Town Of Mansfield: Nominate A Local Food Champion

Press release from the Town of Mansfield:

February 28, 2023

Loading

Taste of Mansfield Calls for Nominations for Second Annual Awards: Champions who Connect the Community Through Local Food

February 24, 2023 – Mansfield, CT – The Taste of Mansfield and community partners, the Mansfield Agriculture Committee and Economic Development Commission, are opening the nomination period for the second annual Taste of Mansfield Champion Awards.

The Taste of Mansfield Champion Awards program was initiated to recognize Mansfield producers, sellers, and communicators/educators who are leaders in connecting the community through local food and have a demonstrated record of promoting the Taste of Mansfield mission. The public is invited to nominate those people or organizations who make a positive impact on Mansfield’s local food community. Awards will be considered for those who:

Mansfield residents and businesses, or those who make an impact on local food ways in Mansfield, are eligible for nomination. The simple nomination form can be completed at the Taste of Mansfield website at https://www.tasteofmansfieldct.org/champion-award.html.

The first annual Taste of Mansfield Champion Awards were celebrated in 2022. The award winners were Diane Dorfer, Cobblestone Farm, Mansfield Center; Stephanie Deason, at that time the Food Service Director, Mansfield Public Schools and Edwin O. Smith High School, and the Tri-County Greenhouse, Mansfield Depot. They were honored at a Mansfield Town Council meeting last spring.

ABOUT TASTE OF MANSFIELD

The Taste of Mansfield aims to strengthen our community through events and promotions highlighting locally grown and produced foods.

Supporting local farmers and food producers benefits our community in so many ways:

• Get to know your community

• Enjoy the freshest, healthiest foods available

• Keep your food dollars local

• Reduce your environmental impact

• Preserve our beautiful, rural vistas

Taste of Mansfield is made possible by these community partners:

Mansfield Advocates for Children

Mansfield Agriculture Committee

Mansfield Downtown Partnership

Mansfield Department of Human Services

Mansfield Economic Development Commission

Mansfield Parks and Recreation

Mansfield Public Library

Mansfield Public Schools

Mansfield Senior Center

Storrs Farmers Market

UConn CAHNR Extension

Nominees for the 2023 award will be reviewed by a committee, which includes members of the Mansfield Agriculture Committee, the Mansfield Economic Development Commission and the Taste of Mansfield steering committee.

In addition to coordinating the Champion Awards, the Taste of Mansfield partnership initiative has helped shape the Mansfield Farms to Families program to connect income-eligible families with local food products through Community Supported Agriculture shares and seasonal food box distributions. That program is coordinated through the Mansfield Human Services Department. The partners have also hosted community dinners, promoted local farms at events and through communication, and are coordinating a community cookbook.

###

This press release was produced by the Town of Mansfield. The views expressed here are the author’s own.