We believe that a thriving and equitable food system is foundational to community health and well-being. A thriving and equitable food system must:

• Be community-centered (built by the community for the benefit of the community)

• Embrace diverse cultures and perspectives

• Foster a sense of belonging and celebration

• Provide sufficient food for all people while minimizing waste

• Create local job opportunities in cultivation, production, and distribution

• Be inclusive, dignified, and recognize nutritious food as a basic human right

• Value the people and places where food is grown and made

• Be sustainable in that it protects and advances the health of the local natural environment and area residents

Primary 

1. Increase access to affordable, local, healthy* and culturally relevant food;

2. Increase local production and distribution of healthy food;

3. Increase healthy food consumption;

4. Improve health outcomes (i.e. obesity, chronic disease) in the Borough of Pottstown.

Secondary 

1. Reduce food waste.

2. A community food system is one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution and consumption are integrated to enhance the environmental, economic, and social and nutritional health of a particular place.

PAFC is guided by a Collective Impact Model to solve complex societal problems, which utilizes five conditions that include:

1. Common Agenda: Use of population results and indicators to articulate a common agenda.

2. Shared Measurement: Define performance measures that align with common agenda to make informed decisions.

3. Mutually Reinforcing Activities: Use transparency to plan and guide strategies and goals.

4. Continuous Communication: Communicate between partners, funders, and the public.

5. Backbone Support: Support infrastructure to build capacity.