Working Groups
Working groups meet throughout the year to network with other food advocates, create campaigns to push for food related policies and programs, and promote food system events.
If you are interested in joining a working group, email samantha@nolafoodpoliy.org for more information.
If you are interested in joining a statewide working group, please visit the Louisiana Food Policy Council website.
Active Groups
Food Access Working Group
The Food Access Working Group (FAWG) seeks to improve and create local systems and policies that increase food security for New Orleans residents. They meet monthly to track food access events and resources, exchange information on current food security related policies, and educate the wider public on direct feeding programs and activities. FAWG meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 1 pm.
Interested?
Please email Jessica McNally at jessica@nolafoodpolicy.org to be added to the listserv.
FAWG Resources
FAWG Resources
Disaster Food Access Working Group
The Disaster Food Access Working Group (D-FAWG) brings together emergency management agencies, emergency food providers, community organizations, farmers, food businesses, public health partners, and other stakeholders to better understand one another's roles before disasters occur. Recognizing that no single organization can meet a community's food needs during an emergency, D-FAWG seeks to foster connections between established emergency food systems and the region's local food economy. Through regular meetings, partner spotlights, and collaborative planning, the group creates opportunities to identify strengths, share lessons learned, and explore how local producers, food nonprofits, and institutional response systems can better complement one another during disaster response and recovery.
Questions about this working group or want to join?
Please reach out to Megan Herrington, mnuismer@tulane.edu and Samantha Fleurinor, samantha@nolafoodpolicy.org to be added to the listserv.
Disaster Resources
Past Groups
Business Development
The Business Development Working Group (FAWG) identified strategies to increase access to economic opportunity and support business development and mentorship for marginalized groups. The successes of the group include the establishment of pop-up permitting for food vendors and the completion of the COVID-19 New Orleans Food System Assessment. Future opportunities available to this group include investigating the impact of the clean zones on local food businesses, exploring economic incentives for foodpreneurs, and auditing, streamlining, and updating the CZO for transparency and accessibility.
Food Production
The Food Production Working Group (FAWG) supported local farmers, fishers, ranchers, and other producers by identifying strategies to expand growing food production, market opportunities and processing infrastructure. Their successes include launching the Greener NOLA campaign which resulted in securing a full time urban ag liaison in city government who could advise and consult on all policy impacting urban agriculture. The remaining pillars of the campaign and the goals of the food production working group now live with the urban ag liaison and the urban agriculture working group.
Read about the Greener NOLA campaign here.
