On March 3, 2011, the Maine Philanthropy Center hosted a funders' convening with goverment and nonprofits involved in food security. "Improving Food Access With Local Food" focused on understanding food security issues in Maine and informing funders about projects currently underway to help more Mainers get access to fresh, local food and how they could support that work.
Maine Community Foundation staffers Pam Cleghorn and Jen Southard, and several community foundation donors attended the program, whose presenters included national foundations, local nonprofits, and businesses, state and federal representatives. The audience learned about projects currently underway in area communities and ways to support it, discussed potential opportunities for increasing access, and shared ideas on how to align their work to reach our common goals.
The group also learned about recommendations to address systemic issues that result in hunger in Maine; participated in cross-sector discussions with private funders, government, and nonprofits involved in food security; explored how philanthropists could use their funding in partnership with federal and state funding; and identified some opportunities for partnership and collaboration.
A summary of program highlights is available here.
The reports referenced by the panelists are: