Our Valley Our Future reveals guest speakers for food insecurity symposium

WENATCHEE — If you’ve ever wondered how our local food system works — and where it comes up short — there’s a four-hour, roll-up-your-sleeves symposium next week. Our Valley Our Future (OVOF) will convene its Food Insecurity Symposium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Wenatchee Valley College’s Maguire Center, bringing together practitioners and community members to talk solutions.

Food insecurity is, simply put, not having consistent access to enough nutritious food. The problem has been on the rise with inflation and reductions in some public benefits. The symposium promises a deeper look at what’s driving demand, how food moves through the region, where the gaps are, and which local assets can be scaled.

The agenda’s speakers and events blend “big picture” and on-the-ground perspectives, including:

• Kim Eads, food program manager, Washington State Department of Agriculture, who will discuss state and regional food systems
  
  
• Maria Hines, garden organics manager, Blue Skies Mind, talking about equitable and sustainable food systems
  
  
• Alan Walker, executive director, Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council, explaining local food distribution
  
  
• Bob Mark, human services director, Upper Valley MEND, looking at the growing demand for food
  
  
• Laura Lentz, garden organics manager, Tierra Learning Center, laying out the “Gleaning Garden” (gleaning & growing) at her organization
  
  
• Jeff Lau, Plaza Super Jet (Wenatchee), detailing pathways from farm to grocery store
  
  
• Troy Fitzgerald, head pastor, Wenatchee Seventh-day Adventist Church, sharing about their church community garden
  
  
• Karen Bruggman, program coordinator, Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council, detailing their Weekend Backpack and Green Bag programs
  
  
• Facilitated breakout group sessions for attendees to map actionable steps individuals and organizations can take to help address food insecurity

“Our symposium highlights the issues behind this regional challenge while providing participants an opportunity to suggest creative ways to meet the food needs of people,” said Ruben Betancourt, OVOF community engagement specialist, acknowledging partner groups that helped plan the event.

The symposium is sponsored by Thriving Together NCW. Partner organizations include Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council, Upper Valley MEND, Initiative for Rural Innovation & Stewardship (IRIS), Central Washington Area Health Education Center, Community for the Advancement of Family Education (CAFÉ), Wenatchee Valley College, and Catholic Charities.

When/where: 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Sept. 11, Maguire Center at Wenatchee Valley College

Cost: $10, which includes a healthy lunch prepared with locally grown foods by Szmania’s Catering

You can register online at OVOFsymposium3.eventbrite.com. Spanish interpretation available upon request during registration.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media