History of Kent County Food System within the Community
"Learning about history so we don't ignore our past and instead, build our future!"
Summary of Kent County Food Policy Council
Click on the link below to be brought to the Kent County Food Policy website!
Kent County Food Policy Council (KCFPC) strives to create a sustainable and nutritious food system. Currently, the Kent County food system is characterized by disconnection and inequity, which does not demonstrate a healthy or profitable system. KCFPC's wishes are to develop an equitable and diverse growing system, an accessible distribution process, fair access to nutritious foods and form sustainable ways to recover food waste.
Recent Goals Achieved
Watch below for a short video about the 10 Cents a Meal Program!
Successfully partnered with Grand Valley State University to create a food summit called Growing Connections Food Summit which brought together local businesses, farmers, and organizations to explore solutions for sustainable food economies.
Increased the number of Kent County schools participating in growing food or purchasing local food for their students, demonstrated by the 10 Cents a Meal Program that has been implemented in many Grand Rapids schools!
Actions and Strategies
Connect with community, stakeholders, and food system leaders to build relationships
Collect community data and share reports
Inform the public regarding their processes
Hold community events and share data and research
Raise awareness for policy change in government
Goal to Accomplish
Create a written history of the food system in Kent County to outline how we arrived at the current moment and how the current issues we face have evolved.
Prototypes for KCFPC
Tri-fold Brochure:
Contains precise details regarding how the food system has historically impacted the community and how we can improve it for the future.
Extensive Pamphlet:
Contains brief histories regarding the local food system and how it has influenced pre-colonization, land development & ownership, agriculture & farming, poverty, food culture, migrations, government structure development, food processing, food industrialization, co-ops & collectives, policy developments, food pantries & charitable efforts, grocery development, food waste, and the education system in Kent County.
Bookmark:
Contains a QR Coded Feedback Process to generate a form for feedback on the communities' history of their food system. Scan the QR code and answer questions to help KCFPC obtain more food history for the area.
