Act 2 - Making Rochester NY a little more Food Secure

Foodlink’s vision is to end hunger, build self-sufficiency, and foster nutritional wellness. We pursue this vision through an innovative network of initiatives.

Founded in 1978, Foodlink has grown to serve a 10-county area in the Genesee Valley and Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. As a founding member of Feeding America, formerly America’s Second Harvest, Foodlink is part of a national network of 200 food banks. Locally, Foodlink rescues and redistributes nearly 10 million pounds of food annually to a network of 500 programs.

Foodlink has a 30-year history of feeding hungry people in the Greater Rochester area. Foodlink has its initial roots starting in 1976 when our current Executive Director, Tom Ferraro, was working at Action for a Better Community and received funding as a Community Food and Nutrition Program (CFNP).

In 1978, while making a community-wide appeal for food to support the growing number of emergency food pantries in the area, Tom received a call from the Thomas English Muffins factory to come and pick up what he needed. The next morning Tom drove to the warehouse to discover that his station wagon was not going to fit the tractor-trailer loads of product that awaited him! And thus the Genesee Valley Regional Food Clearinghouse, later the Genesee Valley Foodbank, was created with the mission to rescue and redistribute food from manufacturers and retailers to human service organizations. In 1992 the Genesee Valley Foodbank changed is name to Foodlink.

Today, the food bank's network of agencies serve 102,000 meals each week, or a total of more than 5 million meals annually. Since its founding, Foodlink has distributed over 150 million pounds of food that translates into $125 million worth of food for our community."

OS thats the mission and history of Food link but how to help...Foodlink has a volunteer program

"Volunteers are essential at all levels of food bank operations — from sorting and repackaging food to helping at fundraising events! Every year, more than 5,000 volunteers donate their time or talents to help Foodlink provide support for thousands of low-income residents. Opportunities are available for individuals and groups. Learn how to get involved below!"

So I have a call in to foodlink to schedule a time to volunteer to sort goods and help increase the food security of people in Rochester.

now Foodlink is not the only program in Rochester,,,In addition there is the following

• Abundance Cooperative Market Community owned--open to the general public. Genesee Co-op Natural Food store: We Offer... Organic, natural, and bulk foods Fresh local produce Baked goods Supplements & special diet foods Health, beauty, & household goods Deli & coffee bar Children's area Community shopping experience Please drop by and say hello! 62 Marshall Street, Rochester, NY 14607, 585 454-2667.
• RAVS: The Rochester Area Vegetarian Society --"is a non-profit, non-sectarian educational organization that strives to provide educational resources for informing the public about the advantages of a vegetarian life-style. Nutritional information, including recipes, that will support and facilitate the adoption and healthful enjoyment of a vegetarian Diet. insight into the impact of animal-centered diets on human health, on the integrity of our environment, on world hunger, and on cruelty needlessly inflicted on billions of living, feeling, creatures every year, an opportunity for interested not-yet-vegetarians to learn at first-hand about the delights of good vegetarian cooking and to get to know and interact with experienced vegetarians. An opportunity for enriched understanding, mutual support and shared fellowship for practicing vegetarians. Provide opportunities for community outreach and community service in the interest of good health, environmental protection, and compassionate living. RAVS meets on the third Sunday of every month. Most meetings offer a SHARE-A-DISH DINNER of completely vegetarian foods, and we regularly present stimulating and informative programs."
• Genesee Valley Organic Community Supported Agriculture: The Genesee Valley Organic CSA is a farmer-shareholder coop open to anyone in the greater Rochester NY area.
• UR-VEG Home We're UR undergraduates, grads, alumni and staff committed to the welfare and rights of animals. Our goal is to reduce unnecessary animal suffering by helping people lead healthy and compassionate veg*an lifestyles. We advertise, sponsor educational events, conduct field trips, host potluck dinners and provide weekly rides to local groceries and restaurants. Anyone interested in vegetarianism, veganism, animal rights or animal welfare is welcome; you don't have to be a vegetarian to join us! Please feel free to stop by one of our meetings to find out what we're about — or just to try some free vegan food.
• Greater Rochester Urban Bounty Since 1999, The Greater Rochester Urban Bounty (GRUB) has been farming two market gardens and a vineyard in the northeast sector of the city during the summer months. Our produce is grown without pesticides or chemicals, and we use only approved organic fertilizers. We have a compost site to help make the precious organic nutrients for our growing crops.
• Rochester Roots Rochester Roots is creating a locally sustainable food system that ensures community food security.
• If you are worried about pesticides and herbicides and food, this site (according to some experts) is a good source to find out about that relationship. Environmental Working Group || foodnews.org - You can also get a free copy of "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides and Produce."
• Naturally Green | Radio for Garden Lovers | Saturday's at 9AM on WYSL 1040 AM. "All about gardening & nature from Aphids to Zinnias. Garden expert, Michael Warren Thomas hosts your questions with guests from the gardening community."
• Edible Buffalo "Welcome to Edible BUFFALO ~ Western New York’s new quarterly print magazine solely dedicated to showcasing and promoting our local food shed. We will focus on where our local food is grown and produced, along with featuring our many food artisans and chefs, farmers’ markets and food shops and the restaurants and cafes that dot the landscape of the region."
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County - 4-H Youth DevelopmentWelcome to the Lake Plains 4-H Youth Development Program! We support regional 4-H efforts as a part of the Lake Plains 4-H Program. Both Monroe and Wayne counties share expertise across county lines. By utilizing the strengths and capacities of each county 4-H program, youth audiences and their families will have greater accessibility to 4-H program opportunities throughout the Wayne and Monroe County Regions. By offering "learn-by-doing" projects and activities, youth explore a broad spectrum of interests in 4-H that include Agriculture & Farming, Environmental Conservation & Science, Youth Community Action/Community Service, Communication & Public Speaking, Plants and Animals, and Science & Technology