North Olympic Peninsula - Farm to Cafeteria Conference – Nov 5, 2009

Advocacy and Support – Group Notes:

Details:  (from notebook notes) 

• Show Candice’s film in High Schools – use as springboard
• Those with experience with Wellness Policy can support volunteers in other districts
• Provide information session on what has already been done in each district, define next steps
• Need to establish a timeline for goals:  e.g. Updated Wellness Policies by March 2010
• Help people deepen their personal understanding and commitment through NWEI ‘Menu for the Future’.  Increase passion to follow-through with volunteer efforts
• Power of speaking up:  Only took 2 meetings with PT Planning Committee and City Council to get community gardens sanctioned.  It doesn’t take that much if you go in prepared.
• PA Wellness Policy change:  Kia, Beth & Linda – small email campaign got language added to the Wellness Policy.
• Elected representatives and their staff are stretched very thin, especially now.  Help them do the homework to streamline decision making process
• Elected officials like to work on positive issues – good for the economy & community, good PR
• Jefferson Healthy Lunch for 4 weeks – show movie there
• Other institutions important.  E.g. OMC Farmer’s Mkt
• PT hospital may see lots of staff resistance.  Purchased movie to show there.
• Local food = good health.  Should make attractive to people
• Culinary Arts Institute would be a great place to promote local food.  Partner with Culinary Tourism.
• Partnerships with complementary organizations/programs maximizes impact, spreads the workload
• Encourage personal education to drive behavior change – don’t tell people ‘what to do’
• Budget will be barrier.  Use Olympia story to demonstrate how it can be done
• Research grant opportunities to help on budget issues
• Highlight investment in healthy kids:  attracts more families to region (needed to diversify our demographics), more kids in schools, more funds to schools
• Make sure schools and other institutions are aware of and participate in Gleaning Groups (OlyCAP in Clallam and www.L2020.org/gleaning in Jefferson)
• Sunfield Farm & School:  Students from Brinnon/Quilcene participate in planting/harvesting for food banks
• Use this ‘free food’ as foot in door to get ‘fresh’ snacks on the menu
• There are currently no regulations at State level preventing the use of fresh, local food
• How to work around/with Sodexo?  Need to know when contracts are established and when they are renegotiated. 
• Did the new Food Safety bill raise a barrier for farmers?  (See current PT Food Coop Newsletter http://www.foodcoop.coop/uploads/pdf2/commons_oct_nov_2009.pdf  page 18)

• Need to figure out how to connect – support each other regionally
• Start with email list – move to Social Networking Site like Facebook?
• Good Senior Project – set up the advocacy network
• Jefferson County Master Gardeners offering $1000 grants for food/garden projects.  Next application deadline is April, 2010
• Should we target parents for NWEI and other child nutrition small group education?
• How do we reach beyond the choir?  Through kids??
• HealthyEatingLibrary.org
• Create a Tsunami of Action using the energy generated by the conference

Details (from flip charts) 

• Show film at HS and other schools – invite parents
• School staff show interest to School Board – include parents
• MAP – where are we now?  What is happening already?
• Timeline – critical for target actions
• Menu for the Future workshops – drive change from personal perspective
• Go to School Board/City Officials/etc.  Have good presentation, do the homework for them.
• Suggest easy things to accomplish at first
• Health issue for kids
• Reinvest in community
• Use film in schools to galvanize effort / spread the word
• Approach other institutions
• Appeal to humane side
• Culinary arts tie into culinary tourism
• One example of effective partnerships.  What others are possible?
• Help people ‘discover what they want to do – rather than telling them
• Be aware of what is happening at national & state level that affect our efforts
• How do we tap into grants and other available resources?
• Hub/Facebook page for advocacy
• Food Coop willing to post (possibly JeffersonGrown/ClallamGrown)
• Senior project – website
• Student Councils – Include kids in advocacy
• Master Gardener grants for food related projects – April 2010 next deadline (up to $1000)
• Target Parents (educate about healthy eating)
• Target specialty groups
• Healthy Eating’ Series at the PT Library
• Research possible obstacles – work to address barriers, provide examples, success stories
• Research grants
• Volunteerism in general
• Gleaning – donated to school and other cafeterias
• Kids grow food for food bank / partner with OlyCAP and Sunfield Farm School
• Volunteer gleaned fruit & veggies to  classrooms – get foot in door for ‘healthy snacks’

• Goal is to create a tsunami of actions that build on conference energy.
• Focus on LOCAL advocacy; keep an eye on Federal and State level.
• Start with a follow-up email to allow folks to opt-out of future organizing efforts
• Work with High Schools – Any interest Senior Project: Building the regional Advocacy Network?
• If not, explore other options to create effective and useful hub to
• Share information & tools
• Provide support for each other
• Start building a list of potential partners: e.g. Culinary Tourism
• Remember our elected and their staffs are overloaded.  Do the homework, make it easy to say ‘yes’!
• Reinforce the impact on community health:  physical, economic and strong sense of community
• Economic Stimulus:  $ to Farmers = $ to Community.  Invest in kids = families move to community = more $ for schools