Every other month FPAC releases a newsletter outlining updates from each subcommittee.  Read on for news and events from each subcommittee!

FPAC January 2015 Newsletter

Anti-Hunger

The Anti-Hunger Subcommittee is preparing to unveil the food resources toolkits that members have been working on for about a year. The toolkits are organized into neighborhood guides by City Council district, and include resources like soup kitchens, farmers’ markets, low-cost grocery sites, and food pantries. FPAC was fortunate enough to partner with the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger to turn these toolkits into an interactive, map-based website through the UPenn student group Hack4Impact. These two fantastic resources will be launched together in early February. The subcommittee’s next meeting will take place on Monday, January 26^th from 2:30pm to 3:30pm at SHARE (2901 W. Hunting Park Ave). To get involved in the subcommittee’s next project, or to attend a meeting, please get in touch with Chair Steveanna Wynn.

Vacant Land

The Vacant Land Subcommittee has been following up on the work that the Soil Safety Working Group did over the summer, especially regarding soil testing on vacant lots to be used for gardens. The subcommittee supported the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority’s application for the U.S. EPA’s Brownfields Assessment Grant program to identify and assess vacant lots that are suitable for urban agriculture and green stormwater infrastructure. The subcommittee is also supporting several City agencies in applying to the EPA Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program to do similar work on one site. If these efforts are successful, FPAC has been asked to provide feedback on site selection and will receive progress updates throughout project implementation. To join the subcommittee or attend a meeting, please get in touch with Chair Amy Laura Cahn.

Local Food Procurement

The Local Food Procurement Subcommittee has been conducting outreach to City agencies over the past several months to determine what kind of food purchasing the City currently does. Subcommittee members asked City agencies about the type, quantity, and occasion of food purchasing to better understand where local food might be able to be substituted. From the information gathered, members are developing a report to inform the subcommittee’s2015 work plan, especially regarding the fresh produce pilot program. The subcommittee will meet on Monday, February 2^nd from 10am to 11am at 1101 Market St (Aramark Tower), 9^th floor, conference room A. To get involved or attend a meeting, please get in touch with Chair Amanda Wagner.

Zero Waste

The Zero Waste subcommittee is will be holding its first meeting of the New Year on Friday, January 30^th from 2pm to 3pm at 1315 Walnut, Suite 320. At the meeting, members will review the Zero Waste White Paper recommendations and develop a mission statement for the subcommittee. Thank you to Sarah Wu and Hannah Chatterjee for their valuable input in revising the White Paper recommendations.  If you have any questions, or are interested in joining the Zero Waste subcommittee, please reach out to subcommittee Chair Linda Knapp.

Communications

The Communications and Outreach subcommittee is gearing up for an eventful 2015. The subcommittee is excited to work on improving FPAC’s outreach and communication capabilities through various avenues. FPAC is now officially on Facebook, so please head over to our page and like us to stay updated on FPAC, and other Philadelphia food-related news and events. The FPAC blog will be updated every other Wednesday, so check back often for new posts. Please get in touch with subcommittee Chair Rachel Passman if you are interested in getting involved with the Communications and Outreach subcommittee.

Governance

The Governance and Membership subcommittee is pleased to announce the new slate of FPAC members. Eight nominees were approved by FPAC appointed members during the December general meeting, and FPAC is excited to work with all of the new members! New member bios will be posted on FPAC’s website in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! If you have any questions, please get in touch with subcommittee Chair Alison Hastings.