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Food Access in West Tallahatchie Project

Food Access in West Tallahatchie Project

Program: Dow Sustainability Fellows Program
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Community Workshop at Emmett Till Interpretive Center

Community Workshop at Emmett Till Interpretive Center

(Dow Fellows Program 2016)

In fulfillment of the Dow Sustainability Fellows Masters and Professional Fellowship Program, five fellowship recipients utilized a community-based participatory research approach to address the systemic challenges to food insecurity in West Tallahatchie, Mississippi. Located in one of the least food-secure states in America, the west side of Tallahatchie County (referred to as West Tallahatchie) is a rural county located in the fertile Delta region and is a roughly 30-45 minute drive away from the closest full-service grocery store. The student team partnered with the Emmett Till Interpretive Center (ETIC) in Sumner, Mississippi to engage residents of West Tallahatchie and regional nonprofits in the research process. Building on the stories and insights shared by community members during interviews and workshops, the project team designed a region-specific scenario-based plan that provides potential strategies for more food-secure futures. The following report summarizes these scenarios along with relevant research and resources believed to be most useful to West Tallahatchie in improving access to fresh fruits and vegetables within the community.