CITY COUNCIL FOOD DAY PROCLAMATION Rachel Forlifer WG: Urban Agriculture Intern Chatham University Eliza Kaye WG: Food & Health Equity \ Intern University of Pittsburgh Pg \ 9

10 Steering Comittee \ 2016 Julie Butcher Pezzino Grow Pittsbrugh Exectuive Director Heather Manzo Penn State Extension Extension Educator Jamil Bey, Ph.D. Urban Kind Institute Executive Director Stephanie Boddie, Ph.D. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Senior Consultant Hannah Hardy Allegheny County Healthy Dept. Program Manager Anne Marie Kuchera UPMC Childrens Hospital Project Director Mary Katherine Poole Let s Move Pittsburgh Program Director Ken Regal Just Harvest Executive Director PFPC \ 2016

11 Working Groups \ Overview PFPC facilitates three Working Groups and two subcommittees who met regularly throughout 2016 to advance the goals of the Council. Co-chairs set agendas, communicate with members and staff, and serve in either a volunteer capacity or with the support of their home institution. A BIG thanks to our co-chairs: Urban Agriculture Marisa Manheim, Grow Pittsburgh Jon Burgess, Allegheny County Conservation District Regional Food Economy Stephanie Boddie, Oasis Foods Rebecca Bykoski, Sustainable Pittsburgh Food & Health Equity Erika Fricke, Allies for Children Helen Gerhardt, Just Harvest Tom Samilson, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh Food Access Initiatives: Josh Berman, Just Harvest Pg \ 11

12 Working Groups \ 2016 Food & Health Equity Working Group \ FHEWG Seeks to increase access and quality of food for children, particularly in institutional environments. Goals \ 2016 Successes \ \ Partner with school districts and existing initiatives to continue improving the school food environment. 2 \ Increase access and improve quality of out-ofschool meals for children. 3 \ Advocate for policies that promotes food and health equity from the district, city, county and state levels. 1 \ Partnered with Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic and Pittsburgh Public School District to host research visit and complete report on the PPS school food environment; prioritized and took action on key recommendations. 3 \ Participated in the national School Food Focus conference with support from the Sampson Foundation. 2 \ Deepened partnerships with Allegheny County Health Department and Western PA Regional Data Center to identify and collect relevant food system data. 5 \ Participated in the 2016 Anti-Hunger Policy Conference and supported continued federal funding of critical anti-poverty programs. 4 \ Collaborated with Allegheny County Department of Human Services and the SWPA Food Security Partnership to survey youth summer meal participants, staff, and volunteers on ways to increase participation and meal quality. 6 \ Welcomed Sarah Buranskas our first Working Group Coordinator. Future \ 2017 The FHEWG aims to continue its work to advance the priorities outlined in the School Food Environment Report, specifically longer meal time, farm to school procurement, out-of-school meals, school breakfast and from-scratch cooking. The Food Access Initiatives Subcommittee convened nearly a dozen government, nonprofit, business and finance partners quarterly throughout 2016, collaborating on a Healthy Food Availability map, as well as preliminary discussions regarding policy support for healthy food retail. Data gathered will be used to map food availability in Pittsburgh and allow food access organizations and citizens to better coordinate services and identify areas of need. PFPC \ 2016

13 Working Groups \ 2016 Regional Food Economy Working Group \ RFEWG Seeks to build a regional food economy that is defined by a vibrant, equitable and sustainable food system and meets the economic, environmental, cultural, and nutritional needs for all. Goals \ 2016 Successes \ \ Enhance food infrastructure locally and regionally by understanding how our current system impacts food systems workers. 2 \ Ensure that food safety regulations and related rules support a vibrant and culturally appropriate local food system. 3 \ Promote food procurement that leverages public and private sector purchasing power to a Good Food Purchasing Policy that positively impact local economies, public health, healthy food access, sustainable food systems, and the environment. 1 \ Identified and built partnerships with organizations working to develop new food entrepreneurs. 2 \ Partnered with Beyond the Menu to expand and enhance food systems conversations. 3 \ Supported the Restaurant Opportunities Center and their celebration of local food establishments that have committed to earned sick leave. 4 \ Engaged with 3 graduate student interns. Future \ 2017 To advance our goals, RFEWG will collaborate across the Council to complete an evaluation of food related regulations and provide recommendations that lower barriers for food entrepreneurs who seek to provide healthy food options, as well as work to advance good food procurement. Pg \ 13

