20 years and out!

Greetings all,

For anyone who knows me, this is just to let you know I am retiring from Groundwork Center today, after nearly 20 years with this fine organization and working on local food systems. My new email is dianeconners55@gmail.com.

Some other news: For the last year, I've been writing a book for Groundwork with profiles of more than 55 people who are making local food systems happen. From farms to food pantries, schools, health care providers, and more, they share tips and lessons learned along the way over the last 22 years. Most of the profiles are from northwest lower Michigan, where we started our work. But we've included a heartfelt nod to to everyone doing this great work across the state and you'll find some profiles from Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Muskegon, and Grand Rapids as well. We started our work 22 years ago (when we were called the Michigan Land Use Institute) with research for a 20-page report called The New Entrepreneurial Agriculture, which urged a focus on building local food economies in Michigan. It is extraordinary all that has happened since. My deepest respect to you all.

The book will be released in June, including a release party here in Traverse City scheduled for June 15. I'll be there, and would love to see any of you. Please follow Groundwork's newsletter and social media for updates (F Groundwork Center T @grndwk).

Who to contact in the future:

 

Many of you have worked with me on 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids & Farms, and we have stellar staff continuing this work:

• Melanie Wong, our Farm to ECE Specialist, who is based in Grand Rapids, can be reached at melanie.wong@groundworkcenter.org
• Amanda Brezzell, our Policy & Engagement Specialist, who is based in Detroit, can be reached at amanda.brezzell@groundworkcenter.org 

Learn more about them and our other staff here.

Thanks for all that you do. This is an exciting time, and there are so many more people across the state doing this work who I wish I could meet. But…off into spring I go.

Diane

 __________________________

Diane Conners  |  Senior Policy Specialist

Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities

P   231-499-3937

W  groundworkcenter.org

F   Groundwork Center

T   @grndwk

A  148 E Front St, Suite 301  |  Traverse City, MI 49684 

Service site of FoodCorps.

Member Cultivate Michigan; Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan; and Northwest Michigan Food & Farming Network

Join us at tencentsmichigan.org  & Farm to School Northwest Michigan