Cass Clay Food Partners leading the way in food access
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many families across Minnesota faced the challenges of food insecurity. Unfortunately, food insecurity increased dramatically during the pandemic, especially in families with young children. Immediately recognizing the growing issue of food insecurity, Cass Clay Food Partners (CCFP) took action to fill the communication gap about access to healthy foods. Noelle Harden, Extension health and nutrition educator from the Moorhead Regional Office, is at the heart of CCFP, connecting partners to promote healthy food access in her community.
Noelle and her colleagues quickly pulled together a daily Facebook Live update on the Cass Clay Food Partners Facebook Page. You can catch the news briefs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon (or watch any time, because live updates are recorded). A wide range of topics covered during the briefs include:
- meat processing for people who purchase whole animals direct from a farmer/rancher
- a community food resource list
- food shelf volunteering needs
- SNAP benefits during the pandemic
- urban agricultural issues such as backyard chickens, boulevard gardens, and community gardens
Each news brief begins with a fun food tip from the presenter and can be viewed on the CCFP Facebook page. Contact Noelle Harden (harde073@umn.edu) for questions.
CCFP is an eight jurisdiction food network that spans two states (Minnesota and North Dakota), two counties (Cass County, ND and Clay County, MN), and four cities (Moorhead, MN, Dilworth, MN, Fargo, ND, West Fargo, ND, and Horace, ND). CCFP's mission is to build a strong, healthy and vibrant food system. Their vision is for all members of the community to have access to safe, nutritious, affordable and culturally-based food.