The West Virginia Center for Resilient Communities and the WVU Family Nutrition Program have collaborated to launch the fourth major update of WV FOODLINK ( https://foodlink.wvu.edu/ ) .
Since 2015, the resource hosted by West Virginia University has democratized knowledge about West Virginia’s food system, particularly the vital nutrition assistance programs that keep food on the table for one fifth of Mountaineers.
A participatory action research process funded by an Eberly College Community Engagement grant birthed the project in 2013, and the initiative has been anchored through yearly funding from the federal SNAP Ed program. Since 2016, other supporters have included the Benedum Foundation, the Sisters Health Foundation, The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, the Bernard McDonough Foundation, Mazon and the From Now On Fund.
The website is instrumental in providing data to communities engaging in short, medium and long-term food access planning through the Nourishing Networks curriculum. It’s also a central place to find information for grant writing, and a resource for people across the Mountain State organizing for local, state and federal policies that provide more control over our food and farm systems, while ensuring the dignity of those of us who continue to struggle with access to nutritious foods.
In light of looming cuts to vital nutrition assistance programs, many of the partners that make WV FOODLINK possible are facing untenable demands on their community food security programs. The proposed elimination of the SNAP-Ed program in particular would create a huge vacuum in the energy driving collaboration and innovation across West Virginia’s food and nutrition landscape.
The WVU Family Nutrition Program manages SNAP Ed in West Virginia, and is at risk of losing $4.2 million at the end of September.. This would mean 45 nutrition extension agents across the state lose their jobs, and popular programs like Kids Market at the Store, Grow This! WV and SNAP Stretch can no longer operate. SNAP-Ed’s mission is increasing access to fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and ensuring the vitality of West Virginia’s food and farm systems and nutrition education in K-12 schools across the state. Data and analysis from WV FOODLINK clearly indicates that there are some deep contradictions in having fewer resources for that work here.
“WV FOODLINK is more than a website, it is a collective effort in bringing people, organizations and state agencies together” says Joshua Lohnes, Research Assistant Professor in the department of Geology and Geography. “It’s made possible through collaboration, including data sharing from state nutrition programs, local non-profits, emergency food organizations and our WVU Extension nutrition educators working to improve food environments across the state. Dozens of undergraduate and graduate students have also collaborated on this project over the past decade and used it as the basis for their research. It would be a shame to lose a key partner for this work in SNAP Ed”.