Reflections from the Farm to Food Assistance Learning Lab

“My experience being part of this Learning Lab is not just about the job, learning about the different methodologies and strategies, and ways to continue to uplift our programs. It’s also thinking and working towards liberation. How food and land are being weaponized personally and politically, when it’s a human right and sovereignty. Lastly, the impact it has on me is to be firm about being an equity-centered and community-centered organization.”- Learning Lab participant

In June, the Food Systems Leadership Network (FSLN) wrapped up the Farm to Food Assistance Learning Lab, an 18-month accelerator program that supported ten organizations across the country that are implementing equity-centered, community-driven Farm to Food Assistance programs, including some that are funded through the USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA). The Farm to Food Assistance Learning Lab was comprised of 10 organizational teams that met monthly for mutual learning and support of their efforts to pay farmers fair market value for their product and channel that food to community members in need. 

In this Lab, each team received $20,000 in unrestricted funding in addition to direct technical support and mentorship from four Lab Advisors – Pakou Hang, Alison Cohen, Myra Marcellin and Erin Pirro. Throughout the Lab, the teams and the advisors served as co-investigators and contributors to our overall research on the growing field of Farm to Food Assistance. The program was made possible through a 2021 USDA Local Food Promotion Program grant, with supplemental support from the Rockefeller Foundation.

We learned so much through this initiative and want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the teams and Advisors that poured their hearts and minds into the experience. Special shout out to FSLN backbone team member Andrew Carberry for carrying the Lab through some transitions on our team, and to Melony Edwards and Ellie Bomstein for their contributions before they moved on to new opportunities. Though this program is complete, the community and the friendships we co-created together live on! We’re excited to witness how the relationships and learnings cultivated through the lab will bear fruit in the years to come.

Read on to hear the initial impacts and learnings from the Lab, straight from the participants and advisors who participated!

Connections and community

In reflecting on their experience in the Lab, the teams shared that the in-person gathering in Phoenix was a highlight and a great way to kick off their time together. Having regular cohort calls after that helped them maintain relationships and continual learning. Also invaluable were the 1:1 meetings with Advisors that allowed them to dive deeply into topics that mattered to them. Many participants reflected that the sense of isolation they had prior to the Lab had dissipated; most indicated they now feel a strong sense of community with others doing values-aligned work across the country. Here is what Learning Lab members and Advisors had to say about the connections formed through the Lab:

“Work in the ‘Farm to Food Assistance’/food systems sector in general can often be isolating and can feel hard to know if you are on the right path as it sometimes feels like blazing a brand new trail through the jungle. Connecting with this group was extremely helpful as it not only assured us we are not alone in this meaningful work, but gave us both the hard and the soft skills to take the next steps forward. In a constantly evolving and developing space, it was refreshing to hear experiences and receive guidance from a group filled with people actually doing the work and blazing the very front of the trail of change.” – Jenna Moore, OKC Food Hub, Learning Lab Participant

“The Farm to Food Assistance Lab recognizes that we are experts in our lived experiences, collectively we know a lot, so it’s important to share knowledge in this work to revolutionize the food system.” Myra Marcellin, Learning Lab Advisor

“The F2FA Learning Lab gives a place for food connectors to share wins to amplify what works, share challenges for feedback and a different perspective, and capture that collective knowledge to further the how to’s of work that moves us toward the food system we envision.” Erin Pirro, Learning Lab Advisor

“It is important to join forces between organizations with similar interests and compare projects to nourish each other. Also, the coaching offered by Wallace has been essential to strengthen our knowledge around F2FA.” Julie Mercado, El Departamento de la Comida, Learning Lab Participant

“My experience with the learning lab led to meeting a new group of people that are like minded, mission driven and will result in us being a force multiplier for the work that we are currently doing. Fantastic job everyone!” Lynda Zambrano, Northwest Tribal Emergency Management Council, Learning Lab Participant

