Welcome to Community Food Matters
the Community Food Council of the Western Foothills

The mission of Community Food Matters (CFM) is to cultivate community-wide collaboration that nurtures equity, health, and regeneration in our Western Foothills food system.
Founded in 2009, the CFM network has brought our community together around food, from drafting the Community Food Charter, to celebrating the Foothills Food Festival, to feeding neighbors and growing food through the COVID-19 pandemic.

To build a thriving food system, we need everyone.
Scroll down to learn how you can support your local food system with CFM!

LEARN ABOUT CFM

Learn more about how CFM serves our community and supports networks around the state.​

DISCOVER RESOURCES

Find local, national, and global resources for accessing and building the food systems of the future.​

JOIN US!

Find out how you can help shape a equitable, healthy, and regenerative food system in your community.​

ENVISION A NEW FOOD SYSTEM

Sign on as a Champion!

 All Food Charter Champions receive our monthly newsletter, Community Food Beets, with council updates and sustainable food system building opportunities.
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Creates community food connections
  • Brings together farmers with institutions, businesses, food pantries and eaters
  • Promotes alternative business models like food cooperatives, farmers markets, CSAs, bulk buying clubs and barter/trade
Encourages fair wage jobs throughout the food system
Demonstrates the value of supporting local food
  • Keeps money circulating in our communities
  • Values connection over convenience
  • Reflects the true cost of food and tries to limit the negative impacts of the industrial food system
Regenerates soils and increases biodiversity
  • Counteracts climate change through carbon storage in soils and plants
  • Builds ecosystem resilience
  • Promotes restorative agricultural practices such as perennial polyculture, rotational grazing, and no-till
As champions of this charter, we believe an inclusive and equitable local food system plays a critical role in the social, economic, environmental, and physical wellbeing​ of everyone and the planet. We support open community collaboration to foster access to healthy food for all, fair compensation for producers and all food workers, and the preservation and regeneration of farmland. 
By signing on as a champion of this Community Food Charter, you are helping to create a food system that:

Provides access to healthy local food for all
  • Connects local growers to eaters of all socioeconomic backgrounds
  • Integrates more local foods into food banks, pantries, schools and community meals
  • Addresses land tenure  
Empowers local producers, and revitalizes food culture and traditions
  • Cultivates community space for events, meals, and gatherings
  • Honors Indigenous and New American cultures by decolonizing the food system
Promotes practical education around growing food
  • Connects food growers with schools and teachers
  • Creates more school and community gardens
Minimizes food waste and excess packaging
  • Delivers surplus food to those in need
  • Diverts waste food to animals
  • Composts inedible food waste to enrich soils
Encourages accountability for environmental impacts throughout the system
Promotes healthy eating
  • Shares information on preparing, enjoying, and preserving local fresh foods
  • Values and supports trusted local food providers
  • Provides food that celebrates diverse cultures
  • Fosters healthy eating in schools, hospitals and other institutions
  • Grows food everywhere!

Download the Charter:

WHO WE ARE

Click on the logos to learn about the organizations that are currently part of our CFM network.

MEMBER
MAINE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY FOOD COUNCILS

Connecting the 11 food councils of Maine to share information and resources and strengthen statewide networks of advocacy and solidarity. 
Community Food Matters
Norway, ME
[email protected]
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