Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative Farm and Food Business Tour Discover the vibrant diversity of Chicagoland's local food scene on our farm and food business tour! Join us as we showcase a range of diverse suppliers ready to scale. This event aims to foster connections that boost local food procurement while allowing diverse suppliers to shine. We invite institutional buyers to gain first hand knowledge of local food production in Metro Chicago as we showcase various food businesses. We will directly engage with farmers and food producers, exploring potential sourcing opportunities ..read more

Lori “Chef Lori P” Parrett Cakewalk Chicago peddles Black joy through the sweet alchemy of access, education, and mentorship. The Chicago baking scene is vast, but sometimes the most incredible culinary gems are hidden in plain sight – in neighborhood home kitchens, where Black bakers, decorators, and treat makers weave magic. “I've been a proud supporter and I dare say enabler of dreamers and doers in the sugar artistry world. These self-made entrepreneurs, fueled by passion and resilience, are more than just bakers, candy makers, cake decorators and treat makers; they're cultural storytelle ..read more

Continuing the Celebration of Black History  In celebration of Black History Month, Chicago Food Policy Action Council and Community Food Navigator joined forces to hear stories from Black farmers and food producers across the Chicagoland area. These notable stories are a glimpse into the stark realities of our food system. We aim to honor these stories and inspire collective action towards creating an equitable, sustainable, and just food system. Our dedication to supporting Black people in food and agriculture extends beyond merely acknowledging their contributions during a particular m ..read more

Gfpi coalition steering council Overview The Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative (GPFI) is looking to launch the inaugural GFPI Steering Council that will consist of seven coalition members (including two co-chairs) representing diverse sectors, lived experience, and perspectives. Steering Council members will serve two-year staggered terms and no more than two consecutive terms. At launch, we are seeking one co-chair and two other members to serve a one-year term. Mission & Vision We work to ensure that the places feeding our communities purchase and serve food that advances a ..read more

The Food Worker Handbook was developed in part with the Food Chain Worker Rights & Livelihood Project, which is part of the Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative (GFPI). The Food Chain Workers’ Rights and Livelihood Project works to ensure that local food chain workers are informed about GFPI and included in creating GFPI goals and strategizing to leverage GFPI to support workplace organizing or support transitions to worker-owned models.  Throughout 2023, key partners held workshops to conduct outreach and rights training for workers, to learn about GFPI, and to build collec ..read more

Keynote Speaker Alita Kelly Join us for a transformative session with Alita Kelly, a visionary in the realm of food systems innovation. With radical imagination, Alita weaves a compelling narrative that will guide us back to our roots and propel us forward into a sustainable and equitable future. Alita is a serial entrepreneur with several businesses under her belt including a strategic planning firm (Jade Rabbit), grocery store (South East Market), farm to table catering company, and more. She has worked on local and national policy campaigns around sustainable agriculture and served on seve ..read more

Schedule At A Glance Thank you for your interest in the 19th Annual Food Justice Summit. For many years, the summit has been a multi-day event for fostering connections and hosting meaningful conversations surrounding food justice and food sovereignty. This years Summit theme is Climate Resilience! This theme will remind attendees of how intrinsically tied the environmental justice movement is with the food justice movement. This Summit will also honor indigenous communities as the primary caretakers of Earth’s biodiversity (85%!) as well as a wealth of knowledge and resources as to how we cou ..read more

Happy Black History Month! In honor of Black History Month, The Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) is excited to celebrate Black farmers and food producers working in the Metro Chicago area. Our goal is to bring light to the often overlooked stories and rich history of Black agricultural and culinary contributors from our very own Chicagoland communities.  If you are interested in sharing your experiences and journey within the food system, we invite you to schedule a time to speak with British Griffis, our Equitable Supply Chain Development Manager here. Alternatively, you can ..read more

The Health Policy Institute of Chicago (“HPI”) aims to address the social determinants of health as it relates to the Black community they serve through research, organic farming, economic empowerment, intergenerational programming, emergency food distribution, and by re-orienting our collective relationship with food systems. In 2012, Mother Carr‘s Farm started on one acre of land in Lynwood, producing over 2,000 pounds of pesticide-free produce. For ten growing seasons, HPI has been supporting Mother Carr’s Farm and has grown to employ over nine community members and produce over 15,000 pou ..read more

Centro de Trabajadores Unidos (”CTU”) is a grassroots, member-led worker center and community organizing hub serving Chicago’s southeast side and south suburbs. In 2018, their southeast Chicago incubator launched Las Visionarias, an immigrant women-run catering cooperative, one of the first worker cooperatives in Illinois. Mission CTU’s mission is to build power among low-wage and immigrant workers and advance systemic change to stabilize low-income immigrant communities and communities of color. Vision CTU envisions a healthy and thriving local economy free from exploitation and oppression i ..read more