Page 32 - Hillview_book

Coulee Food System Coalition Mission:
To build a diverse and sustainable food system;
we envision a collaborative
and bountiful community
food system that nourishes
the health and well-being of all. engage. empower. connect.
Coulee Food System
Coalition
couleefoodsystem.org
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LocalFood System
CFSC coordinator Quinn Walraven sets up and runs CFSC quarterly meetings held at the YMCA. Left to right: Lindsey Menard, La Crosse County Human Services; Lacie Ketelhut, CESA 4; Lisa Luckey, YMCA Teen Center; Quinn Walraven, CFSC Coordinator; Laurie Lautz, Coulee Council on Addictions; and Jason Larsen, Great Rivers United Way.
The Coulee Food System Coalition (CFSC) was created in March 2013 by former Hillview president Leanne Hedberg Carlson. Its purpose: to address
the current food system and find ways our commu- nity can collaborate to create a vibrant local food system. CFSC members include community members, nonprofits, businesses, healthcare and education in- stitutions, and government officials. After three com- munity stakeholder meetings, an action team was formed to serve as delegates for each sector of the food system: growing/production, access, consum- ers, planning/policy/waste, processing/distribution, healthcare/nutrition and education. The CFSC
continues to gather—quarterly—to develop and implement strategies for a healthy, affordable, equi- table food system that nourishes our community and respects the environment.
CFSC is committed to building a food system that is healthy, ecologically sustainable, economically vibrant, culturally relevant and socially just. The organization facilitates the Food For All grant pro- gram to fund initiatives, activities and projects that align with coalition goals and objectives. These projects will ultimately engage, empower, and con- nect community members. Hillview provides fiscal sponsorship of the grant program through a $100,000 grant it received from the Robert & Eleanor Franke Charitable Foundation.
CFSC is awarding mini-grants in two rounds. Round one grant awards were announced in October. Round two will take place in the early spring 2015. Scoring and administrative work for the Food for All mini-grant project were facilitated by Great Rivers United Way volunteers.
THE LA CROSSE AREA’S GROWING EXPERIENCE past | present | future