FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jefferson County Food Access, Food Security and Local Farm Support working group issues community resources in response to COVID-19
Jefferson County, WA
March 19, 2020
Contact: Kellie Henwood, WSU Extension Regional Small Farms Coordinator
Email me directly for phone contact.
In response to challenges related to the COVID-19 virus, a working group of local organizations came together to create a one-stop clearinghouse of information regarding community food access and food security resources, as well as local farm, farmstand and CSA directories. Local 20/20, a community resiliency non-profit, will house this information on their COVID-19 response website, L2020.org/COVID-19. Working group members will be working to keep the information updated, but if community members notice that the website needs to be updated, please email covid_web@L2020.org. Farmers with farm listings can contact Kellie Henwood at WSU Extension, kellie.henwood@wsu.edu. Community members are encouraged to check back with the website on a regular basis as resources become updated.
The working group has determined two priorities to address:
1) Sharing up to date information on emergency food access and security resources ASAP to combat immediate hunger. This includes food banks, free meal locations, school food pick-up/drop-off locations, soup kitchens, and relevant restaurant pick-up information.
2) Widely promoting local food resources, including farms, farmstands, CSA memberships, custom orders, and pick up options. Farmers have experienced immediate income loss from the closure of restaurants and Seattle farmers’ markets, so they have goods for sale. At this time, the Port Townsend Farmers Market is scheduled to open April 4th as a retail space. Jefferson County’s local food network will be extremely vital now and in the coming months. Community members are encouraged to sign up for CSA memberships and buy from local farm stands and grocers carrying local food on their shelves.
Working Group Partners:
- Washington State University Extension Small Farms Program
- Local 20/20
- Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center & Dept. Of Emergency Management
- Jefferson County Farmers Market Association
- Jefferson County Food Bank Association
- Food Bank Farm and Gardens of Jefferson County
- The Community Wellness Project
- Jefferson Healthcare
- Jefferson Community Foundation
For similar food access, food security and local food directories in Clallam and Kitsap Counties, please visit the WSU Extension Regional Small Farms website, https://extension.wsu.edu/regionalsmallfarms/local-food-directory/
Note: photo and creation by Mary Hunt. It is not only beautiful, but it is a vegan pizza, see recipe here!
