It’s often said that food is a great uniter. That was certainly the case on June 1 - 2 in 2015, when food and health funders from GWP and across Pennsylvania gathered together to learn about innovative efforts underway to improve local food systems in Philadelphia.
The two-day trip included site visits to see organizations that are working to ensure the availability of healthy foods in underserved communities. Sites visited included The Food Trust’s healthy corner store and Philly Food Bucks programs, as well as the Coalition Against Hunger’s Green Light Pantry.
The trip also included stops at organizations that are working to strengthen regional and urban farms while making local food accessible to communities and the institutions that serve them, including the nationally recognized leader in urban farming, Greensgrow Farm and distributer of local foods, Common Market.
Broad Street Ministry also opened its doors to the group, where they learned about Broad Street’s efforts to use nourishing food as an entry point to help those experiencing homelessness to connect to necessary services through their Hospitality Collaborative Impact Model .
In addition to the very informative site visits, participants had the opportunity to hear from other key stakeholders and experts in food systems and policy including PA Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy and the Philadelphia Health Department's Director of Policy and Planning Dr. Giridhar Mallya, both of whom discussed the local and state policies that affect population health and food security. Participants also heard from Alison Hastings, Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), about "Eating Here," the regional plan to increase the security and economic, social, and environmental benefits of the regional food system that feeds greater Philadelphia.
The trip provided a unique opportunity to share knowledge and resources and to begin a very important state-wide discussion about how philanthropy can work together to improve Pennsylvania’s food systems and allow food to truly be the great uniter for all of Pennsylvania’s residents.