System One’s Post

This is one of the best news stories engaging the people, problems, paradoxes, and potential solutions to address the shockingly high levels of hunger, poverty, and social exclusion in Silicon Valley that I have read in my 13 years as a professor Santa Clara University. It's in-depth and long form, so take your time reading it. Happy to provide background to journalist Prachi Singh. There is so much more to do. Grateful for all of the organizations and individuals working to address food, climate, and racial injustices in the South Bay Area (and beyond). Several of them are in this article and others are always important to remember. These include, but are not limited to: Garden To Table Silicon Valley, ValleyVerde.org, Veggielution, Fresh Approach, Environmental Justice & Common Good Initiative, Sacred Heart Community Service, UCANR, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Pie Ranch, Food Empowerment Project, Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen, The Health Trust, SCU Center for Sustainability, Stanford's Food for Health Equity Lab, Center for Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and many others.

At Denver Food Rescue, we believe that acknowledging the inherent dignity of our program participants is just as important as the food we provide. Our No Cost Grocery Programs, like the one pictured at Thomas Bean Towers, operate using a ‘choice model.’ This means that families get to decide what foods to take home based on what best suits their needs, rather than being handed a box of food that they may be unfamiliar with. We also require no ID or proof of income to get food at our No Cost Grocery Programs. We believe that everyone deserves fresh food, no matter their situation. Lastly, we break away from the traditional ‘food pantry’ model by delivering the food we rescue directly to a No Cost Grocery Program within 2 hours. This means we are able to provide the freshest quality food to our participants, and it enables us to rescue mostly fresh produce. Learn more about our mission at our website, DenverFoodRescue.org. #foodaccess #foodrescue #foodjustice#foodsecurity #healthequity #healthequitynow #healthequityjustice #healthequityforall #denvervolunteers #volunteer #denverfood #denver

Quick glimpse into my day today! Today, I had the incredible opportunity to join Feeding America, Kentucky's Heartland’s transportation crew on a food rescue route, all while shooting a video. Witnessing firsthand the impact of corporate food rescue has been a great experience. Corporate food rescue isn’t just about saving surplus food (3,500 lbs today); it’s about managing our resources responsibly to ensure everyone has access to nutritious meals while reducing waste and it’s environmental impact. Aligning my personal values with my professional endeavors has always been a priority for me - its why I chose to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. Seeing the positive impact of initiatives like this only strengthens that alignment for me. #foodrescue #corporateresponsibility #sustainability

In a time when the cost of food is soaring and community support is needed more than ever, our mission is crystal clear: uplift regional farmers while ensuring food access for every single New Yorker. How do we do it? By standing strong on two core principles - fair pricing and community empowerment. We firmly believe in paying our dedicated farmers a fair price for their hard work. This not only shows our appreciation for their tireless efforts but also bolsters the resilience of our local food systems. We recognize the challenges posed by escalating food costs, especially in these trying times. Hence, our commitment remains steadfast in making quality, farm-fresh produce affordable and reachable for all New Yorkers. Whether you're a restaurant owner, a community organization, or an individual looking to make a difference, anyone can order from GrowNYC’s Food Hub. With a minimum order of just $250, you can play a vital role in supporting local farmers and strengthening our shared mission. Visit https://bit.ly/3qWLEXS to get started.

A year from today, we were asked: “What will it take to create a more accessible, equitable, and complete food security system?” • We laid a foundation to this question and part of our solution is- solving food apartheid by recreating our own food system in East Knoxville through a Black led movement. • • We had the pleasure of presenting our year one shareout of our impact report. We are honored to be a part of the food and land justice work in our city. It excites us to think about the future of Black Knoxville's Food Landscape in East Knoxville. We wouldn't be able to do this work without United Way Greater Knoxville, Canvas Can Do Miracles, 3 Cubed plus a plethora of other partners who fund and support our movement. • • To think we are just at Y1 & have covered so much ground is astonishing. Again, we couldn’t do this without a receptive community, committed volunteers, aligned collaborators & partners. Last year, we had an ambition goal of establishing 100 gardens in the city by year 1. Well, we will have a count of 167 gardens on the ground by December 2023. It’s an honor to lead this collective as it takes courage, grit, and fortitude to do this work while sowing seeds of resistance and wisdom. Knox County United Way #foodapartheid #growfoodnotlawns #foodrevolution #oppressivefoodsystems #dismantlethesystem #foodjustice #redlining #foodswamp #thecoloroflaw #foodinsecurity #fooddisparities #supportlocal #community #foodmovement #meikmeals #battlefieldfarms #ROOTEDEAST #thefoodfighters #eastsidefoodnetwork #powertothepeople #restoration #foodiscurrency #decolonizeourfoodsystems

