THE VISION
Why a youth engagement toolkit for the
Good Food Purchasing Program?
Across the country, communities are dreaming big and working hard for good food. From
food policy councils to sustainability programs, community gardens to shared kitchens, the
way we think and organize about making our food system better is changing, growing, and
picking up pace.
Some of the most exciting movements advancing this vision are holistic, values-based,
and genuinely representative of the people they impact. Holistic because we can’t solve
these complex issues from one side: we need to account for the layers of interactions in our
food system and make shifts that will benefit the whole system and everyone in it. Values-
based because values are our north star: we’re seeing the world as it could be, not just what
is practical or possible in the short term. And representative because too often decisions,
policies, and practices are set by small groups of people in positions of power. Movements
that are built from diverse perspectives and experiences are not only stronger, but smarter.
When people bring relevant ideas and insights from their day to day reality, we can see what
needs more attention, where the opportunities are, and how to chart the best path forward.
We see this in families, in community projects, and in politics. The same is true for our food
system.
One of the reasons the Good Food Purchasing Program is gaining so much momentum is that
it is set up to address all these aspects: it’s a holistic, values-based, representative approach
to changing our food system by changing how we buy food. Here’s how:
The Good Food Purchasing Program puts five values front and center of purchasing decisions:
a valued workforce, strong local economies, animal welfare, environmental sustainability,
and nutrition. These values lay the groundwork for this holistic approach while stoking our
imagination about how the food system truly could be. The Good Food Purchasing Program
advocates for a food system that is good for our planet, treats workers and animals fairly,
nourishes us with healthy food, and builds up local economies in the process. Sound good
so far?
It’s based on the idea that we can make big and sweeping changes all across our food system
by shifting dollars spent on food by public institutions: think hospitals, universities, school
districts, and prisons—and in some cases, even entire cities. It offers a guide and goals on
how these institutions can make shifts that impact all these values, which institutions then use
2