Creating a Food Secure State: One Community at a Time

Via an ongoing partnership with Oregon Food Bank, members of the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program are conducting local food systems assessments across the State of Oregon.  Each community food assessment offers a detailed look into Oregon’s local and regional food systems.  Described as a “snapshot of the food system”, these assessments utilize a collaborative process to examine a broad range of food related issues and assets.

Five years, 22 counties and 15 assessments later, Oregon Food Bank and RARE AmeriCorps are closing in on their goal of having completed assessments for all of Oregon’s rural counties.  With RARE’s mission focused on increasing the “capacity of rural communities to improve their economic, social, and environmental conditions through the assistance of trained graduate-level participants” we are more than happy to continue to be part of this amazing endeavor; one that allows our participants to have a lasting impact on rural Oregon while gaining vital professional development experience.

As noted in the The State of Our Community Food System “Very few community food assessment efforts have been undertaken in rural America with this kind of grassroots, qualitative, county-by-county approach.”  With support from Oregon Food Bank, our members help change the way people eat, grow, sell and share food, making sure to emphasize community based, holistic, grassroots solutions.  Working with Oregon Food Bank, we are helping to create a food secure state… one community at a time.

Playing an integral role in this endeavor is something we at the RARE AmeriCorps Program are so very proud of.  For more information about the RARE AmeriCorps Program’s wonderful partnership with Oregon Food Bank, [learn more]. To access the results of community food assessments around the State of Oregon, [learn more]

About the Author: Titus Tomlinson is the Program Coordinator at RARE AmeriCorps Program. He served as a RARE AmeriCorps Participant in 2006 and 2009.  Titus earned a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon between his stints as a RARE Participant.  During his free time he enjoys basking in the glory of Oregon via mountain bike, rope or boat.