Community Food Systems Mentor Profile: Kamyar Enshayan
The Community Food Systems Mentorship Program offers Network members the opportunity to work directly with a food systems expert to support their growth, learn best practices, and connect with seasoned food movement leaders.
Kamyar Enshayan, Director Emeritus, Center for Energy & Environmental Education at University of Northern Iowa (UNI), Cedar Falls, Iowa  https://ceee.uni.edu/ Â
About Kamyar:Â
Kamyar launched UNI’s Local Food program in 1997 and has been involved in strengthening Iowa’s food system. He has been involved in the statewide Iowa Food System Coalition which recently released Setting the Table for All Iowans, a food system plan for Iowa. Kamyar has been a past recipient of Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award, and has served on the Cedar Falls City Council for two terms. He has taught courses related to Iowa’s food system as well as energy systems. Some of the initiatives that Kamyar developed with students and AmeriCorps members include A Garden in Every Lot aiming to renew a culture of backyard gardening; Veggie Vouchers Fund, which improves access to good food among vulnerable populations while supporting local farms; a mobile produce stand; creation of a large community garden for recent refugees and other strategies to increase access to land. Kamyar currently manages a ? acre vegetable garden for the Peoples Community Health Clinic in Waterloo, Iowa. The harvest goes to the patients who often lack financial resources.Â
Areas of Expertise
Seeking to Mentor
Anyone interested in strengthening the food system of their community and their region.
Responses