ABOUT US
BACKGROUND
& MISSION
the work of Hartford Food System has focused on understanding and addressing the underlying causes of inadequate community access to healthy food. The change we seek to create is a healthy and just food system as part of a healthy community. Our system-based perspective leads us to pursue different types of activities, often in partnership with others, that touch on a broad range of food system elements to achieve our primary goals of reducing hunger, improving health and nutrition, and encouraging a sustainable and equitable food supply.
For more than 40 years, Hartford Food System has developed dozens of projects, initiatives, and coalitions that tackle a wide range of food cost, access, and nutrition issues. In more recent years, Hartford Food System has extended its reach to develop food projects and to provide information and technical assistance throughout Connecticut as well as to communities across the country. Our work includes active participation in a number of public policy initiatives at the local, state, and regional levels that affect community-based food systems.
Hartford Food System relies on a collaborative approach, engaging the talents of government policy makers, local non-profit organizations, residents in local communities and neighborhoods, farmers, chefs, educators, and the commercial food sector in change efforts that promote a fair and just food system.
OUR MISSION
Hartford Food System’s mission is to fight hunger and improve nutrition in our community. Our goal is a community with a healthy, culturally responsive, just, resilient, and sustainable food system that meets the needs of all community members.
We help make this happen with programs that improve access to nutritious and affordable food.
We engage consumers in education and community organizing, we advocate for a robust and economically sound food system, and we promote responsible food policies in the City, the state, and the New England region.
OUR VISION
We believe that all members of our community have the right to safe, nutritious, and affordable food. Few things are more fundamental to the health and well-being of our community residents than food. At the same time, we regard those who grow and distribute food as having a special role in our society, and we seek to deepen the connection between urban food consumers and the sources of healthy food production.
We also believe that long-term solutions to Hartford’s food problems can only be found by addressing the root causes of hunger and poor nutrition. These solutions require working in partnership with community members, especially those who are experiencing food insecurity. We do our work locally, statewide, and regionally in concert with public officials, farmers and producers, non-profit allies, business leaders in the local food economy, and other people of good will. Together, we can build a more equitable and just food system!
Hartford Food System will do this by pursuing food system goals that are supported by our mission and vision.
We will aim to:
BE DEEPLY
ENGAGED
with the community we serve to both identify the food problems affecting community members and the solutions to those problems.
BE
KNOWN
as one of the most creative and competent food security organizations in the country, committed to developing talent and passion for the field through internships and volunteer opportunities.
PARTNER
WITH
individuals and organizations in the community to achieve constituent-responsive and comprehensive answers to food system issues.
USE BEST
PRACTICES
and research findings to provide guidance for effective program and policy efforts.
BE OPEN
TO NEW
challenges, recognizing that a changing food environment provides opportunities for system innovation and creativity; we will use these new opportunities to chart new directions to achieve a healthy and just community food system.