The word is out. Real Food Challenge co-founders David Schwartz and Anim Steel have been awarded a the highly competitive Echoing Green Fellowship--a seed fund for emerging social entrepreneurs.
This award is yet another testament to the growth of our movement and a wholesale endorsement of the RFC's innovative strategy--training the next generation of real food leaders while creating a major market shift in university food spending, $1 billion in 10 years.
With a background in economic development, Anim saw food and agriculture as a way to make a difference in both the US and Ghana, where he was born. David grew up in inner-city Boston where he witnessed great disparities in rates of diabetes, obesity, and access to healthy food. The pair met at The Food Project (also 1992 Echoing Green funded organization), a nationally recognized program that empowers youth through sustainable agriculture. Together with Tim Galarneau, Amie Frish, Rowan Dunlap, they brought together the team that created the Real Food Challenge.
Only with the incredible leadership of hundreds of student leaders across the country, and the generous support of our funding partners is this vision becoming a reality.Together we are changing the food industry and building a truly healthy, fair and green food future.
Interested in social justice, youth leaders, and sustainable agriculture?
We have the job(s) for you!
The Food Project, a founding sponsor of the Real Food Challenge, is accepting applications for TWO Americorps VISTA positions. One focuses on bringing real food into Boston Public Schools through the district's Farm to School initiative. The other will develop and foster The Food Project's community engagement initiative. Both are amazing opportunities!
Think of the last time you saw something that pissed you off enough to do something amazing about it. Maybe it was a long grocery line or a bumper sticker for the Tea Party, or maybe it takes a humanitarian crisis like Haiti to really get your adrenaline going.
For me, it was orange chicken.
A year ago, I found out that UC Berkeley's first national fast food chain, a Panda Express, was slated to open its doors adjacent to the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement. Like Slow Food in reaction to a McDonald's next to the Spanish Steps in Rome, we rose to the occasion.
It's been a year chock-full of events, actions, successes (and challenges), AND press coverage! Every week we see great news popping up on college papers and other local and national media outlets. Here's a handful of articles from the past month. Take a look, and feel free to reach out to the students featured, we're sure they'd love to hear from you!.
For tips on how to get your school started on a real food campaign, contact David@realfoodchallenge.org
For more on how to get involved in farmworker justice, contact our partners at the Student/Farmworker Alliance, or contact us about starting a Real Food Movement on your campus next year.
In 2001, a dozen or so farmworkers were sitting around in a church basement in a backwater town in Florida and declared a national boycott on Taco Bell, one of the nation’s largest fast food chains. They called on Taco Bell’s CEO to help improve working conditions and wages for the workers who picked their tomatoes. And what do you think happened?
Well, people laughed, thinking maybe they’d heard a joke. Even committed activists had to wonder. How could these migrant tomato pickers, immigrants, who were poverty-stricken, rural and socially isolated, take on a major multi-national corporation? What chance did these workers, who awoke at 4am to compete with each other at the mercy of a brutal labor contractor for a day’s work, have? It seemed a little far-fetched.
For most participants, the Northwest Real Food Youth Convergence really started during the early morning hours of Friday, Feb. 12, when folks set out on the long trek to Missoula, Montana. Some carpooled from as far away as Seattle or Boulder, or from Portland via school bus. We took advantage of travel time wisely: homework, napping, making new friends, and of course, dance parties.
At right: Despite long distances traveled, the convergence brought together a super motivated group, shown here doing a rowdy closing circle: “Now step towards the center with a big Yee-haw!” “YEEEEEHAAAWWWWW!!!!”
As newcomers arrived the University Center at the University of Montana Friday evening, waves of energy came over the registration table as people approached and left donning their fanciful nametags. We kicked off Friday night with a comfortable, delicious meal of potpie and roasted vegetables, followed by some fast paced mixers where everyone bounced around providing goofy facts.
