Our Goals

  • Connect consumers to affordable, healthy, local, and sustainable food through communication, education, and increased access.

  • Support the production, processing, and distribution of Maine food and the needs of food system workers.

  • Strengthen the local food system by building a resilient and connected food system network.

We accomplish these goals through creating and facilitating programs, providing resources, and networking.

Our Values

COLLABORATION - EQUITY - COMMUNITY

Programs

MFC convenes partners to address needs within the food system through collaborative and community-based approaches. Wherever possible, we support partners building on existing programs. When needed, MFC evaluates its capacity to coordinate pilot programs. Some programs have spun off to be led by partner organizations within a matter of months. Others, like the Merrymeeting Gleaners, have been nurtured by MFC for several years. On-going programs, like our Roundtable Program and Farm Skills Training Program will continue as long as they are filling a community need.

Resources

MFC seeks to support individuals, businesses and community partners through compilation of information and existing resources.

Some recent examples creating include:

Food Access Resources

  • Know Your Veggies - a booklet with pictures, storage information and recipes for 50 types of locally gleaned produce

  • Community Nutrition Resource Guides - food access resource created for each of the 14 towns in our service area and now maintained by Access Health

  • Seafood Information Cards - with recipes and information about several types of Maine seafood

  • Information about the many area farmers’ markets & local CSAs and CSFs (shared in Spring and Fall through our newsletter and social media)

Home/Community Garden Resources

  • Grow Your Own - compilation of resources from MFC and statewide partners to help you get started or improve your home or community garden plot.

  • Community Garden Toolkit - compilation of resources from statewide partners to support community gardens

Network

The potential of any network depends on both strong and weak ties. MFC has been building our connections throughout the local and statewide food system. We support work that is rooted in our communities, and informed by ideas from elsewhere. MFC seeks to be a trusted resource in the community: connecting organizations and individuals with existing efforts; bringing partners together to identify, test, and implement food system solutions; and together building an equitable and just food system.

This collaborative work is enabled by our funders and the essential support of our two fiscal sponsors who: house MFC staff, manage contract staff, manage grant and donated funds, and are key leadership members and founders of the Council. Thank you Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and Kennebec Estuary Land Trust!