The NWI Food Council’s mission is to cultivate a just, thriving and regenerative food system for all in NW Indiana. We believe everyone has a right to food. We envision a local food system where everyone has affordable access to nutritious food that is grown by regional producers using regenerative practices. We work towards collaboration, healthy ecosystems, equity and resiliency for all in NW Indiana.
NWI Food Council is building a resilient regional food system that supports both farm viability and community food access. Through our programs, we serve over 20,000 community members annually, including farmers, educators, food service professionals, school children and families across Northwest Indiana.
Key programs include:
- Region Roots Local Food Hub – connecting over 40 regional farmers with schools, food banks, and healthcare institutions to increase access to fresh, local food.
- Farm to School Initiatives – partnering with school districts to integrate local food in cafeterias and classrooms, reaching over 10,000 students with fresh produce and food education.
- Food is Medicine – working with direct service agencies and partners to develop local food interventions that support the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations like perinatal women, children living in poverty, low income senior citizens and school children.
Recent impacts:
- Distributed over 500,000 lbs of local food to community partners in 2024.
- Trained 60+ beginning farmers in sustainable production and business development and generated over $1.3 million in revenue for small farm businesses.
- Launched a year-round lettuce production pilot to strengthen winter supply chains and local food security.
We are proud to support a future where everyone in our region has access to healthy food and where local farms can thrive for generations to come.