Flint Hills Wellness Coalition/ Nutrition Leadership Team
MANHATTAN- After a diligent year of identifying local food system gaps, assets, and priorities, generating local community support through surveys, focus groups, forums and coffee conversations, the Food and Farm Council of Riley County and Manhattan, Kansas is becoming a reality!
“This is a tremendous step forward for Riley County and the Manhattan community”, said Vickie L. James, a local dietitian and liaison for the Food and Farm Council movement. “We have current data telling us this Council has all the potential for being a valuable asset for improving the health of our local food system and our residents. A recent local food system assessment indicated that 18.5% are reported as food insecure; 25-40% of food is wasted, access to food is a challenge for many, and local producers as well as locally owned restaurants both need support to make it easier to get healthy, local food from farm to table.”
The role of the Council will be to serve as a city and county-appointed council of community members to strengthen communication, education, and policy within the food system. That work can include such strategies as the following:
- Convene more community conversations about food, needs, challenges
- Work with institutional entities to commit to the use of at least a minimal amount of local food to support growth and the local economy
- Work to increase healthy food distribution and access points through efforts such as targeted food drives and farmers market donations
- Promote educational resources for the local community. Includes improving community buy in for wanting healthy foods! (Nutrition education classes, events, programs, incentives)
- Seek more robust, safe and convenient transportation options to food access points (bus, bike, sidewalks)
- Investigate and research pricing variability and availability of healthy foods in underserved areas.
Applications for the fifteen Council positions are being accepted June 15-July 15, 2018. You can learn more or apply at the following websites.
Application for 6 City Commission appointments https://cityofmhk.com/2928/Food-and-Farm-Council
Application for 9 County Commission appointments
https://www.rileycountyks.gov/71/Advisory-CouncilBoards
For general information or questions www.flinthillswellness.org or Julie Hettinger, Health Educator, County Health Department, 785-776-4779 Ext. 7612