“Strengthening Local Food Systems with Community Partnerships” with Christie Balch

Equity at the Table Speaker Series
June 11, 2018 ¦ Charlotte, NC
“Strengthening Local Food Systems with Community Partnerships”

Join us Monday evening, June the 11th for a discussion with Executive Director of the Crossroads Community Food Network, Christie Balch, to explore how community partnerships can strengthen local food access work.

Christie grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, and holds an M.P.H from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has been the Executive Director of the Crossroads Community Food Network in Takoma Park, MD since 2013. Crossroads was the first farmers market in the country that launched a “double dollar” incentive program, matching the value of federal nutrition benefits spent at market, fulfilling a dual mission of increasing healthy food access for low-income residents while supporting local farmers. Before joining Crossroads, she worked as a Program Coordinator for the University of Maryland Extension, developing new community food projects in Maryland and Afghanistan. Christie also serves on the board of the Farmers Market Coalition, and was appointed to the USDA’s Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee in 2016.

Christie will talk about Crossroads Community Food Network’s efforts to develop strong community partnerships, like the creation of a communal kitchen with a local church. By highlighting both the successes and challenges Crossroad Community Food Network has experienced with community partnerships, Christie will also engage attendees in interactive discussion around effective partnership development in food access work.

Speaker: Christie Balch
Monday June 11, 2018, 6:30-8:00pm // Johnson C. Smith University // Charlotte, NC

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About Equity at the Table Speaker Series

In early 2018, the Come to the Table program launched the Equity at the Table Speaker Series. The series is designed for people who are working at the intersection of equity and food security and for those with the desire to think more critically about equity in their work and volunteerism. The series will consist of lectures, workshops and events addressing topics relevant to our work. We invite people of faith, farmers, activists, and journalists to attend and share their perspectives.