In autumn 2022, AFPC was awarded an 18-month planning grant: Alaska Food System Research and Knowledge Sharing: Growing Connections for Local Food to facilitate food system research and educational opportunities, to increase viable and sustainable local food production and distribution through a network for Alaskan Food Hubs…
“In Alaska, over 95,000 Alaskans - roughly 1 in 8 people- are experiencing hunger daily. Nationally, more than 10% of households — nearly 40 million people — struggle with food security, a rate that increases for families with children and in communities of color. MAZON’s new investments will build power among local advocates fighting for policy-based solutions designed to interrupt the vicious cycle of neglect and economic struggle, especially among our most vulnerable populations.”
“There are a couple of businesses that regularly donate to Boys and Girls Club Alaska, BGCA. We work with an organization, the Food Donation Connection, who manages food donation programs for food service companies interested in donating food. They connect those companies with organizations to receive donations….”
As the summer comes to a close, so does my internship with the Alaska Food Policy Council. I am Will Kessler, a political science student from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. I had the pleasure of working as a remote summer intern with the Council and got to work on a number of important projects…
I first became interested in food and agriculture policy after doing a research paper about the Trans-Pacific Partnership where I discovered the topic of food security. I then discussed the topic thoroughly with last year’s intern, Alexis Berard, and gained an appreciation of the subject. I enjoy learning about the nuances and general ideas within the food policy sphere and dealing with governments as a whole, and I look forward to expanding my knowledge and understanding over the course of the summer. I am very excited to be a summer intern at the Alaska Food Policy Council as it puts me in a position to learn about Alaska’s interesting food needs and diverse populations spread across an extremely large geographic area
A slew of research and attention has been given to peonies in recent years, but research on growing other cut flowers in Fairbanks and Alaska has been limited in the last decade. To get an idea of which cut flowers are growing well in Fairbanks in recent years, I asked a few farmers about their go-to cut flowers for creating unique, locally grown bouquets.
Food waste is concerning for several reasons. The first and the most obvious one is food insecurity — a problem faced by two billion people across the globe. On the one hand, so much food goes uneaten, while on the other, people are dying of starvation. It’s easy to conclude that the system we have in place isn’t working.
The Alaska Food Coalition (AFC) was founded in 1996, with encouragement from Alaska’s Department of Health and Human Services (now DHSS). While initially focused on increasing resource access for agencies and village councils who distribute food, the coalition has transformed over time to have a greater emphasis on advocacy and education. The mission of the Alaska Food Coalition is to address the root causes of hunger in Alaska through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration. In this endeavor, we support policies and programs focused on alleviating hunger, building healthy communities, and promoting access to affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food. The AFC aspires to create systems change to end hunger in Alaska through the cultivation of a strong anti-hunger network.
Alaska Food Policy Council
PO BOX 173, Homer, AK 99603
info@alaskafoodpolicycouncil.org
TEL (907) 756-3930
