SCDN Forum: Local Food Fosters Economic Development and Resilience
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Forum, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Networking Happy Hour to follow, 5:15 pm – 7:00 pm
Forum:
Sharpsburg Municipal Building
1611 Main St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15215
Networking Happy Hour:
Hitchhiker Brewing Co.
1500 S Canal St
Sharpsburg, PA 15215
Register here
Cost from $10 to $25
Appetizers will be served by Community Kitchen Pittsburgh during happy hour
12:30 pm – Registration opens
1:00 pm – Speakers begin
Please join the Sustainable Community Development Network (SCDN), facilitated by Sustainable Pittsburgh, along with the Local Government Academy (LGA) for an afternoon forum (and happy hour!).
Participants will learn about the numerous health and environmental advantages of fostering a robust and accessible food system and discuss how communities can improve economic and community growth through implementing food-friendly policies. Grow Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, and the Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant program are working with us to create a program exploring numerous topics, including: workforce development, land use and reuse, the farm to table experience, restaurant incubators, urban agricultural, and a related model ordinance.
The benefits of improving the availability of fresh, locally produced food in your community are difficult to overstate. A robust local food system can provide low income and disadvantaged members of your community with access to fresh and healthier foods. It can connect community members to workforce training opportunities and a larger pool of career oriented jobs. In addition, locally produced food can lower the region’s overall carbon emissions, return unused land to productive use, and improve our regional air quality.
Please share with your elected municipal officials and community leaders!
Speakers and Discussion Leaders to include:
Jonathan Burgess, Programs and Policy Director, Allegheny County Conservation District
He oversees programming that includes farmland preservation, urban and rural agricultural assistance, urban soil health, and watersheds.
Cynthia Caul, Outreach & Research Coordinator, Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, & Transformation (CRAFT), Chatham University
With CRAFT, she helps to foster a regional food system in Western Pennsylvania that is more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive.
Alyson Fearon, Community Conservation Director, Allegheny Land Trust
She is responsible for establishing and expanding urban conservation and greenspace efforts in our region.
Erin Hart, Director of Health Benefit Services, American HealthCare Group
She created Farm to Table Western PA that unites farms and food producers with local consumers through an annual conference, regional tasting events, a business-to-business network, Lunch & Learn series, and ongoing educational programs for consumers.
Denele Hughson, Director of Farm Education, Grow Pittsburgh
She oversees the operations of Grow Pittsburgh’s three productions sites, workforce development, and general education offered to the public and serves on the advisory council for the Food Trust’s Farmers Market Promotion Program and the Hilltop Urban Farm.
Zaheen Hussain, Director of Sustainability, New Sun Rising
Zaheen directs New Sun Rising’s regional work on community sustainability, and serves as the Sustainability Coordinator for the Millvale Ecodistrict Collaborative.
Karlin Lamberto, Project Manager, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council
She provides outreach, coordination, and research support to the Council, the Urban Agriculture Working Group, and related projects.
Adrienne Nelson, Co-Founder, Western Pennsylvania Young Farmers Coalition
She supports the new generation of farmers in PA by ensuring that their needs and voices are accurately represented in state and federal policy-making processes through this chapter of the National Young Farmers Coalition.
Kristen Rodack, Public Health Administrator, Allegheny County Health Department
She works on Live Well Allegheny, a county-wide health and wellness campaign to reduce chronic diseases in Allegheny County, connecting municipalities, schools, restaurants, and workplaces to a network of partners and health resources.
Rayden Sorock, Director of Community Projects, Grow Pittsburgh
He has worked with communities to establish 36 community gardens and support an additional 60 more over the past 7 years, utilizing education and building community support.
Questions? Please contact Jim Price, Sustainable Community Manager, Sustainable Pittsburgh at jprice@sustainablepittsburgh.org or (412) 259-5331.