The Food Access Committee (FAC) is a coalition of members of Garden Committees who have built nine raised-bed collective vegetable gardens with the collaboration of FAM organizers.
The FAC is a way for the Garden Committee members to discuss best practices, provide each other support, and to discuss food insecurity and other related issues.
Background
The Food Access Committee (FAC) was started in March of 2014. In January 2014, FAM hosted a Training for Change workshop, which discussed race, class and stigmas against SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) users. After hearing from many dedicated community members about their passion for increasing food access in the area, and after researching other national organizations with a similar community-based model, the Food Access Committee was launched.
The FAC envisions “to unite our collective voices to make a difference in issues of food, for ourselves, our families and our community.”
Its mission is to foster communication between farmers and consumers, to act as an education resource, and to support local food access.
In 2016, the Food Access Committee looked at new ways to support and improve local food access and address the causes and impacts of the increasing rate of food insecurity in Maine.
In addition to our raised-bed garden project, FAC proposed cooking/canning/shopping classes, and other upcoming projects.
In 2016, gardens were built at two low-income subsidized housing complexes and one substance use recovery center in the Bangor region. An additional 6 beds were built in 2017. In 2018, two beds were built on church properties in low-income neighborhoods, bringing our total garden network to 11.
The FAC also includes representatives from two other community gardens in the region: Maple Street Community Garden in Brewer, and University of Maine, Augusta's Bangor campus garden.
Want to get involved with the Food Access Committee? Contact Food AND Medicine at (207) 989-5860 or send an email to [email protected]