Food Matters For Justice

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PFP and Justice

In order to ensure that there is an affordable source of high-quality food downtown where fresh food is scarce, we manage the Poughkeepsie Main Street Farmers’ Market.

We believe that fresh, healthy and high quality food should be accessible to everyone, regardless of income level.  Through Food Share, each week we provide subsidized CSA shares to low-income families; food donations to needy individuals through community partners operating shelters, food pantries and soup kitchens; and a non-emergency source of affordable fresh food at the downtown farmers’ market.

A just food system not only ensures access to healthy food for all, but also provides access to information about food – how to grow it, prepare it and enjoy its nutritional benefits  – and the importance of the collective and individual choices we make about food.  We provide access to this information in a variety of ways, including:

• farm-based youth education,
• sowing Seeds of the Food System working with at-risk teens on food and farming exposure,
• awareness of the social and political issues surrounding the local production and distribution of food through Farming for the City for future farmers, farm educators and community food organizers, 
• tailored farm tours for adults,
• hands-on seed saving,
• disussion series on the politics of food and farming,
• and public seasonalSkillShares on food and farming topics, including: growing food, knowing and using herbs and plants, bees and worms, preserving and enjoying local food.