Double Up Food Bucks at the Michigan Good Food Summit

Two weeks after Double Up Food Bucks’ June 1 launch, six members of the Fair Food Network team attended the 2012 Michigan Good Food Summit at the Lansing Center in Michigan. Over 300 people in various food-related industries – from public health to agriscience education – attended the event, all with a common agenda “to advance a food system based on good food – food that is healthy, green, fair and affordable.” Attendees broke into seven different strategy sessions, including one titled "Expanding and securing long-term funding for Double Up Food Bucks."

Cheryl Danley, Food  and Community Fellow, Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, facilitated the dialogue with FFN’s Oran Hesterman and Rachel Chadderdon Bair. Michigan Department of Human Services Assistant Deputy Director Ben Kohrman joined the conversation to detail the department’s collaboration with DUFB and expressed his excitement for the present and future of the program.

FFN president Oran Hesterman and Ben Kohrman, Assistant Deputy Director, Bureau of Community Services
 

As the session moved into the afternoon, dedicated Fair Food “solutionaries” examined DUFB’s goals, successes, and expansion efforts and progressed from identifying obstacles to brainstorming how to overcome them in creative and sustainable ways. Their ideas emphasized the importance of building awareness about both purchasing and preparing healthy foods while minimizing financial burdens on customers and farmers alike. Collaboration across industries and organizations and demonstrating the effectiveness of building and utilizing existing networks arose as keys to securing long-term financial support. The FFN team was thrilled with the enthusiasm and ideas generated in the session and looks forward to following up on many of them.

DUFB program director Rachel Chadderdon Bair and Oran Hesterman

Representatives and future collaborators from various organizations included:

• Food Bank Council of Michigan
• Michigan Farmers Market Association
• Michigan Food Policy Council
• Michigan Department of Community Health
• Michigan Food Coops, including East Lansing Food Coop
• Various health departments, including District Health Department #10, and universities, including Grand Valley State University

More to come from DUFB on the road!