14 Working Groups \ 2016 Urban Agriculture Working Group \ UAWG Seeks to increase participation while furthering the urban agriculture movement by weaving it into the fabric of our city and region. We believe this is an important and complementary piece of building healthy, equitable communities with distinct racial, socioeconomic, geographic and cultural dynamics and histories. Goals \ 2016 Success \ \ Establish and strengthen relationships with policy makers including other relevant parties to advance UAWG agenda. 2 \ Network, sharing knowledge and resources to understand community and farm needs and improve the viability of urban farming. 3 \ Engage public sector to increase the development of Urban Agriculture business and workforce opportunities which involve farming. 4 \ Support and develop leaders in the local Urban Agriculture community. 1 \ Engaged 128+ UA practitioners; Via Food Day, monthly meetings; online and in person surveys and community listening sessions. 2 \ Participated in PA Urban Agriculture Working Group convened by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA). 3 \ Hired Karlin Lamberto our first WG Coordinator. 4 \ Published Urban Growers Guide: Selling the Food You Grow in Pittsburgh. 5 \ Worked with PDA leadership publicly clarifying their stance on community seed exchanges in PA. 6 \ Supported further development of the Pittsburgh Grower s Cooperative. Future \ 2017 The UAWG will continue to engage Pittsburgh residents around identified policy priority areas including land access and tenure, soil contamination and remediation, access to compost, and economic opportunities for urban agriculturalists. Will also reconvene the Immigrant and Refugee Food Access and Farming Working Group to explore ways to support these populations. PFPC \ 2016

15 URBAN AGRICULTURE

16 PFPC \ At a Glance PFPC \ 2016

17 Media \ Highlights March \ 30 Food & Health Equity Working Group hosts The Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic May \ 17 PFPC leads a workshop at PCRG s Annual Summit Hungry for Change: Food as a Catalyst for Community Development June \ 8 Urban Agriculture Working Group launches Community Engagement Sessions in 4 communities June \ 22 PFPC Staff & Members participate in Farm to School Network Meeting Launch in Harrisburg, PA July \ 13 PFPC leads a collective impact session with 4H Summer City Youth Participants July \ 18 PFPC hosts Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary for key meetings & tour of urban agriculture and workforce development August \ 2 PFPC Participates in the Youth Garden Summit held by Grow Pittsburgh at Phipps Conservatory August \ 2 PFPC members lead tour of our region s food system Grantmakers of Western PA October \ 16 Pittsburgh Food Day Sunday Supper Celebration November \ 30 PFPC Presentation to Food Access Class at Chatham University December \ 2 Co-sponsored Food & Agriculture Workshop for the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan December \ 5 Food & Health Equity Working Group reps. attend national conference Change Beyond the Plate Pg \ 17

18 PFPC \ Food Day PITTSBURGH FOOD DAY PFPC \ 2016

19 Food Day \ 2016 National Food Day celebration is a grassroots movement, backed by prominent voices, geared toward healthier, more affordable, and sustainable food, through policies that impact our food system. Here in Pittsburgh, the PFPC for a second year celebrated National Food Day for the entire month of October with food related events hosted by various Food Policy Council members and beyond. The highlight of the month took place on Oct. 16, with a firstof-its-kind community dinner. Hosting nearly 350 residents and food advocates from diverse socioeconomic, racial and cultural backgrounds. Guests broke bread and discussed regional food issues, shining a national spotlight on the work advocates and community members are doing here in Pittsburgh. PFPC FOOD DAY GOALS 1 \ Bring together the current Food Policy Council members 2 \ Engage new members & organizations by building trust 3 \ Highlight & celebrate PFPC accomplishments 4 \ Raise awareness among elected officials 5 \ Tell the story of our regional food system network Pg \ 19

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