Erbin Crowell, Executive Director
2012 will be an immense opportunity for our food co-ops to tell our story. The United Nations’ International Year of Co-ops is an unprecedented occasion for us to communicate our difference and present our vision for a healthy, just and sustainable food system, rooted in co-operation.
In September the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA), a network of 30 existing and start-up food co-ops in New England, invited Steve Alves to present scenes from his upcoming documentary, Food For Change, and to discuss the scope of this ambitious project. It is clear that this film will be a powerful tool in helping us tell the story of co-operation in an entertaining and engaging manner. Food For Change combines our past-both our successes and set backs-with our present and vision for the future.
People are hungry for economic alternatives in our country. The interest in building vibrant local and regional food systems continues to grow. And in 2012, the United Nations will be casting a bright light on our co-ops as successful models for social development, employment generation and food security. In order to take advantage of this unique moment in history, we will need to be ready to tell our story in as many powerful ways as we can.
Food For Change is heading down the road to completion but is in need of more funds. Unless the remaining budget of $140,000 is raised, it will not be ready for 2012. This is a rare occasion for co-ops and we urgently ask you to seize the opportunity to bring this project to fruition in whatever ways that you can. It would indeed be a missed opportunity not to release Food For Change in 2012 IYC.
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“Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can’t taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie.”
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