Fort Wayne, IN – The Northeast Indiana Local Food Network is hosting four public engagement sessions being held June 24th – June 27th across the region. This engagement is part of the Northeast Indiana Local Food Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan Initiative that kicked off this spring and will conclude in the late fall. This effort will help
increase awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the varied aspects of Northeast Indiana’s local food system and will be used to help stakeholders work together to build capacity and resilience of the system as well as increase inclusivity and service to vulnerable populations across the region.
Sessions will include: A What is a Local Food System? presentation, A panel discussion with Northeast Indiana local food stakeholders, and facilitated tabletop discussions where ideas can be shared. All sessions are 1:30 – 3:30 pm. Location details and panelist participants are shared below:
Monday, June 24 – Community Learning Center, 401 Diamond Street in Kendallville Panelists: Grace Caswell – Visit Noble County, Greg Gunthorp – Gunthorp Farms, Denise Hoff – Retired Owner of the Fresh Food Hub, Christina Blaskie – Parkview LaGrange.
Tuesday, June 25 – Walb Ballroom, Union Circle Drive at Purdue Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne Panelists: Aaron Butts – Chef at Bistro Nota, Ty Simmons – Human Agricultural Cooperative, Dr. Matt Sprunger – Neighborhood Health, Jain Young – Plowshares Food Hub/Rose Ave. Farm.
Wednesday, June 26 – Peabody Public Library, 1160 E. State Route 205 in Columbia City Panelists: Jennifer Esterline – Whitley Co. Chamber/E Brewing Co., Dennis Wood – Wood Farms, Jeff & Zach Hawkins – Hawkins Family Farm, Keri Salb-Mertz – Purdue Extension.
Thursday, June 27 – Wells County Commerce & Visitors Bureau, 211 Water Street in Bluffton Panelists: Amber Broxon & Justin Miller – Broxonberry, Amy Burch – Purdue Extension, Caleb Fiechter – The River Farm.
According to Janet Katz, Founding Director of the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network, “We are hosting public engagement sessions across the region, so we can hear directly from everyone who is interested in, and impacted by local food. Our organization wants to understand the needs and opportunities they see for their families, farms, schools, businesses and communities. The insights we learn will guide our plans to serve and strengthen our local food system.”
Kristi Sturtz, ALM, AICP, President of Sturtz Public Management Group, and Kate Vellucci , ALM have been hired to facilitate this process. This initiative is being funded through the generous support of a USDA Regional Food Systems Partnership grant and the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation.
It is requested that those that plan to attend register at www.neifood.org. Light refreshments and free parking will be provided.
