April 19 Environmental Lobby Day Needs You
Plus, a reminder about The Evolved Network's 4/18 dinner ... & Just Food Initative jobs
Sign Up for Environmental Lobby Day on April 19
We are all about sustainable agriculture at Local Food Forum, so I’m happy to share information about the 2023 Environmental Lobby Day that takes place on Wednesday, April 19 in the state capital of Springfield.
This important event, produced by Illinois Environmental Council, is returning for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A coalition of sustainable food organizations, including Illinois Stewardship Alliance and Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC), are participating in Environmental Lobby Day.
Stef Funk, CFPAC’s civic engagement manager, shared the following about why an organization focused heavily on food justice issues is engaged in the Lobby Day.
"Why is CFPAC participating in an event that isn't focused on food?
Industrial agriculture is one of the leading drivers of climate change, producing a massive amount of greenhouse gases from farm to truck to grocery store to trash can (that sneaky methane!).
We all know that it doesn't have to be that way! Regenerative, small-scale growers are NOT a part of this problem, however our policies, subsidies, and priorities often encourage farms to adopt practices that hurt the environment.
The environmental movement and the food justice movement are intrinsically tied, and they're both stronger when we work together! We hope you'll consider joining us, so we can all learn more from our environmental justice and climate action partners!
[Note: Wednesday’s issue of Local Food Forum will feature an essay by Stef about last month’s Farmers for Climate Action Rally for Resilience, which she attended in Washington, D.C.]
Click below to register to participate in Environmental Lobby Day.
Reminder: 4/18 Evolved Network Dinner at Demera
A heads up that The Evolved Network’s next fundraising dinner is two weeks from today (Tuesday, April 18) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Demera Ethiopian Restaurant (4801 N. Broadway) in the Uptown neighborhood. And this latest in Chicago’s tastiest series of charitable events — aimed at helping underprivileged youth — features an all-star team of chefs.
Sebastian White, founder/CEO of The Evolved Network, is collaborating on the menu (see graphic below) with Chefs Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Cafe and Tigist Reda, chef/owner of Demera. Pastry Chef Casey Doody of GT Prime will create the evening’s dessert.
At the bottom of the menu, you’ll find the local farms from which ingredients are being sourced for the dinner.
The Evolved Network is currently providing cooking lessons and food education in several Chicago schools, while raising money to meet Sebastian’s goal of creating a holistic program that provides underprivileged youths with restaurant, urban farming and business skills while providing them access to therapeutic services as needed.
Sebastian is a clinical psychologist who previously worked in a gang diversion program, and is a mostly self-taught cook. He has prospered from the support and mentorship of Sarah Stegner, who is mentioned often in Local Food Forum as one of the co-founders of the Chicago Chefs Cook fundraiser tasting events.
That program also connected Sebastian with Tigist Reda, who was the inspiration for the Chicago Chefs Cook for Tigray event held last September. (Tigist is a native of Tigray, where a civil war against the Ethiopian government resulted in a humanitarian crisis).
I have enormous respect for Sebastian’s vision for The Evolved Network, which is why I’ve featured the non-profit so often in Local Food Forum over the past six months. And having attended several of these dinners, I can vouch that you’ll enjoy one of your best meals this year if you attend on April 18.
Click the button below to get tickets for the event.
Just Food Initiative of the Fox Valley is Hiring
Just Food Initiative of the Fox Valley is an organization that works to empower people — especially those facing food insecurity — to obtain greater access to healthy food in Chicago’s southwest suburbs. And Just Food Initiative, based in Batavia, currently has three job openings for people who want to help fulfill their mission.
For more information about the jobs or to schedule an interview, call Grace at (331) 302-8498.
COORDINATOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS (Permanent part-time)
Enjoyable growth opportunity plus meaningful leadership in local, growing not-for-profit organization that addresses issues of food injustice, especially for the economically poor. Develop new and maintain established relationships with local businesses and legislators, network, solicit donations and advertising, work with local print media. Support and be involved in all other JFI programs — farmers' markets, health fairs, environmental fairs, sustainability efforts, and the like.
Candidate must be friendly, hospitable, outgoing in working with people, plus equally capable of solitary work… be willing to work amiably with the Fox Valley community's diversities and challenges… be a creative thinker, yet able to follow JFI policies and function effectively with minimal supervision… own reliable computer, maintain dedicated at-home work space, be highly organized and self-motivated… know how to coordinate with others, especially business and organizational leaders, for maximum results… be interested in expanding up-to-date knowledge of nutrition, agribusiness, environmental justice issues… be creative, resilient, persevering, committed… be capable of working as part of a TEAM, with STRONG INTER-TEAM COMMUNICATION… be reliably available 6 times / year for Saturday staff meetings.
Knowledge of and dedication to food injustice issues a plus. Bilingual ability an enormous plus. Work is at home, in Batavia common office, in the community. Local travel required.
FARMERS' MARKET MANAGER (Permanent part-time)
Enjoyable growth opportunity plus meaningful leadership in local, growing not-for-profit organization that addresses issues of food injustice, especially for the economically poor. Coordinate all aspects of new Aurora farmers' market during June, July, August, train and plan during other months. Solicit sponsors, vendors, speakers, volunteers. Physically set up on one to three market Sundays.
Candidate must be friendly, hospitable, outgoing in working with people, plus equally capable of solitary work… be willing to work amiably with the Fox Valley community's diversities and challenges… be knowledgeable about nutrition, agribusiness, environmental justice issues or willing to learn… be committed, persevering, totally on-site before, during, and after the three markets… be able to follow JFI policies and function effectively with minimal supervision… own reliable computer, maintain dedicated at-home work space, be highly organized and self-motivated… know how to coordinate with others — vendors, speakers, volunteers — for maximum results… possess basic computer skills —Word and Excel — and internet skills… be capable of working as part of a TEAM, with STRONG INTER-TEAM COMMUNICATION… be reliably available 6 times / year for Saturday staff meetings, plus training and admin meetings as needed.
Knowledge of and dedication to food injustice issues a plus. Bilingual ability an enormous plus. Work is at home, in Batavia common office, in the community. Local travel required.
TEACHER-ADVISOR OF YOUNG BLACK AGRI-PRENEURS PROJECT (Permanent part-time)
Enjoyable growth opportunity plus meaningful leadership in local, growing not-for-profit organization that addresses issues of food injustice, especially for the economically poor. Write lesson plans for youth in grades 5 through 10 -- for beginning program in growing food for self and for future Black entrepreneurship. Organize classes. Teach some classes. Assist with mentoring of food growing.
Candidate must sincerely enjoy working with children and teens… be experienced in writing lesson plans -- clear, precise, with appropriate background information… be willing to work amiably with the Fox Valley community's diversities and challenges… be able to follow JFI policies and function effectively with minimal supervision… be interested in expanding up-to-date knowledge of nutrition, agribusiness, environmental justice, biology… own reliable computer, maintain dedicated at-home work space, be highly organized and self-motivated… be creative, resilient, persevering, committed… be capable of working as part of a TEAM, with STRONG INTER-TEAM COMMUNICATION… be reliably available 6 times / year for Saturday staff meetings… be available 5 hours / week for planning and administration, plus for Saturday classes in spring.
Knowledge of and dedication to food injustice issues an enormous plus. Experience in growing food an expectation. Work at home, in the community, mostly in growing seasons. Local travel required.
Thank you for highlighting The Evolved Network. My son Sebastian is working unselfishly to promote the holistic needs of underserved children and the need for nutritional diets for these persons. His immeasurable love for what he does illuminates in his creations and his therapy and outreach to children and youth. I'm extremely proud of the work that he is doing.