Our Mission
The Prince George’s County Food Equity Council (FEC) mission is to significantly improve the 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 in the local food system. Our efforts include promoting health, economic opportunity, food security, and well-being within communities that the current food has negatively impacted.
Our Vision
Our vision is that every resident in Prince George’s County, regardless of race, class, or zip code, can easily access healthy, affordable, culturally-appropriate, and locally produced foods. All food workers, whether they work on farms, in restaurants, or in stores, can expect safe working conditions and living wages. Finally, growers that supply residents with locally grown food will stay on their land and access profitable markets of multiple scales.
Our Story
The Prince George’s County Food Equity Council (FEC) was developed out of the Port Towns Community Health Partnership. The partnership was 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 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 leadership and commitment to promoting equity through food system change. In recognition of this commitment, the Prince George’s County Council passed a resolution on July 9, 2013, to formally endorse formation of the FEC.
The FEC officially launched on October 26, 2013. The FEC was incubated and is administratively sponsored by the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI). IPHI’s role is to ensure that the FEC has the capacity and support to be productive and sustainable. As an IPHI initiative, IPHI provides financial and administrative support.
