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JOIN A WORKING GROUP! ATTEND A POLICY MOBILIZATION HUB MEETING!
Policy Mobilization Hub meetings are held on Fourth Tuesdays in Jan, Feb, April, May, July, August, October, November from 10-11:30AM. Currently, because of COVID, the meetings are held over Zoom. Email the coordinator to get sign-on information**Please check out our orientation materials and member expectations before you head to your first meeting. These documents will give you a sense of the expectations we hold as a community and an understanding of our history and values. If you’re ready to get involved, print, sign, and bring the member expectations document with you to the Policy Mobilization or Working Group meeting. If you have questions, just jot them down, we’re happy to answer them with you. We look forward to meeting you and putting your energy and skills to work for positive change in our food system!
Contact us: [email protected]
Contact us: [email protected]
Check us out on Instagram!
Outdoor Pantries
the In 2020, in response to the sudden increase in local food-access challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABFPC began partnering with residents of Asheville neighborhoods, including Shiloh, East End, and Deaverview, to identify strategies for meeting emergency community food needs. One result was the ABFPC’s Outdoor Food Pantry Program, which started with the construction and installation of free-standing, wooden, outdoor pantry units for the East End and Shiloh neighborhoods and later led to a pantry for West Asheville’s Deaverview community, installed in October 2021.
The pantries, which serve as safe, sturdy, outdoor distribution hubs and infrastructure for mutual aid efforts, are planned and constructed in partnership with neighborhood residents who are paid for their work on the project. Neighborhood residents and organizations take on stocking, maintenance, and upkeep of the pantries so they are self-sustaining.
The program has blossomed and received interest and support from all over the state — there are now plans in the works to begin producing build-your-own-pantry kits with a how-to video that will allow churches, neighborhood organizations, community gardens, and other groups to construct their own outdoor food pantries.
Interested in learning more about the Outdoor Food Pantry Program? Or would your family, church, club, school group, or organization like to learn how to support grassroots mutual aid efforts by ADOPTING A PANTRY in your neighborhood? Contact the ABFPC Coordinator at [email protected] for details!
The pantries, which serve as safe, sturdy, outdoor distribution hubs and infrastructure for mutual aid efforts, are planned and constructed in partnership with neighborhood residents who are paid for their work on the project. Neighborhood residents and organizations take on stocking, maintenance, and upkeep of the pantries so they are self-sustaining.
The program has blossomed and received interest and support from all over the state — there are now plans in the works to begin producing build-your-own-pantry kits with a how-to video that will allow churches, neighborhood organizations, community gardens, and other groups to construct their own outdoor food pantries.
Interested in learning more about the Outdoor Food Pantry Program? Or would your family, church, club, school group, or organization like to learn how to support grassroots mutual aid efforts by ADOPTING A PANTRY in your neighborhood? Contact the ABFPC Coordinator at [email protected] for details!
Existing Pantries:
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Huge THANK YOU to West Village Market and Deli for their continued support of the Deaverview pantry! They provide monthly donations to the pantry to help keep it stocked – we’re so lucky to have them in our community!
West Village Market and Deli owner, Rosanne Kiely, with one of many monthly donations to the Deaverview food pantry!
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For more about the Outdoor Pantry Program, check out this story from Mountain Xpress: Food pantry initiatives aid underserved communities
Planning for an emergency is one thing, but responding in the midst of one is something else entirely. That was the situation that confronted the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council’s Emergency Food Preparedness working group at the onset of the pandemic, though its members were fortunate to have somewhat of a head start.
“We were trying to get a feel for neighborhoods and reaching out to them to see where the needs were that we could possibly try to help supplement,” says working group member Isa Whitaker, coordinator of Bountiful Cities’ Asheville Buncombe Community Garden Network. “We were talking to the Red Cross and learning about the way [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] does its rollout in emergencies — just learning all the ins and outs.”
Inspired by small food pantries and farm stands they’d seen around town, the working group members then went out in pairs to neighborhoods, including Deaverview, Haw Creek and East End, with Whitaker and Mary Lou Kemph focusing on Shiloh. There, they found willing allies in the Shiloh Community Association, whose members Whitaker says were already having conversations about food emergencies. Together, they soon had an outdoor pantry built in the Shiloh Peace Garden. Read the full article HERE.
Planning for an emergency is one thing, but responding in the midst of one is something else entirely. That was the situation that confronted the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council’s Emergency Food Preparedness working group at the onset of the pandemic, though its members were fortunate to have somewhat of a head start.
“We were trying to get a feel for neighborhoods and reaching out to them to see where the needs were that we could possibly try to help supplement,” says working group member Isa Whitaker, coordinator of Bountiful Cities’ Asheville Buncombe Community Garden Network. “We were talking to the Red Cross and learning about the way [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] does its rollout in emergencies — just learning all the ins and outs.”
Inspired by small food pantries and farm stands they’d seen around town, the working group members then went out in pairs to neighborhoods, including Deaverview, Haw Creek and East End, with Whitaker and Mary Lou Kemph focusing on Shiloh. There, they found willing allies in the Shiloh Community Association, whose members Whitaker says were already having conversations about food emergencies. Together, they soon had an outdoor pantry built in the Shiloh Peace Garden. Read the full article HERE.
