In the July 22, 2026 Port Townsend Leader, Patty Schmucker shares the outcomes and learnings from the two week program of free plant-based meals that took place at the Tri-Area Community Center from June 20 – July 4th. Read the full column below.
By Patty Schmucker
Recently something unusual happened in Jefferson County. People who may never have crossed paths sat down at the same tables. Farmers, retirees, healthcare professionals, tradespeople, volunteers, families, longtime residents, and newcomers shared meals and conversations.
I was intrigued to explore a simple question: What happens when anyone who wants to join is welcomed to a healthy meal? No cost. No application. No expectations. Just a seat at the table.
Together Around Food came to Jefferson County because of the Global Earth Repair Convergence held here in May. Rick Lukens of United Earth Networks invited Local 20/20, PT Veg, and a few external organizations into a conversation around an ambitious idea: What happens when healthy, plant-based meals become easily available and food becomes a way to bring people together?
From June 20 through July 4, more than 3,000 plant-based meals were prepared and served by visiting chefs, volunteers, and community members at the Tri-Area Community Center. As the days unfolded, many discovered the story was about much more than food. It was about connection, curiosity, and exploring how food systems impact our health, environment, and community resilience.
People came for meals and stayed for conversations about gardens, recipes, farming, housing, health, community needs, and what it means to care for one another. Like every meaningful community experiment, it also came with lessons.
Together Around Food arrived quickly, with less than three weeks to prepare. It was carried forward by local volunteers and visiting participants from different places, cultures, experiences, and perspectives. When new ideas enter a community — especially one as engaged and thoughtful as Jefferson County — questions naturally arise: Who is behind this? What values are guiding it? How does this fit with the good work already happening here?
Those questions are not signs of failure. They are signs of a community paying attention. Some parts inspired people deeply. Some parts challenged us.
Throughout the program, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were served daily, with attendance growing to more than 300 meals per day by the end of the program.
Each evening, participants were invited to stay for presentations exploring different perspectives on health, food systems, the environment, and personal motivations for choosing a plant-based lifestyle.
Dr. Michael Klaper shared research on nutrition and health. Dr. Sailesh Rao, author of There Is a Planet B, discussed the relationship between food systems and environmental restoration. Marlene Watson-Tara and Bill Tara explored the relationship between planetary health and personal health while leading the kitchen team in preparing whole-food, plant-based recipes. Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Institute shared tools for people interested in exploring lifestyle changes.
Loving Hut provided financial resources, food support, and kitchen staff that made the program possible. Their participation also generated community questions because some aspects of their broader beliefs did not resonate with everyone. That became another opportunity to practice what community requires — listening, asking questions, and focusing on shared values while respecting differences.
Behind each meal was an incredible team of people who cooked, cleaned, served meals, welcomed guests, and created a place for connection. Perhaps most importantly, local conversations began: How do we take what was learned and shape it into something uniquely Jefferson County?
We live in a county where decades of food-related work are already underway through local farms, food banks, WSU Extension, Public Health, community gardens, meal programs, nonprofits, volunteers, healthcare providers, schools, businesses, and neighbors helping neighbors.
Since the program ended, community members have stepped forward to explore how lessons learned might support and strengthen existing efforts.
The last fifteen days did not answer every question. Good experiments rarely do. They often leave us with better questions. How can we make healthy choices easier? How can we create more places where people gather, learn, and connect?
For partners and recipes shared during the program, visit togetheraround.food/partners/.
The future of food resilience in Jefferson County will not come from one program, organization, or idea. It has been underway for a long time by many doing good work and will come from many more hands, voices, and perspectives.
Together Around Food reminded us how much we already have here. How we elevate and connect this good work is the next chapter that belongs to all of us.
Patty Schmucker is a Jefferson County resident, business advisor, and community volunteer involved in local efforts focused on economic resilience, collaboration, and community well-being. She serves with Local 20/20 and other organizations working to strengthen connections across Jefferson County.
