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Building a Healthier Community Through Food Security.

The Marion Institute’s Southcoast Food Policy Council (SFPC) is a coalition of food pantries, farms, foundations, and social service agencies working together to promote local food security: “a situation in which all community residents obtain a safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self-reliance and social justice.”

A Short History

The Southeastern Massachusetts Food Security Network (FSN) was formed in 2011 to address food security issues in our region, including emergency food access and distribution, nutrition education, and local, sustainable agriculture. The Network provided opportunities for participants to collaborate, share, and match goals and expertise. We built on the strengths of each partner to effectively support a diverse and healthy local food system.

At the end of 2019, the FSN announced that it would become an official program of The Marion Institute (MI) and transition into a food policy council to fill a much-needed gap in our region. The MI had been a core member since its inception and a strategic partner since the start as FSN’s fiscal sponsor. Hence, it was a natural progression for the Southcoast Food Policy Council (SFPC) to be housed within our organization, given our work toward increasing food security throughout the region.

Mission

Our mission is to connect, convene, and advocate for local food producers, consumers, and community leaders who seek policy and systems that strengthen our regional food system, improve community health, and eliminate food insecurity.

Vision

We envision a thriving, inclusive, and culturally-diverse regional food system in which we all benefit from healthful, accessible, and affordable foods.

Values

  • We want to be focused, transparent, and effective coalition.
  • We want this coalition to be representative of the community it serves, particularly in terms of cultural and racial diversity.
  • We value and will seek out information, ideas, and inspiration from peer organizations around the state, the country, and the world.
  • We believe that the more people know about nutrition, food systems, and the local economy, the more they will consume local foods.
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