New Local Food Council Members Join LFCNC
The Local Food Council of North Carolina (LFCNC) welcomes three local food council representatives to the Council.
Local Food Council of North Carolina
LFCNC has expanded their membership to include new partners, voices, and perspectives. LFCNC members talked with several new partner organizations and invited them to take part on the council. To have a more direct link to local food councils, they invited food council leaders to apply to join the Council. They selected three local food council members, out of 17 candidates, for two-year terms starting this year. These new members will represent three broad regions in the state – the West, Central, and East.
We would like to introduce you to these three new LFCNC members. We encourage you to reach out to them about food council activities in your region.
Western region liaison
Maria, Julian, Watauga Food Council
Maria is a founding member of the Watauga Food Council. In her role with Appalachian District Health Department, she works with local and regional partners to assess public health needs and implement systems level strategies to improve community health outcomes. Maria is excited to bridge policy and practice connections between the work of the Watauga Food Council and the LFCNC. She is particularly interested in addressing health disparities and food security.
Central region liaison
Marcus Hill, Forsyth Community Food Consortium
Marcus helped launch the Forsyth Community Food Consortium (FCFC) and now serves as the Lead Coordinator. He served as writer on the Forsyth Futures, led the Forsyth local food assessment report (2013), and facilitated a Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods work group studying local food justice issues. Marcus’ interest in local food systems has grown out of his public health (MPH, Yale ’08) and community organizing backgrounds, and centers on food justice. Marcus is interested in leveraging a statewide network to develop food system infrastructure, policy, resources, and inclusivity.
Eastern region liaison
Doris Connell, Pitt County Farm & Food Council
Doris is the Local Food Coordinator for Pitt County, where she coordinates the Pitt County Farm and Food Council. For 30 years, Doris has been a small business owner and licensed agricultural consultant. She has spent time organizing farmers markets, encouraging crop diversification, and promoting sustainable agriculture. She grew up in the Triangle, but has lived half of her life in Eastern NC. She has two grown daughters and three amazing grandchildren who are very aware of the food system.
About the LFCNC:
The LFCNC aims to foster coordination for NC local food systems; support a system of communication and collaboration with local food councils; and help develop food-related policies and initiatives. The LFCNC currently has three working groups:
- Policy – working to identify and support policies that are favorable to bolstering local food systems in NC;
- Communications – raising awareness about local food systems and the network of local food councils in NC
- Capacity Building – developing and increasing resources available for local food councils.