This month, I am donating my very first item created as Good Bones to Iowa City-based non-profit, Local Foods Connection, as a silent auction item for their October fundraiser. Growing and cooking good food has always been one of my passions, but I realize that there are many barriers to the ability to eat well, including the cost of fresh produce. What draws me to the mission of Local Foods Connection is that it helps to ensure that people with limited financial means can also get access to the kinds of fresh, healthful foods that I enjoy.
Local Foods Connection provides fresh, locally-grown food to low-income families and the agencies that serve them by enrolling clients in either a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share or in a wholesale account with a local farmer. Agencies that LFC partners with include the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the Johnson County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) office, and the Johnson County Crisis Center Food Bank, among others. Partner agencies may refer families to LFC’s program, or may be enrolled themselves as a client agency.
By working with local farmers and families in need, Local Foods Connection has multiple positive impacts on our community:
LFC helps improve the health of vulnerable populations by providing fresh fruits and vegetables to those who may not otherwise be able to afford these fresh foods.
In addition, LFC provides opportunities for clients to learn how to improve their health by utilizing the food they receive and to learn how their food was grown.
LFC supports local farmers who use sustainable practices in producing food. Through purchasing CSA shares, LFC helps ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their goods and that they’ll be able to continue producing quality foods for the community for years to come.
By providing clients with the opportunity to become part of the Iowa City area’s local foods community, LFC helps to increase the vibrancy and diversity of our local food system, thus helping to ensure its continued success.
You can help support LFC by bidding on Good Bones’ silent auction item, a refurbished antique rocking chair (for more information, visit our “Shop” page), or making a donation at www.localfoodsconnection.com. Find out more about their fundraising event, Food-For-Everyone on their facebook page www.facebook.com/LocalFoodsConnection.