JDLF Collective

Our vision:  Equitable access to local healthy food creates a resilient community. We achieve this by interconnecting our farmers, artisans, and consumers in all aspects of food from field to table. Our impact is measured in acres, pounds, and dollars of food production and consumption. We believe our model is scalable and will become a template for other communities experiencing food insecurity.

 

We also believe that:

- Locally-produced food is healthier for people and kinder to our planet
- Supporting the local economy is beneficial for producers and the community
- Meeting local food demand is essential for farmers to make a living
- Access to local food should be equitable for all consumers
- Food is necessary for survival and something we all have in common
- When we work with nature instead of against it, we create a sustainable food system
- Our success depends on connecting our community with where our food comes from

 

Our Four-Pronged Strategy: 

 

Supporting Producers:  We help local farmers and producers by hosting sales outlets for their goods year-round through the indoor marketplace and the website. We market their products and distribute their food to local food pantries. We will start a commercial kitchen where producers can create value-added foods for the market using local ingredients. We will improve farmers’ livelihoods with the establishment of a learning farm that will offer mutual aid and sharing of best practices. 

 

Increasing Food Access:  We bring healthy food to consumers in a food desert through 1) retail access at an indoor marketplace, 2) online sales for local pickup, and 3) a supply chain for area food pantries. We accept SNAP cards and offer a Link Match program so customers in need can receive fresh vegetables for free. We network with other local organizations addressing food insecurity to identify unmet needs and to form key alliances so we can work more effectively.

 

Educating the Community:  We teach consumers where their food comes from, about the nutritional benefits of local food, and how to prepare and preserve it. We teach producers better business practices. We will teach farmers regenerative agriculture techniques that preserve and improve the natural world. We will also incubate new farmers through our learning farm programs.

 

Eco-friendly Practices:  We protect the local environment by encouraging more farmers to use regenerative techniques. We lower our carbon footprint by reducing waste and by operating an eco-friendly marketplace and an efficient delivery system.​