For the past 17 months, The Food Trust has helped lead an unprecedented citywide effort to reimagine how Philadelphia addresses food and nutrition security.
On June 23, Philadelphia City Council’s Food and Nutrition Security Task Force released its final recommendations at a press conference at City Hall, outlining a roadmap to build a more coordinated, equitable food system for all Philadelphians.
The Food Trust President and CEO Mark Edwards served as co-chair of the Task Force alongside George Matysik, Executive Director of SHARE Food Program. Together, with facilitation support from Just Strategies, they guided a collaborative process that engaged dozens of organizations, healthcare providers, educators, urban agriculture leaders, government agencies and residents with lived experience of food insecurity.
Building a Better Food System
Throughout the process, one message emerged again and again: Philadelphia is home to passionate organizations doing remarkable work, but too often those efforts happen in isolation.
“We heard from home health workers, community health workers and caregivers who spend their own time navigating systems on behalf of the people they serve – not because it’s their job, but because no one else is connecting the dots across the food ecosystem,” Edwards said during the press conference.
The Task Force found that while the city has many effective programs addressing hunger and nutrition, it’s time to build the infrastructure needed to coordinate them. As recent federal cuts to SNAP and nutrition education programs place additional strain on families and community organizations, creating a more connected system has become even more urgent.
Key Recommendations
The report outlines a comprehensive strategy to strengthen Philadelphia’s food system through better coordination, long-term investment and community leadership. Among its recommendations are:
- Establish a permanent Office of Food and Nutrition Security to coordinate food policy and programming across the city.
- Expand enrollment support for SNAP and WIC.
- Develop community-led food access strategies in every City Council district.
- Invest in neighborhood food infrastructure and healthy food retail.
- Expand nutrition education opportunities.
- Advance a coordinated Food as Medicine strategy that connects healthcare with healthy food access.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson announced his commitment to introducing legislation this fall to establish the permanent Office of Food and Nutrition Security, an important next step toward implementing the Task Force’s vision.
Turning Recommendations into Reality
For The Food Trust, these recommendations reflect more than three decades of experience helping communities improve access to healthy food.
“Our work has always shown that access, affordability and education must work together to create lasting change,” Edwards said. “A permanent coordinating structure is the backbone that will allow every organization and community leader to work more effectively.”
A more connected food system means practical improvements for Philadelphia families: a parent can enroll in SNAP and connect with WIC during the same visit, a neighborhood corner store has the support to offer fresh produce year-round, and a senior can fill a produce prescription close to home.
These recommendations provide a blueprint for making nutritious food more accessible, more affordable and more connected to health across Philadelphia.
The Food Trust is proud to have helped lead this effort and looks forward to working alongside City Council, the Parker Administration and community partners to turn these recommendations into action.
Read the full Food and Nutrition Security Task Force report here.