Saturday morning started bright and early: we awoke from our church slumber party to bumble towards the fresh brewed coffee smells in the UM University Commons. After breakfast, the group woke up and broke up to fill the abundant array of workshops, including "What is it and how are they run: Co-ops 101," "A Chicken on a Tractor? Exploring the problems, purpose, and practices of the Whitman College Organic Garden and its Chicken Tractor Project," and "Organizing a Real Food Campaign." During time between workshop sessions, students networked, shared ideas and laughed. There was no shortage of fun or energy throughout the day!
On February 12-14, over 200 students from 35 campuses gathered in Santa Cruz, California, for the third annual Strengthening the Roots: Food and Justice Convergence. The convergence brought together a diverse group of students – from aspiring farmers to animal rights activists to campus dining employees – who were committed to creating a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. This event empowered high school and college students to actively engage in their campuses and local communities by providing them with leadership skills, successful models and case studies, and a broader network of activists and allies.
On February 5, 2010, over a hundred and fifty students and youth from Maryland to Florida traveled through driving ice, snow, and rain to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the second annual Southeast Youth Food Activist Summit (SYFAS). Friday night, author/activist Anna Lappe from the Small Planet Institute delivered an inspiring Keynote Address on the effects of our current industrial food system on climate change and personal health and the importance of the youth food movement for creating a more socially just and environmentally sustainable Real Food economy.
The Real Food Challenge is a truly unique organization. Few national social change organizations put youth and students in such prominent leadership positions.
Our National Team--the group ultimately responsible for coordinating the campaign (and the one writing this blog!)--is comprised of half professional staff and half student leaders. This model of leadership has proven a powerful one--combining fresh ideas, bold thinking and a deep understanding of our constituent base, with experience, historical experience, and solid organizational knowhow.
As our next round of summits and trainings approaches (register here, if you haven't already!) we want to expand our leadership base and invite new student members onto the National Team.
Who do you know? Take a moment today to think about your friends, club-mates, and other students in your life who might fit the criteria below. Nominate them today!
Submitted by Real Food Challenge on Mon, 12/21/2009 - 23:03
Take part in the Go Live: Real Food Tour!
This spring promises to be huge for the Real Food Challenge. Between January and July, members of the Real Food Challenge are taking part in the Go Live: Real Food tour, a nationwide concert series put on by Go Live and the Real Food Alliance (read on for descriptions of both groups).
The Go Live: Real Food tour is the first step in a major public education campaign about real food. We're focusing on booking tour dates at colleges and universities across the country and we need your help. If you're interested in bringing unforgettable performances to your school for a good cause, please be in touch with Marissa - mgrossman@thefoodproject.org.
This is an incredible opportunity to bring great talent to your school and to take part in a tour with a big impact--all proceeds from the Go Live: Real Food tour will benefit a major concert and campaign kick-off in July!
Well, people laughed, thinking maybe they’d heard a joke. Even committed activists had to wonder. How could these migrant tomato pickers, immigrants, who were poverty-stricken, rural and socially isolated, take on a major multi-national corporation? What chance did these workers, who awoke at 4am to compete with each other at the mercy of a brutal labor contractor for a day’s work, have? It seemed a little far-fetched.
For most participants, the Northwest Real Food Youth Convergence really started during the early morning hours of Friday, Feb. 12, when folks set out on the long trek to Missoula, Montana. Some carpooled from as far away as Seattle or Boulder, or from Portland via school bus. We took advantage of travel time wisely: homework, napping, making new friends, and of course, dance parties.
On February 12-14, over 200 students from 35 campuses gathered in Santa Cruz, California, for the third annual Strengthening the Roots: Food and Justice Convergence. The convergence brought together a diverse group of students – from aspiring farmers to animal rights activists to campus dining employees – who were committed to creating a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. This event empowered high school and college students to actively engage in their campuses and local communities by providing them with leadership skills, successful models and case studies, and a broader network of activists and allies.
On February 5, 2010, over a hundred and fifty students and youth from Maryland to Florida traveled through driving ice, snow, and rain to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the second annual Southeast Youth Food Activist Summit (SYFAS). Friday night, author/activist Anna Lappe from the Small Planet Institute delivered an inspiring Keynote Address on the effects of our current industrial food system on climate change and personal health and the importance of the youth food movement for creating a more socially just and environmentally sustainable Real Food economy.
