New non-profit to focus on food security for SE Michigan

The Fair Food Foundation has set up shop in Ann Arbor, with the ultimate goal of making fresh, locally-grown produce available to all residents of southeast Michigan.

Excerpt:

Eventually, foundation officials plan to buy and operate an organic farm in the Ann Arbor area and run the organization from an office in Detroit, [acting president and CEO Oran] Hesterman said.

An unidentified Michigan family is funding the private foundation, which is expected to be the largest private non-profit in the country whose sole focus is on a sustainable and equitable food system, Hesterman said.

Hesterman said the food system serves people who have the ability to pay for the food where it shows up: stores, farmers markets or restaurants.

"We will focus on the urban and rural food systems so people will have greater access to healthy, local, fresh food," said Nicole de Beaufort, acting director of communications for the foundation. "... For a lot of kids growing up in these areas, they go to the gas station for their food. There's no fresh food there, just plenty of Cheetos."

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