The equitable development of a Food Policy Council in Chatham County
Abstract
Background:
Chatham County residents have long experienced lack of fresh food access, nutrition and food insecurity, and poor health outcomes that result in part from inequitable policies that require a collaborative, cross-sector, and equitable approach to address. The Savannah-Chatham Food Policy Council needed to be re-imagined and re-invigorated to serve as a diverse, inclusive board capable of major, upstream changes that growers, businesses, and residents, need to create meaningful and community-driven change.
Methods:
Between 2022-24, we conducted a total of 6 in-depth community listening sessions, 2 stakeholder meeting with community members, faith-groups, government representatives, non-profit organizations, neighborhood association leaders and nutrition experts from across Chatham County, monthly meetings. Key questions asked were: Is a Food Policy Council needed?., What organization should lead the Food Policy Council?., What resources exist in Chatham County?., What barriers to food access exist? What solutions are feasible? This process helped shape the structure, goals, and priorities of the SCFPC. A detailed Board Retreat in 2024 focused on the three main aspects of the food system; growing & distributing food, food businesses/retail, and emergency food management.
Results:
The need to reestablish the SCFPC was consistently highlighted by participants in the stakeholder meetings and community listening sessions. Barriers included inequitable access to land and farming resources, insufficient investment in food business and grocery development, the need for better cross-sector collaboration, and other policy and systems barriers to community-driven solutions for fresh food access. Listening sessions, stakeholder meetings, board retreat, and the consistent monthly meetings continue to sculpt the priorities of the SCFPC. The SCFPC has a 19-member Board and more than 35 individuals that regularly attend meetings to provide insight and expertise.
Conclusions:
The SCFPC has successfully been reestablished. Overarching priority areas for the Council are policy, systems, and environmental changes within the following spaces: growing/distributing food, food retail/food businesses, and emergency food.
Keywords
food insecurity, coalition building, community impact, food access, urban agriculture, growing, community gardens
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The equitable development of a Food Policy Council in Chatham County
Background:
Chatham County residents have long experienced lack of fresh food access, nutrition and food insecurity, and poor health outcomes that result in part from inequitable policies that require a collaborative, cross-sector, and equitable approach to address. The Savannah-Chatham Food Policy Council needed to be re-imagined and re-invigorated to serve as a diverse, inclusive board capable of major, upstream changes that growers, businesses, and residents, need to create meaningful and community-driven change.
Methods:
Between 2022-24, we conducted a total of 6 in-depth community listening sessions, 2 stakeholder meeting with community members, faith-groups, government representatives, non-profit organizations, neighborhood association leaders and nutrition experts from across Chatham County, monthly meetings. Key questions asked were: Is a Food Policy Council needed?., What organization should lead the Food Policy Council?., What resources exist in Chatham County?., What barriers to food access exist? What solutions are feasible? This process helped shape the structure, goals, and priorities of the SCFPC. A detailed Board Retreat in 2024 focused on the three main aspects of the food system; growing & distributing food, food businesses/retail, and emergency food management.
Results:
The need to reestablish the SCFPC was consistently highlighted by participants in the stakeholder meetings and community listening sessions. Barriers included inequitable access to land and farming resources, insufficient investment in food business and grocery development, the need for better cross-sector collaboration, and other policy and systems barriers to community-driven solutions for fresh food access. Listening sessions, stakeholder meetings, board retreat, and the consistent monthly meetings continue to sculpt the priorities of the SCFPC. The SCFPC has a 19-member Board and more than 35 individuals that regularly attend meetings to provide insight and expertise.
Conclusions:
The SCFPC has successfully been reestablished. Overarching priority areas for the Council are policy, systems, and environmental changes within the following spaces: growing/distributing food, food retail/food businesses, and emergency food.
