2nd Annual Non-Perishable Food Item Pageant

Grow Food, Grow Hope is happy to announce their 2nd Annual Non-Perishable Food Item Pageant to take place March 3rd at 9:09pm in the Top of Pyle.  

The NPFI Pageant is a food drive with a royal twist: non-perishable food items are counted as votes for the nominee of your choice.  This year's nominees are: 

Kali Wilt-Fruit Cocktail Princess 
Isaac Garrison-Mac & Cheese Prince 
Sigrid Solomon-Soup Princess 
Brooke Achtermann-Bean Princess 
Kyle Maust-Tomato Prince 
Scott Johnson-Chili Prince 
Mary Rose Zink-Peas & Carrots Princess 
Quatez Scott-Tuna Prince 
Joni Streber-Potato Princess 
Megan McDonough-Peaches, Pears & Pineapple Princess 

To vote for your favorite nominee, simply drop off the non-perishable food item they represent in the barrel in Pyle Center or at the Center for Service & Civic Engagement.  The nominee with the most non-perishable food items donated will be crowned our next NPFI King or Queen during the pageant on March 3rd.

If you have questions, please contact Grow Food, Grow Hope at 937-382-6661 ext 306.

Good luck to our nominees and don't forget to donate!

SOCHE Talks Feature GFGH

A special thanks to Chris Burns-Dibiasio, Wilmington College's Director of Community Relations, who discussed Grow Food, Grow Hope on Southwest Ohio's Council on Higher Education.  The SOCHE Talks program is designed to enlighten the world with knowledge from primarily institutions of higher education in southwest Ohio. Inspired by the TED Talks, each episode is approximately 10 to 15 minutes in length on a unique topic that reflects the wealth and diversity of knowledge emanating from the region's numerous colleges and universities.


To view Chris Burns-Dibiasio's SOCHE Talk please see the SOCHE TV website or listen on SOCHE Talk's partner 91.3 WYSO radio.  


To view more videos about Grow Food, Grow Hope see our comprehensive list in our News Archive.  

January/February Newsletter Now Available!

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Fresh Network Continues

On Thursday, January 27^th, over sixty local food producers, grocers, business owners, chefs, academics, and concerned consumers gathered as the united “Clinton County Fresh Network” to discuss the future of our local food economy.

Established in 2009, the Fresh Network aims to create a viable and sustainable local food system with direct links between local farmers, food sellers, and consumers. In its first full year of existence, the Fresh Network focused on making these vital connections and sharing local product information on their website – www.ccfreshnetwork.com. As the Network moves forward, we need to collectively develop tangible strategies – a roadmap – that will bring our vision of a strong and sustainable local food economy into action.

At the January 27^th meeting, Fresh Network participants began the groundwork for this roadmap by discussing three initial questions: how do we create a viable and sustainable local food economy, how do we make small farms successful, and how do we increase market access for local food producers in southwest Ohio.

The unique perspectives shared in this discussion are essential to the Fresh Network, as every idea can help form the direction and necessary steps towards developing a strong local food economy. A report on the ideas that arose from this meeting is being compiled and will be shared with the public on the Fresh Network website. This report will also determine the topic of the next Fresh Network meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, February 23^rd, in the Mason Center in Kettering Hall at Wilmington College. The meeting will run from 6:30 – 8:00 pm and is open to the public (RSVP preferred).

For questions, more information, or to become involved with the Clinton County Fresh Network, please contact Dessie Buchanan at 937-382-6661 x 488 or dessie@clintoncountyfarmersmarket.com. The Fresh Network is a collaborative effort of the Clinton County Commissioners, Wilmington College, Grow Food Grow Hope, the OSU Extension Services of Clinton County, the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT), and the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission.

To read more about February's first meeting please see the Wilmington News Journal's article "Planning the future of local food."

For more of Grow Food, Grow Hope "In the News" please see our News Archive.