For Immediate Release July 24, 2013
Contact:
Sarah Irvin Clark, 614.296.4057 Sarah@IrvinPR.com Michele Mooney, 614.620.1507 Michele@IrvinPR.com
5th Annual Local Foods Week August 10-18
Columbus Festivities Offer Bountiful Ways to Celebrate our Food System Columbus, Ohio—Local Matters, the Central Ohio organization working to inspire action because food impacts the quality of our health, our land and our communities, presents a celebration of local food and community at the fifth annual Local Foods Week, August 10-18. Local Foods Week features events all across the city, including shopping tours, parties, the Local Matters’ Annual Kids Cook-Off and, for the first time, a life-sized game of Veggieland. “Local Foods Week is an invitation to join the vibrant local food community here in Central Ohio and the opportunity to engage our communities in a conversation about healthful food access,” said Michael Jones, Local Matters Co-Founder and Executive Director. “There aren’t any organizations like Local Matters who are doing the collaborative work to provide this kind of festival around local, wholesome food.” Among other community partners, Local Matters has collaborated with The North Market, Whole Foods Market, and Crave! Magazine to offer coinciding celebrations for even more local food opportunities. The North Market’s annual Farmers Festival is taking place on Saturday, August 17th, featuring the Grilled Cheese Throw-Down. Local Whole Foods Markets will host their annual Local Week August 11-19, while Crave! Magazine presents Farm-to-Plate Restaurant Week August 9-18. Farm to Plate 2013 will showcase special meals in select restaurants in Central Ohio — and, just as important, highlight the farms where these meals started. Farm to Plate is about starting a conversation with the dining community and restaurants about how they can be a part of a prosperous and sustainable food system. “Local Foods Week programs, activities and events are available for all age groups at locations throughout the city,” said Jones. “There are plenty of opportunities to celebrate with us and our partners.” -more-
Local Foods Week kicks off Saturday, August 10 with Local Matters and Yay Bikes! partnering to host an Urban Garden Bike Ride that will culminate at the Grand Opening of the Near East Side Cooperative Market, a community-owned co-op market that addresses the healthful food access issues in the Near East Side. Other Local Foods Week events include restaurant tours, festivals, cooking classes, tastings, and familyoriented educational events. View the full schedule for Local Foods Week online at http://www.localmatters.org/local-foods-week. About Local Matters Local Matters, established in 2008, “To inspire action because food impacts the quality of our health, our land and our communities,” is celebrating five years of serving central Ohio. Local Matters focuses on three impact areas: Access, Education, and Engagement and offers four core programs to inspire individuals to consider the role of food in their lives. The four core programs: Food Matters, a hands-on cooking and healthful food education program for children; Cooking Matters, cooking and nutrition classes for lower income families and community members that teach how to shop for healthy food on a budget; Growing Matters, teaching skills and providing the resources for community members to grow their own food; and Wellness Matters, healthful food education for the workplace; Local Matters has touched thousands of people across communities in central Ohio since 2008. ###