Food justice is a holistic and structural view of the food system that sees healthy food as a human right and addresses structural barriers to that right. At GBCFC, we hold food sovereignty at the center of food Justice. Food sovereignty is a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution. This stands in contrast to the present corporate food regime, in which corporations and market institutions control the global food system. Food sovereignty emphasizes local food economies, sustainable food availability, and centers on culturally appropriate foods and practices.
The higher cost of producing food in socially & environmentally regenerative ways, without help from government subsidies that support corporate agribusinesses, places wholesome, nutrient-dense foods out of reach for many in our community. Round Up for Food Justice aims to address this problem by supporting educational programs and organizations that are working to address food injustice.
Roughly 15 percent of residents in northern Nevada are food insecure, meaning that they do not always have access to adequate nutrition. Of northern Nevada residents who qualify for federal food programs, 59 percent are food insecure.
Food insecure households often face difficult financial choices that may force them to go without meals or buy cheaper processed foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients. Hunger and poor nutrition can lead to health problems that cost individuals and our community more in the long run.
Round UP for Food Justice reflects one of the Co-op's 7 Cooperative Principles — 'concern for community' and helps us to fulfill our mission of making healthy, nutritious food available to all. To donate, tell your cashier that you want to round up your change for food justice when you checkout.
Co-op shoppers have the option of rounding up to their change to the nearest dollar at the cash register after each purchase to make a donation to the program. This creates a pool of funds that is then distributed to individuals, organizations, agricultural start-ups, and others who are working to improve access to wholesome, nutritious food. Our 2024 Round Up recipient is Soulful Seeds, a notable non-profit growing connection and resiliency through neighborhood gardens and addressing food insecurity in our region. Read more about Soulful Seeds below. Applications will open again soon for the 2025 applicants.
Soulful Seeds is the Round Up beneficiary for 2024. This local nonprofit provides fresh, healthy food to community members in need through neighborhood gardens. Founded in 2018 by Earstin and Dee Schafer-Whitten, Soulful Seeds operates two gardens that bring nutrient dense foods to the neighborhoods in our community that need it most. The gardens allow Soulful Seeds to provide neighbors with healthy food at no cost, education around food preservation and wellness, and host workforce development opportunities that improve employment opportunities for neighbors. The agency’s largest project is a 3-acre urban garden located on the Our Place Campus, which offers transitional housing to 350 unhoused women and their children each night.
Round Up funds offer Soulful Seeds a predictable revenue source that allows them to responsibly budget and plan programs.
One of our very 1st programs was the Round Up Nutrition and Cooking Course. Beginning the summer of 2016, Round Up launched its first ever 6 week nutrition and cooking course aimed at providing information and resources to folks in need. The courses covered everything from choosing and properly preparing whole grains organic fruits and vegetables, the benefits of grass-fed & pastured meat and dairy over their factory raised counterparts and so much more!
Each course aimed at preparing nutritious meals in a situation where a full kitchen might not be available. We taught folks to use rice cookers, toaster ovens, and portable hot plates to demonstrate how delicious, nutrient dense, affordable meals can be prepared just about anywhere.
OPEN DAILY 7:30AM — 9PM
OPEN DAILY 7:30AM — 9PM
OPEN DAILY 7:30AM — 9PM
OPEN DAILY 7:30AM — 9PM
