City seeking applicants for Food Policy Council

Mayor Lovely A. Warren is joining with Common Ground Health and Foodlink in seeking city residents to serve as members on Rochester’s first Food Policy Council, a resident-led coalition to help improve the local food system. The Food Policy Council aims to promote equitable access to healthy foods and create opportunities to participate in a vibrant local food economy.

“Improving access to nutritious food options for city residents is an incredibly important part of our mission to create more jobs, safer, more vibrant neighborhoods and better educational opportunities,” said Mayor Warren. “The Rochester Food Policy Council will seek to improve equity in the city’s food system and thus, the health and wellness of our citizens. I would like to commend and thank everyone who has worked on the Council’s planning team and encourage anyone who desires to contribute to this noble cause to apply.”

“We are excited about the creation of a food policy council, as this work is long overdue in Rochester,” said Julia Tedesco, President & CEO of Foodlink. “But we know that the council will only be strong if it represents our community. We hope to see a lot of applications and stand ready to share widely throughout our network.”

“Good nutrition is a fundamental building block of health, but many residents face barriers to enjoying healthy food,” said Mike Bulger, Healthy Communities Project Coordinator at Common Ground Health. “The Rochester Food Policy Council will build on the wisdom of residents and successful efforts already underway to address the underlying causes of food inequities. The goal is a local food system that supports everyone's health.”

The Food Policy Council will help focus community efforts toward policies that support a more equitable and healthy food system to create a long-lasting, sustainable impact on the community's overall health. It will comprise 13 members: 10 selected through an application process; and three appointees to represent the City of Rochester, Common Ground Health and Foodlink.

The creation of a Food Policy Council is included in “Rochester 2034,” the City's comprehensive plan, to emphasize the role of food equity in the long-term success of all residents by increasing access to healthy food and reducing the abundance of unhealthy food in the community. Common Ground Health, Foodlink and residents partnered with the City to lead a community engagement and planning process to lay the foundation for the development of the Council.

To apply for a role on the Council or to learn more about this initiative, visit www.rocfoodpolicy.org. The application is also available at all City branch libraries and Neighborhood Service Centers. The application deadline is July 30.