Meeting the Moment:

Fair Food Network's Next Chapter

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A Message from Fair Food Network

Though change is always a given, the last few years have demanded more flexibility and resilience from each of us. Today, in a world marked by transition, Fair Food Network is preparing for a new stage in our evolution as an organization. In January 2023, our Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Oran Hesterman, will assume a new role as Founder & Resident Champion. Kate Krauss, our current Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, will take on a new stage in her leadership as CEO.

Over the course of the 13 years since Fair Food Network began, one thing has remained constant: our founding belief in the power of food, which has inspired both Oran and Kate throughout their careers.

When we start with food, we build a path toward better community health, economic opportunity, and environmental resilience. Through today's changes and those still to come, we know that food offers us unlimited potential for building community, creating common ground, and addressing long-standing inequities.

Here's how we are meeting the moment:

Expanding our mission with a new Theory of Change
Building on more than a decade of impact and growth, we're broadening our mission. As we continue to champion the power of food to build thriving communities, we'll do so with a new focus on environmental stewardship and a definitive commitment to equity and justice. We're also guided by an updated Theory of Change that provides a blueprint for our work.

Welcoming new CEO Kate Krauss, alongside a larger leadership team
Kate's transition, unanimously supported by Fair Food Network's board, is a natural evolution for the organization. During her tenure as COO and as Executive Director, Kate built a strong foundation for growth, developed operational infrastructure, and diversified funding and programming. She grew the organization's budget fivefold, expanding work across community-based impact investing, nutrition incentives, evaluation, and public policy. To achieve this, she also tripled Fair Food Network's staff; today, our senior leadership team collectively brings decades of experience in food and agriculture, public health, community-based impact investing, workforce development, entrepreneurship, evaluation, and public policy.

Continuing our collaboration with Oran Hesterman, Founder & Resident Champion
Through writing and public speaking, Oran will champion food-based approaches to lasting systemic change and environmental stewardship. He will also focus on mentoring the next generation of leaders and collaborate with partners, funders, and policymakers to bring about the change we seek.

Furthering our commitment to community listening and accountability
We are committed to local businesses, farmers, families, and communities. We will further build community by listening first when we engage others, developing systems to measure our impact, and holding ourselves accountable along the way. We'll share and exchange knowledge and insights with all who want to improve food as a tool for equity.

Meet Oran

As Fair Food Network enters our next chapter, Oran Hesterman will continue to work alongside our team in his new role as Founder & Resident Champion. Hear Oran's reflections on what's next and how our organization is evolving to meet the moment.

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"Kate is the leader we need to meet this moment. Kate sees food as a source of joy and a path to justice, which is exactly what is needed for the road ahead. She will ensure that Fair Food Network remains an effective and enduring organization."

- Oran B. Hesterman, PhD, Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Soon-to-be Resident Champion

Meet Kate

For more than two decades, Kate has dedicated her professional life to pursuing transformative, actionable solutions to deeply rooted problems. When she assumes her new position at the helm of Fair Food Network, she will continue to guide the organization in its commitment to grow community health and wealth through food.

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13 Years and Counting

We launched Fair Food Network in 2009 with an entrepreneurial spirit and an unwavering commitment to our mission: to grow community health and wealth through food. 13 years in, we're just beginning. Come and explore our milestones along the way.

  • 2009
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2015
  • 2016
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021
  • 2022
  • 2009

    2009

    Fair Food Network is born

    Double Up Food Bucks launches at 5 Detroit farmers markets inspired by other healthy food incentive pilots
  • 2010

    2010

    Double Up begins statewide expansion across Michigan

  • 2011

    2011

    Founder Oran Hesterman’s book, Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable Food System for All, is heralded by The New York Times

  • 2012

    2012

    Fair Food Fund launches as impact investing arm providing catalytic capital and wrap around business assistance

  • 2013

    2013

    Double Up grows to 150+ sites across Michigan including grocery stores in one of the first pilots in the nation

  • 2014

    2014

    Inspired by Double Up’s impact in Michigan, 2014 farm bill includes for $100 million for nutrition incentives

  • 2015

    2015

    Kate Krauss joined Fair Food Network as first Chief Operating Officer

    Fair Food Fund reaches $1 million in investments and makes cover of New York Times business section

    Statewide Michigan Good Food Fund initiative launches with Fair Food Network as founding partner and lead of technical assistance and marketing

    Fair Food Network receives first USDA grant to expand Double Up in Michigan & model spreads nationwide

  • 2016

    2016

    State of Michigan and local funders propel Double Up in Flint supporting the city’s recovery from lead crisis

  • 2017

    2017

    USDA supports nutrition incentive tech innovations & grocery expansion in Michigan and with partners in Colorado and Western New York

  • 2018

    2018

    Double Up model in communities from coast to coast inspires 2018 farm bill making support for nutrition incentives a permanent part of future farm bills

    Fair Food Fund celebrates 5 years with $3+ million in investments Every dollar invested leveraged $5 and generated nearly $9 in community benefits.

    USDA support fuels nutrition incentives in hard-to-reach communities with partners in Alabama, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Texas

  • 2019

    2019

    Kate Krauss becomes Fair Food Network’s first Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer

    USDA selects Gretchen Swanson Center to launch the Nutrition Incentive Hub, a new national center supporting nutrition incentive and produce prescription projects with Fair Food Network leading technical assistance and innovation

    USDA and State of Michigan support fuels Double Up expansion to every county in Michigan, deepening reach to 30% of all SNAP recipients

    Team grows to 30+ across Michigan, Washington, D.C., and Northeast

  • 2020

    2020

    Michigan Good Food Fund marks 5 years with $17 million supporting 300 food businesses

    Fair Food Fund expands beyond Northeast with multiple investments in Michigan

    Double Up use soars during COVID with programs in 29 states use totaling $30+ million in SNAP and Double Up supporting families, local farmers, and grocers.

  • 2021

    2021

    Fair Food Network becomes manager of Michigan Good Food Fund charting community-driven process to map next chapter

    New research shows that every $1 invested in nutrition incentives could generate up to $3 in economic impact

  • 2022

    2022

    Fair Food Network announces Kate Krauss as next CEO in January 2023 and Oran Hesterman as Founder and Resident Champion.

It starts with food.

Join us.