Locally grown food is good for the community and the environment, but it sometimes doesn’t reach economically challenged neighborhoods. Ecolibrium3 is taking action to change that. We’re bringing together Lincoln Park residents and local organizations in a two-day “Local Foods, Local Places” workshop. Participants will connect the dots between neighborhood revitalization and a stronger local food system through a series of sessions meant for brainstorming, forming networks and transforming ideas into actionable plans.
A program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which provides technical assistance, “Local Foods, Local Places” is designed to help communities develop concrete plans for food access and food-related businesses through facilitated conversations. Community members drive the decision-making.
We recently met with our steering committee, a diverse group of local organizations and agencies, to plan the upcoming workshop. Thank you to the City of Duluth Planning and Development Division, Duluth Community Gardens, the Duluth Grill family of businesses, Duluth Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Generations Health Care Initiative, St. Luke’s Hospital, and the University of Minnesota Extension program. Thanks also to our federal partners from the EPA, the Department of Agriculture, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and to facilitators Jason Espie and Will Cockrell of EPR, PC.
Stay tuned for updates! To get involved, contact Jodi Slick at Ecolibrium3: 218-336-1038 or jodi@ecolibrium3.org.