Foodlink fills its community with more than food.
Foodlink is proud to call itself one of the oldest food banks in the country, but it’s the organization’s forward thinking that sets it apart from similar nonprofits. “Rather than just handing out food, which we do as well, we try to look at root cause issues, basic food literacy skills that some folks lack,” shares Mark Dwyer, director of marketing and communications at Foodlink. “We can empower people with those skills and knowledge. Foodlink has been food banking for 45 years, but it’s in the last 10 to 15 years where I think Foodlink has hit its mark nationally in terms of the innovations that we’ve done and are developing.” Some of those innovations include their pop-up pantries as well as their community farm, a 1.3 acre space where 65–70 families can grow their own food. “We’ve also just purchased four adjacent parcels of land, and the building next door to the farm,” adds Dwyer. “We see this as being a really great destination for school field trips in the future.”
Much of the work Foodlink does focuses on bringing heathy food to communities that traditionally lack access. These communities without grocery stores were the inspiration for Foodlink’s mobile and curbside markets. “The popular term is ‘food deserts’ but I like to say ‘food swamps’ because it’s not a lack of food, it’s a lack of healthy food,” Dwyer explains. “There are local convenience stores that don’t have the capacity to sell healthy food. But they’re walkable so that’s who a lot of families were relying on. The curbside market was launched 10 years ago to combat the issue of food access and make sure healthy food is available to as many people as possible in the Rochester area.”
The innovative programs don’t stop there. Dwyer shares that the beginning of his journey with Foodlink lined up with the birth of the Foodlink Career Fellowship program eight years ago. “I’ve seen this program develop from pretty much the idea phase all the way through class number eight. It’s a career highlight for me,” he says. The Foodlink Career Fellowship, which the McGowan Fund has supported since its inception, offers up to 13 participants a year the chance to join a culinary training program which often results in a solid employment opportunity. The individuals selected for the program have all have had barriers to sustainable employment, but they also share strong passion for food and a passion for cooking. They all want to someday open a food truck or open a restaurant one day. Their dreams are big and Foodlink helps them to get closer to achieving those dreams than they likely ever thought possible
“These are people who really want to be trained as chefs,” Dwyer explains. “We’ve got a pretty sophisticated commercial kitchen as part of food deck operations and because there’s such a substantial need here for healthy food for kids, the fellows also get hands-on training while helping Rochester children. It’s a double win when you think about all of the individuals who benefit.”
After nine months of hands-on training, Foodlink Career Fellows move into the internship phase of the program and partner with a grocery chain like Wegmans or with local restaurant groups, or even universities that have dining services. “It’s not just cooking, we’re a workforce development program,” adds Dwyer. “Our program participants are learning from these employer partners what the ideal employee looks and behaves like, as well as what type of training they might need to not only get a job, but a job that will have upward mobility, especially if they hope to become an executive chef someday.”
Multiple times per year, Foodlink Career Fellows have small graduations called “moving up ceremonies” as well as a final ceremony before they leave for their internships, where they reflect on their time at Foodlink. “There’s always a lot of gratitude, lots of tears, lots of stories. We all gather, and we hear how our fellows’ journeys began, and listen as they share their hopes for the future. Hands down, it’s one of the biggest feel good moments for a lot of us here no matter what you do at Foodlink,” Dwyer shares.
Foodlink’s mission has always been about building healthier communities and creating a more nourished and prosperous region, and as the organization continues to grow and add new initiatives, so will the number of people they help. This means that for the people of Rochester there will more full bellies, more access to nutrition education, more opportunity, and many more feel good moments.