Word Soup: Defining Food Link’s Work

 
 

Like a warm pot of soup, Food Link brings people together and nourishes communities. However, just like you can’t cook a soup without knowing the ingredients, recognizing the words and definitions behind our work is vital to understanding what we do at Food Link.

In this blog post, join our admin assistant Darcy in analyzing thirteen terms and phrases that will clarify what food systems are and how Food Link operates. 

 

Image Description: A light cognac banner that reads “F is for Food Systems” in orange. The text is shadowed and curves downward and then upward. Underneath the text on the left is a pot of soup with steam billowing from it toward the center of the image.

 

So what are “food systems”? According to the USDA, food systems are “complex networks that include all the inputs and outputs associated with agricultural and food production and consumption.” It can be easy to assume that food goes from the farm to your bowl in a “simple, linear chain,” but by examining this process as a layered network of economic, political, social, and environmental factors, we can more directly engage with the complexity that exists (USDA).

 

Image Description: Photo of staff members Shannon and Khadejeh posing together in a garden while holding fresh produce.

 

Our food system today is impacted by the legacy of the United States’ forced removal of Indigenous people from their lands, the enslavement of Africans and African Americans, and the exploitation of Asian and Mexican immigrant farm workers (Food Print). These racial inequities persist today, such as how BIPOC and multiracial residents in Massachusetts account for “32.4% of the state’s population, but 48.8% of its population living in low-income/low-access (LILA) census tracts” (MA Food System Collaborative). 

Food justice was borne out of the need to address these inequities within the food system through a holistic lens that acknowledges histories of oppression and discrimination. During the 1960s, the Black Panther Party fed 20,000 children through their free community breakfasts. Additionally, Filipino and Mexican agricultural workers allied to form the United Farm Workers.

More recently, the global peasants organization La Via Campesina coined food sovereignty to emphasize “people’s right to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.” Food sovereignty has particular importance to Indigenous people as they reclaim their traditional pathways of food production and consumption. Recognizing these histories and movements is vital to understanding current food system issues and food justice initiatives (Food Print).

 

Image Description: Black Panther Party poster advertising that “10,000 free bags of groceries (with chickens in every bag) will be given away free March 29, 30, and 31, 1972 at the Black Community Survival Conference.” The poster also includes a list of speakers at the conference and images of Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, Ron Dellums, and Ericka Higgins as well as a registration form.

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

 

Once we start looking at food from this broader perspective, we can understand how food production and distribution affect hunger, food insecurity, and food waste. Food insecurity is the “household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food” while hunger is the “individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity” (USDA). As the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative (MAFSC) outlines in their State Brief, the increase of climate change-induced environmental disasters, the inaccessibility of culturally appropriate foods, and the racial, class, and gender inequities in food access all contribute to food insecurity and hunger within the state. 

Food waste, or the “edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumption but is not consumed for any reason,” (USDA) is the most common form of waste in Massachusetts’ landfills according to the MAFSC’s brief. Food waste can occur in the production, storage, and transportation of food, as well as the result of retailers ordering more than they can sell and individuals buying or cooking more than they need (USDA).

 

Image Description: An olive green banner that reads “Food Link’s Role in the Food System” in orange. The text is shadowed and curves downward and then upward. Steam billows in from the left of the image and underneath the text on the right is an illustration of an open empty banana box.

 

Food Link tackles both food insecurity and waste through food rescue, or the practice of collecting fresh, edible food that would have otherwise gone to waste and distributing it to local social service agencies. While Food Link does donate and store food, we are not a food pantry or food bank. 

Food pantries act as distribution centers where families and individuals can receive food and food banks store food for distribution (Feeding America). In contrast, Food Link does not directly distribute food to families and individuals and we do not exclusively store food. Rather, we deliver directly to our recipient agencies and we prioritize fresh food, meaning we move food quicker than most food banks.

 

Image Description: Photo of ops staff Alex and Emma receiving food donations from the Boston Area Gleaners. The Gleaners’ truck and Food Link’s are parked end-to-end with a platform extending between the two. A man stands on the platform beside a pallet of food donations.

 

Food Link does not do this work alone. We partner with 116 food donors who provide us with high-quality, fresh food donations that we then sort and customize for our recipient agencies. Our food donors consist of local grocers, schools, cafes, wholesalers, farms, bakeries, restaurants, and more. In 2024, Food Link rescued over 1.6 million pounds of fresh food, equivalent to 1.34 million meals’ worth of food.

 

Image Description: Photo of corporate volunteers from Here Technologies sorting food at the Hub.

 

We distributed this food to 120 recipient agencies including food pantries, schools, afterschool programs, senior centers, low-income housing facilities, communities of worship, veterans centers, and programs for refugees. Within our food rescue program, we prioritize dignity and choice through direct communication with our recipient agencies to ensure that the food we deliver is tailored to each organization’s specific needs. We cultivate relationships with our partners through regular site visits, phone calls, and community events. By distributing rescued food in a way that aligns with our partners’ needs, Food Link aims to build community, decrease waste, and increase access to culturally appropriate foods.

 

Image Description: Photo of food donations being delivered to the Medford Community Cupboard.

 

However, at Food Link, we recognize we need to do more than food rescue to combat food insecurity. That is why advocating for systems change is also part of our mission. In our advocacy, we collaborate with other food justice-oriented organizations to support policy changes around hunger and we amplify the voices of those we serve through our Food Justice Platform. Last year, we shared the Zero Food Waste Coalition’s open letter to Congress to reauthorize the Farm Bill, participated in five local and national coalitions, and began the development of a Program Committee that elevates the voices of people with lived experience with food insecurity. Through food rescue and systems change advocacy, Food Link combats food insecurity and waste at both the ground and systemic levels.

 

Image Description: Photo of Food Link Executive Director Rachel Albert speaking at the Spring 2023 Food Justice Panel. Congresswoman Katherine Clark sits on the far right alongside other representatives on a platform behind the speaker.

 
 

Image Description: A light peach banner that reads “Stirring It All Together” in orange. The text is shadowed and curves upward and then downward. Underneath the text toward the left of the center is a pot of soup with a ladle. Steam rises from the pot and billows off the right side of the image.

 

When isolated, the thirteen terms and phrases we examined today may feel overwhelming, but when we stir them together, we can grapple with the complexity and interconnectivity. By understanding what food systems are, we can engage in food justice and food sovereignty, recognize the inequities contributing to food insecurity and hunger, and acknowledge the factors contributing to food waste. Furthermore, we can comprehend why Food Link rescues food and how our work differs from a food pantry or a food bank. We can also appreciate how Food Link’s collaboration with food donors and recipient agencies emphasizes dignity and choice and the necessity of systems change advocacy to combat food insecurity and waste.

So how can you stay updated on important food system issues? We have listed a few of our favorite resources below!

If you’re in need of food access assistance, check out these local resources:

Let’s work together to create a food system where all are nourished!

Is your organization looking to partner with Food Link, too? Learn more about our program and apply to become one of our food donors or community distribution partners! If you are looking for volunteer opportunities, we encourage you to sign up on our Get Involved page. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to be the first to know about all things Food Link.

Shannon Fitzgerald