July 2021 - FPAC Newsletter

Next FPAC General Meeting

Open to FPAC Members Only

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 from 3:00-5:00 PM

In This Issue

> What's Fresh
> Subcommittee Spotlight
> Announcements

FPAC Member Shoutouts

Shayla Felton-Dorsey and Laura Crandall were selected to represent FPAC as participants in the Food Policy Network Community of Practice - Invest in Racially and Economically Just Food Systems. They will also represent FPAC at The Power of Food Forum in September!

Kurt Evans was named Champion of Change from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants! Check out this video on Kurt here.

What's Fresh

Join an FPAC Conversation on Opportunities for Advancing Racial Justice and Equity at the USDA

The USDA is accepting comments on advancing racial justice and equity and support for underserved communities. Comments are due by August 14, 2021. Members of FPAC will meet for discussion TODAY Friday, July 23 from 1:30-2:30 PM and Monday, July 26 from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM. To join either discussion, please contact laura.crandall@phila.gov.

In addition, individuals and organizations may:

Review Federal Register Notice and Submit Comments Here by typing directly into the comment section or attaching your comments as a document (no longer than 20 pages).
Send an email with your comments to EquityRFI@usda.gov

Further, the USDA is hosting listening sessions on July 28 and July 29 to inform its efforts. For more details and to register for the listening sessions click here.

Enroll Today: CHOW Institute - FREE Intro to Hospitality Training Class

ROC-PA is currently enrolling restaurant workers for its upcoming CHOW Institute: Intro to Hospitality Training Class. The CHOW Institute is designed to assist restaurant workers and food service professionals with training opportunities that will either provide new skills or enhance current skills. The latest hospitality training is a partnership between ROC United and Cornell University. This training will provide students with the skills necessary to think and act as a hospitality professional.

The virtual, two-week course is scheduled to run Monday through Friday, August 9 to August 20 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. The training is provided at no cost to those who enroll and those who graduate will earn certificates from both Cornell University and ROC United.

Enroll Today! For more information visit the ROC website or send an email!

Are you a food business interested in achieving Zero Waste?

Attend the Workshop for Reducing Food Waste in Manufacturing to learn strategies for donation and recycling on Thursday, July 29 from 1:00-3:30 PM.

At this virtual workshop, the Center for EcoTechnology (CET) will introduce strategies for food manufacturers to implement wasted food prevention, donation, and diversion programs at their facilities. The workshop will also highlight information about separating food scraps for anaerobic digestion, one method to divert food waste while generating energy. From 2:30-3:30 PM, participants will also have a chance to briefly meet with food waste experts at CET to discuss current operational challenges and opportunities at their business.

Participants will leave with an understanding of the next steps for building wasted food management into their operations and access to digital resources and guidance documents. All attendees will also have access to free one-on-one support from CET, which will take place in the last hour of the workshop. Register Here! Contact wastedfood@cetonline.org with any questions.

Subcommittee Spotlight

Anti-Hunger subcommittee members completed 20 Community Conversations with Community-Based Organizations including 215 People’s Alliance, Broad St. Ministry, Food Connect, Sanctuary Farm, SEAMAAC, and YEAH Philly to learn about their work and discuss how we can come together to influence city policies that improve food access. Zero Waste continues to lead Philadelphia's NRDC Food Matters working group and is engaging the public for feedback on its messaging campaign set to launch on Earth Day 2022. At its recent meeting, Urban Ag hosted a listening session about creating a Conservation District with Russel Redding, PA Secretary of Agriculture. And keep on the lookout for the updated Good Food Business Guide from Good Food Procurement.

Attend an Upcoming Subcommittee Meeting

Follow the links for more info on each subcommittee.

Anti-Hunger:  Tues, July 27 from 3:00-4:30 PM; email co-chairs to attend.

Urban Agriculture:  Wed, July 28 from 4:00-5:30 PM; email urbanagsub@gmail.com to attend.

Zero Waste:  NRDC Working Group: Wed, August 11 from 12:00-1:00 PM; email Helena.Rudoff@phila.gov to attend.

Good Food Procurement and Workforce and Economic Development:  TBD

Announcements

Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program vouchers are being distributed now by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging! The annual program offers free produce vouchers totaling $24 to income-eligible Pennsylvanians age 60+ that they can use to purchase fresh, Pennsylvania-grown produce. Click here more information.

There are over 500 new student meal sites distributing free, healthy food on different days and at different times across the City of Philadelphia. Students and caregivers have even more options this summer on when and where they can go for meals! Confirm locations and schedules by calling 311 or visiting phila.gov/food. View and share the multi-lingual flyers here.

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Is Available for Pre-K Students
New meal benefits for children age 0-5 started going out to families in June. To be eligible families must be receiving SNAP benefits, or got them sometime after October 1 and live in an area that has school virtually or a blend of virtual and in-person. Learn more about P-EBT for both children age 0-5 and school-age children. For support applying for SNAP: Call 215-430-0556 or use this form to request help.

Grant Opportunities

The Philadelphia Food Justice Initiative (PFJI) will be opening a new call for funding in July/August. Sign up to get funding alerts here.

Claneil Foundation Community Fund Does your organization work within the hunger, nutrition, and the food system space? Submit your Letter of Intent for a three-year general operating costs grant totaling $75,000 ($25,000 annually) between November 1 and December 1, with the full proposal due in June 2022. Learn more here.

Get Involved

Environmentally-Focused Coaching and Mentorship Opportunity
Environmentally Focused (Food, Environmental Justice, Growing, Seed Saving, etc.) Coaches and Mentees needed for Senior Internships at Lankenau Environmental High School starting Sept 2021 for 5-6 hours weekly in the afternoons. Please indicate your interest in serving as a Coach/Mentor or to learn more here!

JR. MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences) Philadelphia Chapter
Monthly speakers needed for Philadelphia High School members. Please sign up here to speak with today’s youth regarding food, the environment, and growing!

Job Postings

Dr. Senbagam Virudachalam, a CHOP PolicyLab faculty member, who leads research on food justice, advancing equity in diet quality and health outcomes for all children is hiring for two positions: Clinical Research Assistant and Clinical Research Coordinator.

Greensgrow is hiring for an Executive Director with 5+ years experience in team leadership and executive decision making. Salary is commensurate with experience. View the full job description here.

Submit Content

Facebook

Twitter

Website