The Rotary Club of Clinton teamed up with local organizations and food pantries to create sustainable solutions for people facing food insecurity.
The Food Security Summit met on March 27th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clinton Community College Career Advancement Center. The summit had two workshops where attendees learned about the barriers and worked on solutions.
Rotary Club President Carrie Donaire explains the summit’s importance. “Most of these organizations are working on many different issues, so being able to focus specifically on hunger and food insecurity is just making sure that that issue gets the spotlight for a day and that we really work creatively and work together.”
Some of the organizations present at the summit were Clinton County Public Health, the Lost Nation Food Pantry, the Clinton Public Library, and the Clinton Community College Culinary Program.
Keynote Speaker Emily Webb, a technology transactions attorney, shared her experience combating food insecurity. She has worked with nonprofit organizations and served as president of the Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network Board.
The Clinton community has already begun to see an increase in donations and information referrals. Initiatives are forming more corporate relationships and creating different gardens within schools, along Clinton’s riverbank, and inside growing labs.
Donaire says this summit is just the start. “When I had the idea for this project, I thought the event would be the culmination of everything and really sort of tie a bow on it and get everyone together. And now I’m looking at it through a different lens because I see it as a beginning. And I think this summit is kicking off what is going to be an important sustainable initiative for Clinton and for our community.”
She plans to personally continue the network by hosting quarterly meetings with the involved organizations.
Participants were encouraged to bring their own resources on food and education, which were later available online after the summit. Individuals brought pamphlets on nutrition and healthy food shopping.
This network will keep in contact for the next two years about addressing food insecurity in Clinton.
The Rotary Club is an organization that focuses on helping the community. The Clinton Rotary Club has several ongoing projects, including economic development, literacy development, and maternal and child health.
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