Our Story

Beginning in 2018, conversations across the region begun to occur, highlighting the wider need to understand the root causes on instability and vulnerability in the food chain. Put another way, the cracks in the system were straining an already "at capacity" food chain and the challenges from growing to consumption demanded a collaborative approach.

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As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, market supply chain and trade disruptions limited food accessibility, especially for vulnerable residents lacking access to transportation and the means to purchase fresh food. At the same time, farmers were faced with significant disruptions in market access, especially due to closure of restaurants, retail, and other food establishments, and threat of the loss of market access for area farmers. 

 

At that time, a group of Adirondack food system stakeholders across the region came together to launch the Adirondack Food Systems Network with seed funding from the Adirondack Foundation, among others. The Network’s initial purpose was to help food systems stakeholders mount a coordinated effort to build back better food systems as the region recovers from the pandemic, centered on the values of collaboration, equity, environment, and lasting success. That initial coalition has grown and formalized thanks to support from the New York Health Foundation in 2021 and the Adirondack Health Institute to create a strategic plan and develop strong systems. At the some time, AFSN worked with its partners at Craigardan to continue the annual Food Justice Summit.

 

In 2023, the Network’s Steering Committee members participated in a transformational retreat at the Blue Mountain Center to finalize its three-year strategic blueprint and prepare to launch its next phase of impact with AdkAction as a fiscal sponsor.

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2024 brought new opportunities. With support from the New York Health Foundation and the Adirondack Foundation, the Network was able to hire its first full-time staff to lead the group into the next phase.