Partners / Food Waste Solutions
The ABFPC provides administrative support for WNC Food Waste Solutions, helping coordinate leadership committee meetings and working groups as well as participating in quarterly food waste networking meetings and identifying food waste policy and advocacy issues in partnership with the food waste collaborative.
Additionally the ABFPC plays a major role in planning FWS’s large, regional summit gatherings like the ones held in 2019 and 2023. Interested in keeping up with details or helping with future events? Contact ABFPC coordinator Liz Avery at [email protected].
Additionally the ABFPC plays a major role in planning FWS’s large, regional summit gatherings like the ones held in 2019 and 2023. Interested in keeping up with details or helping with future events? Contact ABFPC coordinator Liz Avery at [email protected].
To learn more about initiatives this working group supports, join the Food Waste and Recovery Facebook Group and the local Food Waste Reduction Google Group Listserv.
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Asheville Area Herbalists
Asheville Greenworks/Bee City Asheville
Be Loved Asheville
Biodynamic Farmer Cooperation
Blue Ridge Food Ventures
Bountiful Cities
Bounty and Soul
Buncombe County Cooperative Extension
Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services
Buncombe Fruit and Nut Club
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
Children First
Danny’s Dumpster
FEAST
Food Connection
Food Justice Planning Initiative
French Broad Food Co-op
Equal Plates Project
Green Opportunities
GroWNC
Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA)
Just Economics
Living Web Farms
Mountain Area Heath Education Center (MAHEC)
MANNA Food Bank
Mother Earth Food
North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness
Organic Growers School
Patchwork Urban Farms
Permaculture Asheville
Racial Justice Coalition
Roots Foundation
Slow Food Asheville
Smith Mill Works
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Transition Asheville
Twelve Baskets Cafe
Western North Carolina Poultry Society
WNC Farm Link
WNC Food Waste Solutions
WNC Women in Agriculture
WNC Young Farmers Coalition
YMCA
Asheville Greenworks/Bee City Asheville
Be Loved Asheville
Biodynamic Farmer Cooperation
Blue Ridge Food Ventures
Bountiful Cities
Bounty and Soul
Buncombe County Cooperative Extension
Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services
Buncombe Fruit and Nut Club
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
Children First
Danny’s Dumpster
FEAST
Food Connection
Food Justice Planning Initiative
French Broad Food Co-op
Equal Plates Project
Green Opportunities
GroWNC
Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA)
Just Economics
Living Web Farms
Mountain Area Heath Education Center (MAHEC)
MANNA Food Bank
Mother Earth Food
North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness
Organic Growers School
Patchwork Urban Farms
Permaculture Asheville
Racial Justice Coalition
Roots Foundation
Slow Food Asheville
Smith Mill Works
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Transition Asheville
Twelve Baskets Cafe
Western North Carolina Poultry Society
WNC Farm Link
WNC Food Waste Solutions
WNC Women in Agriculture
WNC Young Farmers Coalition
YMCA
Asheville Edibles Map
Asheville is known for its vibrant food culture and commitment to sustainability. However, alongside a community of passionate foodies, there are individuals experiencing food insecurity. The Asheville Edibles Map aims to bridge this gap by highlighting the abundance of edible plants available for foraging, sharing, and cultivating by locals and visitors with the Asheville Edibles Map. The map also seeks to serve as an educational tool to inspire more edible plantings on private and public property. Bountiful Cities, a local nonprofit dedicated to food security and urban agriculture, partnered with the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council and the City of Asheville to relaunch this virtual, interactive map with enhanced features in 2023.
In 2018, Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council and Asheville City Sustainability staff initiated an edibles inventory project, collaborating with UNCA students, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Real Estate departments, and community groups familiar with edible plants in parks and public spaces. This project resulted in a comprehensive database of edible locations throughout the city.
The relaunch of the Asheville Edibles Map introduced several exciting updates. Previously relying on crowd-sourced information, the map now benefits from the expertise and oversight of Bountiful Cities. The partnership ensures that the information provided on the map is accurate and reliable, offering a valuable resource for residents and visitors alike.
In 2018, Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council and Asheville City Sustainability staff initiated an edibles inventory project, collaborating with UNCA students, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Real Estate departments, and community groups familiar with edible plants in parks and public spaces. This project resulted in a comprehensive database of edible locations throughout the city.
The relaunch of the Asheville Edibles Map introduced several exciting updates. Previously relying on crowd-sourced information, the map now benefits from the expertise and oversight of Bountiful Cities. The partnership ensures that the information provided on the map is accurate and reliable, offering a valuable resource for residents and visitors alike.
The Asheville Edibles Map encourages community engagement, inviting locals to contribute their own knowledge of edible projects, plantings, and gardens. By collectively sharing information, the map becomes a dynamic platform that fosters collaboration and promotes a sustainable food ecosystem.
To explore the Asheville Edibles Map, visit this website. If you would like to contribute new sites or information to the map please fill out this form. Join us in discovering the diverse edible landscape of Asheville and take part in nurturing a thriving and inclusive city environment.
To explore the Asheville Edibles Map, visit this website. If you would like to contribute new sites or information to the map please fill out this form. Join us in discovering the diverse edible landscape of Asheville and take part in nurturing a thriving and inclusive city environment.
Employment and internships
employment
The Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council is not currently hiring.
Internships
The ABFPC is always looking for interns. While we welcome interns with a wide variety of skill sets and interests, we have particular need for communications and policy research interns. Email us at [email protected] for more information or feel free to send us your resume.