More Than Food Council
The More Than Food framework serves as a guiding principle for addressing food insecurity by recognizing that it takes more than just food to meet the needs of our community. Building upon this framework, we propose the establishment of a 'More Than' Food Council Initiative within our Community Kitchen. This initiative aims to involve guest voices, ensure buy-in from participants, and foster a collaborative approach to evaluating and improving food quality, quantity, and variety. Additionally, this Council aims to drive towards reducing food insecurity in Greater Milford.
Objectives:
- To provide a platform for Community Kitchen stakeholders to voice their constructive ideas and suggestions regarding food quality, quantity, and variety and additional support needed to reduce food insecurity.
- To foster a sense of ownership and buy-in among stakeholders by requiring members to apply and commit to attending meetings.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of our current community kitchen methods and identify areas for improvement.
- To ensure that our community kitchen is providing nutritious and culturally appropriate meals to combat food insecurity.
Membership of the More Than Food Council Initiative will be open to guests, volunteers, staff & community partners of the Community Kitchen who demonstrate a commitment to actively participating in meetings and contributing constructively to discussions. Interested individuals will be required to submit an application outlining their reasons for joining and their availability to attend meetings.
The Food Council Initiative will meet regularly to discuss various aspects of food distribution, including but not limited to menu planning, portion sizes, dietary restrictions, guest feedback and additional services needed to further support households in their food stability. Meetings will be facilitated by a designated staff member or volunteer.
The More Than Food Council Initiative will utilize data collection methods to assess the impact of our food distribution efforts and identify areas for improvement. This may include surveys, feedback forms, and quantitative analysis of food usage and waste.
Decisions regarding menu planning, food sourcing, and distribution methods will be made collaboratively by members of the More Than Food Council Initiative.
For more information contact Hannah Smith, Beth-El Center Director of Shelter Services at 203.876.0747 x 106
