Mid-Atlantic

Welcome to the Real Food Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional Page

The Mid-Atlantic region includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC and West Virginia. You can read updates and find information about past events below.
 
Contact your Mid-Atlantic Regional Field Organizers by emailing midatlantic@realfoodchallenge.org. You can find their bios here.
 
Don't forget to "Like" the RFC Mid-Atlantic Regional Facebook page!
 
 
 

Real Food Chesapeake 1-Day Conference

 

 

What

A one-day conference on food system issues in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (foodshed?), focusing on the power of students to lead the movement for a more just, resilient, and sustainable food system.

Description

The Millennial generation is inheriting a broken food system. Our generation is the first to have a shorter life expectancy than our parents, due in large part to diet-related disease. We face a changing climate, a severe lack of economic opportunities, and unequal access to affordable, healthy food. Perhaps even worse: these ecological challenges and economic disparities may become the new normal for for a whole new generation of Americans.

In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, we find many reasons to believe in a better food future.  Many people are implementing creative solutions to grant aspiring farmers access to land, assist established farmers in transitioning away from destructive mono-crop production, and create infrastructure to bring healthy food to people at a price they can afford.  

On Friday February 15th, Real Food Challenge is hosting Real Food Cheseapeake! A 1-Day Convergence.  Young people and food system experts from around the Mid-Atlantic will gather at Johns Hopkins University to explore these problems, and explore the uniquely powerful role students can play in changing the the Chesapeake food system.
  • Together we’ll learn how our current system harms consumers, producers, communities and the earth, and what real food alternative look like.
  • We’ll hear from people who’ve had success leveraging their institutions’ buying power and moral authority towards building a better food system.
  • Participants will have a chance to talk in their school groups about how to take this conversation forward.

Conference Schedule

The Real Food Chesapeake Conference will take place from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Friday, February 15, 2013, in Baltimore, MD. The conference will be held on the Johns Hopkins Campus (location TBA). Light breakfast and a lunch will be provided.
 
Conference Agenda
10:00 am: Welcome by Real Food Challenge & Center for a Livable Future
10:30 am : Sharing our stories and other knowledge about the food system in the Chesapeake and the problems it causes for producers, consumers, communities, and the earth
12:00 pm :  Lunch
1:00 pm  : Panel discussion focusing on institution-centered solutions, moderated by Marc Steiner and featuring:
A worker from a DC area campus dining hall who is active in the Real Food Real Jobs campaign
Molly Johnston-Heck of Common Market Philadelphia, a local food distributor
Joan Norman of One Straw Farm
2:30 pm : Remarks from Anim Steel, Real Food Challenge -- What does this movement look like on college campuses, and why do young people have power to change this system?
3:00 pm : Breakout groups -- What have we learned today, and what are we going to do about it together?
3:30 pm : Presentation of next steps
4:00 pm : Closing

Registration

You can find the registration form here. The registration deadline is February 1, 2013.
 
If you are under 18 years old: your parent or guardian MUST fill out this waiver form (right click and save to download in PDF form) and return to Jon Berger, Mid-Atlantic Coordinator (jon@realfoodchallenge.org).

Conference Fees

Conference fees will be a sliding scale based on ability to pay. Conference fees help us to buy food and supplies for events and continue to offer similar programs throughout the year. Fees will be collected at the door-- please remember to bring cash!
 
College Students: $5-$15
Non-Student Adults: $20-$50
Under 18: Free

More Information

Questions about the Real Food Chesapeake Conference? Email Jon Berger, Mid-Atlantic Coordinator, at jon@realfoodchallenge.org.

Also Attending Breaking Ground 2013?

Breaking Ground 2013, the Real Food Challenge National Summit, is also taking place February 15-18, 2013 in Baltimore. If you are attending Breaking Ground 2013 as well as the Real Food Chesapeake Conference, you must register for each separately. See the Breaking Ground page for details.
 

SUMMER TRAINING 2012
Register Today!

This summer, we're hosting our first Mid-Atlantic training.  Check it out:

WHAT
Join us in College Park, Maryland on August 16-19th for a full weekend of engaging with the tools, skills, stories, and personal connections that help make real change possible---and leave with a solid action plan to bring back to your campus community for the coming year!

WHO
These trainings are geared towards all college students looking to start or strengthen a campaign for real food on their campus. We encourage participants to attend with at least one other student from their school to help create a campaign action plan as a team.

WHY
These trainings will provide a unique opportunity for students to learn from one another and experienced organizers working with RFC. They are also a great way for students to connect with the midatlantic organizers who will be supporting students in the region throughout the school year--and we'd love to see you there.

WHEN AND WHERE

  • Start: 3pm on Thursday August 16th
  • End: 3pm on Sunday Sunday August 19th
  • University of Maryland - College Park

PRICING
Pricing for the weekend (including all training costs, food & lodging) will be on a sliding scale of $35-$50. With a higher registration fee we will be able to offer more travel scholarships, but we also don't want to price students out of participating. Please pay as much as you are able to contribute! 


Registration Fee

REGISTRATION

To register:
(1) Please fill out this registration form (also below)
(2) Click on the Pay Pal link above to pay.
**You must complete both steps to reserve a spot.

Want to get involved in the planning process and/or help recruit students in your area? Other questions?  Feel free to contact Jon at jon@realfoodchallenge.org.

WORKSHOP CONTENT
The training will feature a wide range of workshops, activities and games, as well as plenty of time to eat, cook and hang out together.  Here is a description of a few of the workshops of the weekend:

  • Storytelling for Organizing - Why do you do what you do?  Telling stories about the food system and about our own lives is one of the best ways to teach, inspire and connect with those around us.  In this workshop you'll have a chance reflect on your own experiences as well as learn the basics of how to construct a powerful public narrative to share with others.
  • Inside the Corporate Food Service Industry - Did you know that your campus cafeteria is likely connected to a multi-national, multi-billion dollar food service industry?  Who really controls what food ends up on your plate?  It's not as simple as you might think!  In this workshop, we go behind the cafeteria counter to explore what's really going on in the kitchens, on the loading docks and in corporate board rooms of some of the largest companies in the world.  Together we'll also explore the incredible power students have to change the system and promote a real food economy on campus and beyond! 
  • Recruitment and Retention on a Busy Campus - Whether you're just starting a student group or dealing with year-to-year turnover, knowing how to attract new members and keep them around is of critical importance.  In this workshop we'll discuss some simple tools to keep you on track.  You'll also learn about 'relational meetings' and strategies for connecting one-on-one with fellow group members for long term success.