2010-2011 Americorps VISTA Positions

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Colleen Teevin, VISTA, Green Mountain College and Rutland Area Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) Local-link Coordinator

Green Mountain College and the Rutland Area Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) welcome their first shared AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, Colleen Teevin, to work on local food sustainability issues in the greater Rutland Area.

As the Local-link Coordinator, Colleen will be researching ways in which to foster relationships between local farmers, distributors and consumers. As a 'matchmaker' she will assess current data for the availability of various products and potential purchasers, and will develop strategies for collaboration. Green Mountain College dining services currently uses food from the college's Cerridwen Farm. With Colleen's help, they aim to increase the amount to contribute to keeping food local . She will also be assisting in writing grants for the college and organizing fundraising events for RAFFL.

Additionally, Colleen will provide outreach and project support for regional food security initiatives, particularly the regional food hub and incubator farm projects. The food hub will provide small-scale farmers new ways in which they can interface with larger markets through infrastructure support and community collaboration. The incubator project will provide new farmers a more secure system under which they can start a new business.

"Food sustainability and local purchasing initiatives affect everyone, from the field to the plate. Supporting local food production and consumption helps farmers retain more capital through more direct market sales and cuts down on the carbon footprint by decreasing travel distance. Buying locally grown food, which is generally fresher and more nutritious, also allows purchasers to know where their food comes from, thus helping consumers develop a sense of connectedness to their community." said Colleen.