Walk for Good Food 2020 Blog Series: In celebration of the Walk for Good Food, Access will be posting interviews with the non-profit organizations that are receiving funding from this years Walk. Read below about why Good Food (food that is healthy, fair, affordable, and green) is important to their work. Eight organizations receive funding from the Walk, each with their own important role to play in creating a thriving food system for all. To walk with us or learn more visit accessofwestmichigan.org/walk.
AWM: Tell us a little bit about your organization: your mission and the work that you do.
R&T: Our mission is to provide teens with cooking and healthy eating skills while offering those facing life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer, with free nourishing meals. We seek to educate the greater community about the powerful connection between food and health and promote local sustainable agriculture. The Revive and Thrive Project combines the power of healing meals with the heart of community service to promote the benefits of healthier eating, empower the leaders of tomorrow and support a vibrant local food system.
AWM: Why is Good Food (fair, affordable, healthy, and accessibly) important to your work?
R&P: Good Food is important to our work at Revive & Thrive because our nourishing meals are healthy and we plant forward, we utilize food from local farmers with environmentally sustainable practices when possible, no one along the supply chain is exploited for the creation of, and our meals are free and delivered.
AWM: What is your organization doing to support a Good Food System?
R&T: Revive & Thrive supports health in the community by providing valuable opportunities that will positively influence dietary and eating behaviors through experiential programs centered on healthy foods. We accomplish the following:
- Provide free home delivered healthy meals to those facing a health crisis such as cancer.
- Empower young people through experiential education cooking and gardening programs to develop leadership skills and encourage lifelong healthy eating behaviors.
- Support and promote local food systems including local farmers and food producers.
- Adhere to nutrition guidelines that include whole, fresh, local, seasonal foods.
AWM: What is one thing you’re looking forward to about this year’s Walk for Good Food?
R&T: The organization is looking forward to sharing the message about the good food movement and why good food is so important for our health. During a health crisis, good food is one of the best things we can do for ourselves to keep our immune system strong and healthy.
AWM: Anything else important we should know?
R&T: We feel it is important that others know our organization’s Impact Goals: (1)To positively impact the health of the individuals and the community by restoring the place of naturally produced, local, farm fresh foods to our table and promote the relationship of these foods to our health. (2) Empower teenagers through experiential education and service learning to develop leadership skills, job skills and encourage lifelong healthy eating behaviors. (3) Provide nutrition education resources to reduce diet related disease, promote survivorship and support overall health and wellness. (4) Improve the health of the community by advancing the “triple aim of healthcare” to improve patient experience, better health outcomes and lower health care costs. (5) Support and promote local sustainable food systems.
Support us and our work by visiting us at https://reviveandthriveproject.org/