Good Food Rising at David Brower Center

This week Real Food Media, The Center for Good Food Purchasing and Food Chain Workers Alliance hosted an evening for Good Food Rising. The night was filled with celebration and reflection after the Good Food Purchasing Program was officially adopted in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland Unified School Districts. These institution have committed to using their power for food procurement according to the five core values of the Good Food Purchasing Program: local economies, valued workforce, environmental sustainability, nutrition, and animal welfare.

Festivities at the David Brower Center included a key note speech by Ricardo Salvador of HEAL Food Alliance and Union of Concerned Scientists, with a panel discussion moderated by Real Food Media Founder Anna Lappé. Panelists included powerful food fighters and activists like Shakirah Simley of Bi-Rite Market, Doug Block from the Teamster Joint Council 7, Jennifer Lebarre of Oakland Unified School District, and Comissioner Sandra Lee Fewer of San Francisco Unified Board of Education.

If you couldn’t make the party, or even if you did, but want to carry the inspiring words and stories from the night right along with you, we thought we’d share some highlights and observations that participants and attendees shared on Twitter. Enjoy!

Paula Daniels of @GoodFoodLA is the mastermind of #GoodFoodRising, w @foodchainworker & @center4goodfood. pic.twitter.com/KhmJaknLxA

— HavenBourque (@HavenBourque) October 25, 2016

Impressive: @OUSDFood actually saved money with @center4goodfood policy to buy local, sustainable food. Cc @mindfulmeats #GoodFoodRising

— HavenBourque (@HavenBourque) October 25, 2016

What a night! Sending thnx to our hosts @annalappe @foodchainworker & @center4goodfood for sharing the impact & possibilities of #GFPP pic.twitter.com/BaAN0loZdO

— Good Food Purchasing (@goodfoodcities) October 25, 2016

Reflections and quotes during Ricardo Salvador’s key note speech:

5 values of #GoodFoodRising @center4goodfood must start at the local level, says @cadwego. pic.twitter.com/PZz7sffVGv
— HavenBourque (@HavenBourque) October 25, 2016

The food system will be changed by ppl @ the grassroots sez @cadwego #GoodFoodRising Great event, @annalappe! pic.twitter.com/FhAWevh5FH
— Judy Hatcher (@judyatpan) October 25, 2016

#GoodFoodPurchasing Program – we don’t exploit planet, people, & animals, we nourish people – @cadwego @UCSUSA #GoodFoodRising #GFPP pic.twitter.com/t0wolxNDWx

— Food Chain Workers (@foodchainworker) October 25, 2016

#GoodFoodRising Power panel: @SandraLeeFewer @OUSDFood @ShakSimley @BiRiteSF @Teamsters Joint Council 7 @annalappe. pic.twitter.com/jMgpFARfLE

— HavenBourque (@HavenBourque) October 25, 2016

Not just about food for our children, but also about the society we want to build for them – @SandraLeeFewer #GFPP #GoodFoodRising

— Food Chain Workers (@foodchainworker) October 25, 2016

We got interested in #GoodFoodPurchasing Policy bc of unjust working conditions @YourTaylorFarms in Tracy, CA – @TeamsterDoug #GFPP

— Food Chain Workers (@foodchainworker) October 25, 2016

We were in great company the entire night! The adoption of the Good Food Purchasing Program in cities across the USA is already proving to be an effective change maker.

We look forward to sharing the stories of our partners committed to the good food fight and celebrating the budding collaborations for a better food system measured by the five core values of GFPP:  local economies, valued workforce, environmental sustainability, animal welfare and nutrition.