August 27, 2018: For Immediate Release

Media Contact:  Robyn Stout, NC 10% Campaign State Coordinator: 919-515-5362 or robyn_stout@ncsu.edu

RALEIGH, NC:  The NC 10% Campaign has a new cohort of Local Food Ambassadors. The Local Food Ambassador (LFA) Program promotes local foods on university campuses and provides training opportunities for students to engage with the food system. The LFA Program offers paid employment to student Ambassadors, leadership training, and one-on-one mentorship, preparing future leaders to understand what an equitable community-based food system looks like. The NC 10% Campaign is an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) and NC Cooperative Extension to encourage individuals, businesses, and institutions to spend at least 10% of their existing food budget on NC-grown and caught foods.

During the school year, the student Ambassadors lead local food education and outreach efforts on their campuses through tabling, presentations, events, and media promotion. University local food teams comprised of students, Dining Services and Sustainability Office personnel, Cooperative Extension agents, farmers, and community advocates support the students in their outreach efforts. The NC 10% Campaign works with county Cooperative Extension agents to facilitate and connect the teams with statewide local food supply chain partners and resources.

Student Ambassadors focus on different aspects of local foods, such as increasing access to nutritious foods on campus, cooking and eating fresh and seasonal foods, economic opportunities for area farmers, and developing community partnerships around the local food supply chain. The six student Ambassadors for the Fall 2018 semester will be hosted at Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Previous student Ambassadors have also been hosted at North Carolina Central University and Winston Salem State University.

Jada Monica Drew will be coordinating the LFA Program and supporting the student Ambassadors. She is a Guilford College and Drexel University graduate and a certified trainer in Intercultural Development Inventory and True Colors with a background in higher education administration and inclusion strategy.

“The connections developed for students who are passionate about local foods and food sustainability by the NC 10% Campaign is not only exciting, it’s ground-breaking and needed in North Carolina. I’m honored to work as the connector of HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] and UNC-Pembroke, which all have strong ties to agriculture, land grants, and social transformation in our country,” says Drew.

The Fall 2018 Local Food Ambassadors are:

Erica Acheampomaa – Elizabeth City State University, Biology Major, Public Health Minor
Even as a sophomore, Erica already knows that she wants to be a public health advocate and mentor for young children. Her goal is to help students eat healthy on and off campus.
FB: @ECSULocalFoods, IN: vikinglocalfoods

Bryana Exum – Fayetteville State University, Healthcare Administration Major
Bryana is a junior who has experience working in Campus Dining and is interested in further developing her leadership skills while bringing awareness to local food issues on her campus.
FB: @FSULocalFoods , IN: broncolocalfoods

Lauren Brown, NC A&T State University, Agribusiness Major
Lauren is a sophomore interested in making change through student-led initiatives and by connecting the wealth of resources across various university departments with local farmers in the community.
FB: @AggieLocalFoods, IN: aggielocalfoods, TW: @StudentAmbassa4

Brooke Smith, NC A&T State University, Biological Engineering Major
As a junior, Brooke believes that education can empower a community and that A&T’s campus can help increase healthy and sustainable options in Greensboro and across the state.
FB: @AggieLocalFoods, IN: aggielocalfoods, TW: @StudentAmbassa4

Tiffany West, NC A&T State University, undeclared major
Tiffany is a 2nd semester freshman and Greensboro native who is interested in psychology, sociology, and culinary arts. She hopes her work with the LFA program can address food insecurity and equity in the food system.
FB: @AggieLocalFoods, IN: aggielocalfoods, TW: @StudentAmbassa4

Tenisha McLean – UNC Pembroke, Biology Major, Math Minor
Tenisha is a senior, a Greener Coalition officer, peer tutor, and a returning Local Food Ambassador.  She hopes to continue to connect the campus and dining services with area farmers through events and educational opportunities.
FB: @UNCPLocalFoods, IN: greenerco_uncp

For more information about the NC 10% Campaign and how to support the Local Food Ambassador Program, please visit www.nc10percent.com

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is a partnership of NC State University, NC Agricultural and Technical State University and the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. CEFS develops and promotes just and equitable food and farming systems that conserve natural resources, strengthen communities, improve health outcomes, and provide economic opportunities in North Carolina and beyond. For more information, visit www.cefs.ncsu.edu.

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