Our Mission
The mission of the Prince George’s County Food Equity Council (FEC) is to significantly improve public health and community well-being of all who live, work, study, worship and play in the county. We develop and support policies, approaches, procedures, practices, and initiatives that create systemic change to the local food system. Our efforts include promoting health, economic opportunity, food security, and well-being within communities that have been negatively impacted by the current food system.
Our Vision
Our vision is that every resident in Prince George’s County, regardless of their race, class, or zipcode, can easily access healthy, affordable, culturally-appropriate, and locally-produced foods. We envision food workers, wherever they work, whether on farms, in restaurants, or in stores, can expect safe working conditions and living wages. Finally, growers that supply our residents with locally grown food should be able to stay on their land and access profitable markets of multiple scales.
Our Story
The Prince George’s County Food Equity Council (FEC) developed out of the Port Towns Community Health Partnership, a collaboration of community residents, organizations and funders, all working together to support healthy living in the Port Towns of Prince George’s County. From January 2013 through September 2013, a task force was charged with developing guidelines for the structure and function of a food policy council.
The task force was chaired by Maryland Hunger Solutions and made up of employees from ECO City Farms, the Institute for Public Health Innovation, Maryland Hunger Solutions, Prince George’s County Planning Department, the Prince George’s County Health Department, and Prince George’s County Extension office.
The task force officially named the food policy council the Prince George’s County Food Equity Council, demonstrating Prince George’s County’s leadership in, and commitment to, promoting equity through food system change. In recognition of this commitment, the County Council of Prince George’s County passed a resolution on July 9, 2013, formally endorsing the formation of the FEC.
The FEC officially launched on October 26th, 2013. The FEC is incubated and fiscally sponsored by the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI). The role of IPHI is to ensure that the FEC has the capacity and support it needs to be productive and sustainable and to provide financial and administrative support.
