Arlington’s Food Security Coalition oversees the implementation of the Food Security Strategic Plan that was developed in 2022 and serves as a meeting point to coordinate, collaborate and share information about food security activities occurring in the county. It is a continuation of the work the Food Security Task Force did in 2021-22, including pursuing the mission and vision that the Task Force developed:
- Vision: A community where all have enough healthy food to feed themselves and their families.
- Mission: To create an interconnected food security system in Arlington that works together to meet its residents’ need to feed themselves and their families, healthy and culturally appropriate food, in an affordable and dignified manner.
Rationale
The work of improving food security in Arlington did not end with the publication of the food security strategic plan. On the contrary, the work will continue as the plan is implemented and additional work is identified for the future. To ensure that implementation of the plan is successful, a system is needed to provide action, accountability, and oversight. A food security coalition will provide an opportunity for food assistance providers, social service non-profits, government agencies related to food security, and interested community members to fulfill the goals of this and future plans. It will also facilitate organizations to share information and collaborate with other organizations.
Structure
Coalition Meetings: The full coalition will meet to work towards implementation of the Food Security Strategic Plan. These meetings may be in the form of workgroup breakout sessions, or full coalition meetings. The coalition will meet at least twice per quarter.
Workgroups: The coalition will often be divided into workgroups to drive progress on specific areas of the Food Security Strategic Plan. Workgroups will evolve and may change over time.
- Food Access
- Outreach
- Systemic Change
Peer Roundtables: Peer roundtables provide an opportunity for those working in a similar field of food security to discuss challenges and successes, share policy and procedure changes, problem solve collectively, and engage in training opportunities. Each peer roundtable will meet at least once per year. The peer roundtables are:
- Charitable Food Providers
- DHS Food Security Programs
- APS Food Security Efforts