Avoiding food waste isn't that complicated. Denver's local nonprofit, We Don't Waste (WDW), has saved over 50 million pounds of fresh food since 2009, mitigating an estimated 97 million pounds of CO2. ⬇ ⬇ It starts with partnership - WDW has developed an efficient pipeline to invite local Denver businesses and organizations to their food donor network. Simplicity creates volume and consistency - WDW's team handles all the labor and logistics involved in the food donation process. All food-donor organizations have to do is hand their waste over. In this way, their network of partners grows by word-of-mouth. and partners see no reason to leave the network. Efficient distribution = more donations - The faster food goes out the door and into the hands of the hungry, the more food donations WDW can accept. WDW's 2-pronged distribution system does this expertly. a) Food is distributed for free to their growing network of partner food banks. WDW simply gives local food banks their food donations, who handle the distribution. b) WDW's Mobile Markets specifically target 50 Denver neighborhoods with abysmally low access to fresh food. These "meals on wheels" type operations can set up anywhere and distribute fresh food on demand to anyone who needs it at incredibly low cost. The income is directly funneled into WDW's food collection and distribution efforts. Why not get involved? Check them out below

We are thrilled to share an exciting announcement! 🎉 During Feed 5000, we were honored to serve Aurora Public Schools for the first time, providing them with 40 boxes of essential food. The experience was incredibly rewarding, and we are thrilled to announce our ongoing partnership with them. Together, we look forward to positively impacting and fostering a stronger community. #CommunityPartnership #Feed5000 #AuroraPublicSchools #Feed5000 #community #food #foodbanks #partnership Read less

What is Shared Value you ask? The concept coined by Michael Porter and Mark Kramer is grounded in economic and social principles about pursuing financial success in a way that also has positive benefits for society.   Here’s a simple analogy: You start a lemonade business by using fresh lemons from the community park. This allows you to price your lemonade affordably and even create a loyalty programme for regular customers. As a bonus, you’ve promised that 10% of your profit would go to restoring the park in your community and planting more fruit trees. Everyone can share in the benefits – you enjoy greater profit; your customers enjoy their lemonade at a reduced cost and your community can spend time in a wonderful park, eating healthy, free fruit with their family and friends.   Shared Value is about finding ways to do things that benefit not just you, but also the people around you, the broader society, and the environment.   #SharedValue #LiveLifeWithVitality #BuildingABetterWorld #PurposeDriven #VitalitySharedValue

Thanks for the shout out from the main stage at the National Meals on Wheels conference, Edwin L. Walker! People give to people, and the story of this work is critical at this time when dollars are going away from supportive services to our seniors. Are you affiliated with MOW? Let me know how you are working through the changes. #plantheworkworktheplan

Mike Howerton always shares meaningful words that cause me to reflect! A couple of things came to mind as I read his thoughtful words in this post: The "we don't quit" soundtrack runs pretty loud with our career clients who feel stuck in their jobs. But to what end? No career is worth your mental and emotional health. What if quitting the wrong job to pursue your genuine purpose in life is actually NOT quitting, but choosing your unique path of success? Same goes for organizations who get clear on their priorities. Saying no to something good, so you can do what matters is success. Too many teams and individuals don't name their shared vision of success and then wonder why they are so unfocused and scattered. Bottom line: don't be afraid to ask for help figuring out your next best steps for your team, your career, your life!