For many, food means family. Food “relief” is therefore so much more than just something to eat – it’s a respite from the stressors caused by the COVID pandemic, found in the opportunity to enjoy a meal with your family.
On September 30th, West End House invited our families and community to join us for some cider and connection while launching the next phase of our family food program. Called Farm to Families Food Fest, the re-launch gave us a chance to catch up with one another as we distributed 293 boxes of food, along with extra goodies and face masks. As families “shopped” for needed items, we joined them in sipping cider and enjoying some time together.
Since launching last Spring, our Family Food Program has needed to evolve in response to changing conditions and community needs. Thankfully, we have secured the necessary resources to continue the program this fall. This phase of the program has been redesigned to include more opportunities for choice, responding to the input and ideas of our families. As conditions and funding sources continue to shift, the program will continue to evolve, too. We will keep our community informed of any new developments.
The global pandemic has forced us to become more flexible than ever before in finding ways to tap into resources to sustain our programs. At the same time, we are deepening our commitment to anti-racist community organizing models, and the food program has become a springboard for new family engagement efforts including establishing a new Family Advisory Network to guide decision-making about our programs.
Learn more about the Family Food Program and ways to be involved at these links:
