(Part Two) Path to Plate - Community-Led Innovation with FoodShare's Paul Taylor

54Lights

In Part Two of our interview with FoodShare's Executive Director Paul Taylor, 54Lights podcast asks our guest to help explain the impetus and strategy of FoodShare. In his profoundly thoughtful responses, Paul Taylor takes us through the food system and how communities can find agency for advancement through food. Far from the only lever, food has a way of empowering and feeding (pardon the pun) the disadvantaged in a way that empowers. And while that provides some measure of support, Paul unpacks how the broader system, and forces well beyond their influence, inform and impact lives.

From converting local spaces to cultivating places where low-income peoples can build and experience health relationships around food. Our discussion went from understanding the need to create intervening initiatives, centred around food insecurity and systems, to the ingenuity it takes to develop groundbreaking ideas that work.

Throughout the conversation, it became apparent that the secret sauce for launching ideas that have sustainable impact, stem from cultivating community-led ideas. Instead of designing ideas for the community, FoodShare is invested in designing ideas with the community.

Among FoodShare's community-led initiatives are;

• Good Food Markets
• Community Kitchens
• Workshops

One of the greatest insights was the state's complicity and accountability with respect to food security and access....which FoodShare puts on politicians as well as businesses that have "grown their profits on the backs of low-wage workers".

FoodShare is a community-led organization whose work centres around disrupting the food system - in a way that will make good healthy food accessible for all. Find and follow FoodShare and all its initiatives at foodshare.net

Find and follow Paul Taylor at paultaylorto.com

NOTE: This episode is the second part of a 2-Part interview with our guest.