FOOD ACCESS

Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council works in collaboration with Nuestras Raices, as well as other area farms and organizations, to promote greater access to healthy foods, create opportunities for residents to grow food, and advocate for equitable food policy issues at a local, state, and federal level.  Expanded access to healthy food sources in the city, and increased community awareness of the importance of nutritious food, are priorities this year.

The FEEST:  COMMUNITY BUILDING AROUND FOOD

FEEST (Food Education Empowerment Sustainability Team) is an interactive event that the Holyoke youth host as a way of engaging the community towards policy change.  The premise is that food brings people together.  Local area youth get produce from local farms and prepare healthy meals with each other while listening to music, laughing and having a good time.  For folks who aren’t in the kitchen, there is usually a presentation or educational theme that engages the guests of FEEST.  In 2009 we held 4 FEESTs.  Last year we held a total of 10 FEESTs!  Starting January 2012, we will be hosting one FEEST a month. Contact Arielle Aronoff at Arielle.Aronoff@hhcinc.org for more information.

Some past themes have included ExtravaGREENza (Holyoke youth involved in environmental issues with various organizations and schools), Bombazo (culminating summer program and cultural education through Bomba performance), and Farm to School (a work in progress to link local agricultural producers to school food suppliers and increase the amount of fresh local food on school menus).