Food Summit focused on “Growing Our Own Solutions”

Aquidneck Community Table, in collaboration with Salve Regina’s Department of Cultural, Environmental and Global Studies and hydroponics lab, will host its fourth annual Food Summit on Saturday, April 8. Titled “Growing Our Own Solutions,” the summit will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the O’Hare Academic Building.

The community summit is a call-to-action for island residents concerned about health, food insecurity, and industrial food and environmental pollution. Through an open dialogue format, participants will share inspiration, information and ideas that lead to greater community action on the island around these issues.

Keynote speaker Monique Bosch, co-founder of the Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport, Connecticut, will discuss models of community-driven food systems. She will also join a panel discussion focused on making schoolyards edible and sustainable, increasing access
to healthy food for all community members, growing more food locally and the many aspects of a zero-waste life.

The summit will also feature tours of the hydroponics lab and an expo showcasing local leaders in health, environment, agriculture, aquaculture and zero waste. Lunch will be available from local food trucks.

Aquidneck Community Table is known for its farmers’ markets in Newport and Middletown, Island Community Farms and, more recently, the building of the community garden at Great Friends Meeting House in Newport. The organization works to inspire action toward greater health, in both diet and environment, for all island residents.

To register for the summit, visit the organization’s Eventbrite page. For more information, email info@aquidneckcommunitytable.org.