Advancing the field of F2FA work

A core goal of the Learning Lab was to advance the field of Farm to Food Assistance (F2FA) through shared learning among the cohort and advisors. As a result of the Lab, nine out of 10 teams made immediate changes to their work, and everyone learned something new and came away with relationships that will help them advance their work. Alison Cohen, Learning Lab advisor captured the culture of the lab in this reflection:

“The Learning Lab was an important contribution to the field of F2FA. The support provided by the Wallace Center allowed us to build a community and deepen relationships over time, which led to deeper learning.  In the Learning Lab, we were all “experts” and we were all “learners.”  The exchange of ideas was a critical component, but it also felt like we were building power together at a grassroots level to make waves in community food systems in places close to home with a clear view of the ripples that would be felt at a national level.  There was no room for posturing, making pronouncements, or pushing particular models.  Thanks to the Wallace Center staff’s capacity to hold space democratically and creatively, everyone showed up willing to share and be changed throughout the process.” 

Standing firm on values

In their reflections, many participants reported being more outspoken about their commitments to racial equity, and saying no to partnerships or agreements that didn’t honor those commitments. Everyone reported that they feel more equipped to advance equity and antiracism in their work as a result of the Lab.

The Lab wrapped up in June with teams sharing out on the Farm to Food Assistance community of practice. You can view the slides here for a taste of the call. Here is what Learning Lab members and advisors had to say:

“Through my many interactions with the farm to food assistance ecosystem, I saw it continuously reinforce status quo power dynamics and perpetuate injustices against Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers. Prices for BIPOC farmers’ locally grown, often organic, produce were insultingly low. They were not included in any long term programmatic planning, or even considered as possible community partners. But now, through my experience with this Wallace Center program, I have a new sense of hope for the farm to food assistance supply chain. I see that there are new leaders, emerging communitarian values reflected in procurement, and that this seemingly insurmountable dynamic among farmers, food banks and food shelves can be changed and made more humane for everyone.” -Pakou Hang, Learning Lab advisor

“We are in a serious systemic crisis that includes our food system. We must eliminate hunger in our country and the world, but we cannot ever solve the issue of hunger without achieving true food sovereignty.” Zsofia Pasztor, Farmer Frog, Learning Lab Participant

Leading from a positive vision

Learning Lab members spent time creating a positive vision for Farm to Food Assistance, imagining what equity-centered, community-driven programs look like, and what impact it would have on the community. This visioning exercise helped to define the future we are working toward, and was a touchstone through the rest of the Lab.

“We know that when food systems are people-centered, they flourish. Spaces like F2FA shows that another way is possible, and with continued support is scalable throughout the country and beyond. We can see a food system that improves economic outcomes of small farms while uplifting the health of communities in our lifetime”- Learning Lab Participant

“On choosing as an anti-hunger organization to do F2FA: “It is going to be hard. It is not the easier path. There is going to be a lot of conversation about why [we]you would choose to do this as opposed to purchasing something cheaper and feeding more people. It’s the long game. It’s also important to know you’re not alone– there’s a whole network of folks determined to do this work differently too and building these values-aligned relationships are just as important to the work. ” – Cory Scrivner, Metro Caring, Learning Lab Participant

From Charity to Solidarity: Redefining Farm to Food Assistance

Learning Lab participants and advisors have decided to stay in touch through an online discussion group, sharing questions, wins, and opportunities with one another. We hope the relationships forged in the lab will continue to be a resource to participants as they work toward their shared vision.

Background

The Wallace Center conducted the first national Farm to Food Assistance survey in 2022 that demonstrated the positive impact that farm to food assistance programs have for farmers and communities. 

The data from the survey, along with information and insights gathered through countless interviews, focus groups, and conversations in the Farm to Food Assistance Community of Practice are now being channeled into a comprehensive report to be published this fall. Stay tuned!

Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in News and Announcements, Resources, Trending, Uncategorized