Local farms also offer health benefits to our community, because they allow people to “make healthy food choices” -a favorite adage among health professionals, served up as an elusive magic bullet cure to obesity and chronic disease. But that good advice isn’t always realistic when so many people in our region and state can’t afford those healthy choices.
The Grand Traverse area has a program dedicated to rescuing usable food from heading to the landfill and supporting families who need food on their table. Food Rescue, a project of Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan, is the bridge that connects surplus and about-to-expire foods from retailers and farmers to food pantries and meal sites.
Groundwork is partnering with the Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNWM) on a Building Healthy Communities program to make healthier food choices easier to make and ultimately impact our communities by reducing the incidence of chronic disease.