Programs and Services
The Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative provides ‘how to’ resources, and professional technical assistance to implement a range of practices to connect congregants with sustainable food systems that can amplify faith practice. The Collaborative convenes people of faith to network and share successes and models from a variety of religious traditions.
We offer:
- Training workshops and an annual conference to highlight successful project models and facilitate networking across faith traditions;
- On-site assistance for congregations with planning and developing projects;
- Resources from diverse theological perspectives to help clergy and educators teach the connections between sacred texts, faith, food and agriculture; and
- Connections to secular resources that can strengthen programming.
Expanding Community Food Access and Markets for Local Farms
We assist your volunteer committee or staff in developing faith-based food system projects including:
- Community Gardens serving neighbors and congregants;
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) with Congregation/Farm Relationships;
- Farmers’ markets or farmstands to coincide with worship or religious school;
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) promotion for local produce; and
- Congregational food policies calling for serving fair trade and organic products.
Educational Materials and Resources
- Sharing of best practices and networking among interfaith groups active on food and faith matters. This will include roundtable discussion by congregational food system advocates as well as annual or bi-annual conferences intended to raise awareness.
- Congregational food policies calling for serving fair trade and organic products
- A speaker’s bureau to facilitate behavior and policy change by addressing topics including obesity prevention, sustainable agriculture and accessing food assistance.
- Action alerts designed to facilitate congregations impacting food system policies.
- Sermon and religious school teaching resources to assist clergy and lay leaders talk about the food and agriculture system in a manner consistent with their faith tradition.
- Facilitate partnerships to include providing access to microfinance for members and neighbors of congregations starting or growing food related businesses.
Several of these projects have already been initiated by Congregations in Sonoma and Marin counties, however ISFC will facilitate sharing of lessons learned and best practices so that new congregations can replicate successes without reinventing the wheel. In addition, ISFC programs, services and resources that help raise the level of activity the faith community provides to advance a sustainable, accessible food system.
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