EXPAN DS With Indoor & Mobile Farmers Market By Natalie Downey
been said before and we’ll say it again, food Ithistis has medicine, and The Food Mill has conceptualized idea with their local nonprofit organization’s work
to reduce food insecurity and use food to heal. Food insecurity is a complex issue, and leads to a lack of adequate nutrition for the people it affects.
In the local area, there are many people who don’t have access to the food required to help them heal, and might not have the knowledge of how to
prepare that food, or the tools needed to prepare it. Olivia had already been working with Mercy Med on a solution to this problem, and decided to start The Food Mill as a nonprofit Food as Medicine outreach program. “I’ve always wanted to help Many health complications arise from food insecurity, people, especially people who don’t have as many which is why The Food Mill (near Bibb City) has resources,” Olivia explains. “It’s important to me collaborated with other local organizations to address that they’re receiving these opportunities.” The Food Mill’s programs focus on reducing these issues and design a creative and effective solution barriers that lead to food insecurity, and reducing to them. Long-term change is the goal of The Food Mill’s rates of diet-related illnesses, by creating access to work as they seek to address food insecurity on all fresh food, nutrition education, culinary education, levels. Their uniquely tailored programs are designed with a focus on accessibility and affordability. To make fresh, nutritious food more accessible to do just that. Olivia Amos, the executive director of UGrow Inc., and affordable to the community they serve, The the nonprofit The Food Mill is a branch of, has always Food Mill is opening a brick and mortar Farmer’s wanted to help Columbus by bringing us a program Market. This store inside the Food Mill’s current location on 2nd Avenue will be open to the public, and offers incentives to people dealing with food insecurity by doubling SNAP benefits with the purchase of locally grown produce. The majority of the fresh produce The Food Mill provides to the local community is grown right here in Columbus and the surrounding areas by local farmers. The Food Mill’s support of local farmers
that acted as a proactive first line of defense against food scarcity issues. “I’ve always had a passion for “Food as Medicine,’ and approaching healthcare from the wellness point of view,” she explains. With a background in pharmaceutical sales, she saw a disconnect between doctors and patients, as patients often don’t know how to practically change their eating habits to improve their health. “I became passionate about being proactive with using food as the first line of defense in our health, instead of being reactive,” says Olivia. LocaL
gives them the ability to keep growing food, and keeps fresh, local items available to the community. “It’s really important that we have a strong, stable local food economy,” Olivia explains. For those who aren’t able to access the brick and 6
APR I L-MAY 2022
