A Storytelling Program for Cortland County

Seven Valleys Health Coalition is spearheading an initiative to create a storytelling program in Cortland County with funding from the J.M. McDonald Foundation. The idea for the program arose from the Hunger Coalition, a subcommittee of the county-wide food council, the Cortland Food Project. The storytelling program will involve a member of the Cortland community volunteering to share their lived experience of food insecurity.

Food insecurity can present itself in many different forms such as not knowing where your next meal will come from, or not having consistent access to enough food. Visiting a food pantry or qualifying for SNAP or WIC can also be indicators of food insecurity.

The Hunger Coalition recognizes that any programs, policies, conversations, and decisions related to food insecurity should be made with input from those who have firsthand experience. By building a greater understanding of community experiences surrounding food insecurity, the Hunger Coalition will be able to find effective solutions to addressing this county-wide problem. Sharing the stories of those who have lived experience of food insecurity humanizes a problem that many of our fellow community members face.

At this time, the Hunger Coalition has one main storytelling goal which is to elevate voices of people with lived or living experience of food insecurity to move toward a more equitable food system. We hope that the rest of the goals can be derived from conversations with people who live in Cortland County and have firsthand experience with food insecurity.

If you or someone you know has lived experience of food insecurity, we are interested in speaking with you about the development of our storytelling program. We will ask for your feedback on the program design during a 20-40 minute interview.

Please contact Avery Barber with any questions, concerns, or to participate in a brief phone conversation about the program. You can also contact the Seven Valleys Health Coalition office at (607)756-4198.

We are also offering an online survey for anyone who does not prefer a phone call. It should take 5-10 minutes to complete.

All participants in these feedback sessions will receive a grocery gift card as a thank you for their time.