Groundwork is pleased to welcome Meghan McDermott to the staff as a food and farming policy specialist. Meghan, who was previously a FoodCorps service member hosted by Groundwork, will co-manage the organizations’ farm to school program.

As a passionate and enthusiastic supporter of efforts to change the global food system, Meghan found her footing in the local food movement through her academic studies and extracurricular activities at Vassar College in upstate New York. She co-founded a campus chapter of Slow Food USA and developed an independent major in food and sustainability studies, setting out to get her hands dirty and dive headfirst into the American food system.

After working in cities, fields, eco-education centers and butcher shops, she concluded that the key to the success of the local food movement lies in those that have the most to lose: the next generation.

During two years as a FoodCorps service member with the Groundwork Center, the Chicago native engaged community partners to bring more local food to schools and collaborated with teachers to integrate farm to school lessons into their curriculum. In her position at Groundwork, McDermott will be managing our FoodCorps program, promoting community food security, strengthening regional partnerships and finding more ways to connect classrooms, cafeterias and communities. 

You can reach Meghan at meghan@groundworkcenter.org.