Local Foods Week 2013 Organizer Guide

5th Annual LOCAL FOODS WEEK PRESENTED BY

Local Foods Week Event Organizer Guide ● ● ● ● ●

● ●

WHAT: An 8-day-long annual celebration designed to raise awareness of local food and draw attention to the role of local food in establishing a vibrant, sustainable future for the Central-Ohio food system WHY: To inspire action given the impact that our food has on our health, our land and our community WHEN: Saturday, August 10 until Sunday, August 18 WHERE: Various locations throughout the region WHO: LFW is organized by Local Matters, a nonprofit organization in Columbus, and includes events organized or sponsored by organizations and individuals throughout the region. Local Foods week is made possible with the support of our event sponsors including: Crave Magazine, Kemba Financial Credit Union MORE: Visit local-matters.org CONTACT: Stephanie Craddock Sherwood | scsherwood@local-matters.org

PRIMER ● Getting an event listed on the Local Foods Week calendar is free, with a few requirements, listed in this document. To become a sponsor visit: www.local-matters.org or contact Elizabeth Jewell at ejewell@local-matters.org ● Local Foods Week will contain several “themes.” ○ Eat Well – local, fresh & healthful foods ○ Engage – transforming the system through community action & collaboration ○ Grow – growing food closer to home ○ Educate – about what local, healthful food is, where their food comes from, how to grow it and how to cook it ○ Celebrate – a celebration of local Ohio foods ● Each Local Foods Week event is independently organized. Local Matters will provide the following: ○ Help with promotion and marketing of your event through the LFW calendar, in targeted print materials and through social & traditional media outlets ○ Communication with bloggers, local and national press ○ A central hub for communication, branding and coordination

1

● ● ●

We will require the distribution of printed materials at your event. We will also require a count of attendees and an email signup sheet.

We encourage events that cross-over between industries and partners. Think beyond your regular constituency.

All organizers will be required to attend a free partners’ breakfast (time/date TBA,) where supplies and other materials will be distributed.

LAST YEAR: Local Foods Week in 2012: An 8-day-long celebration that took place from August 11, 2012-August 18, 2012, and was designed to raise awareness of local food and draw attention to the role of local food in establishing a vibrant, sustainable future for the Central-Ohio food system.

Two hundred adults, and roughly 300 children participated in these activities. Other events included the Local Foods Family Day at COSI, which attracted roughly 500 children and parents to the museum for handson healthful food education activities, seed saving and tasting activities; local-food focused cooking classes at the North Market; the 2nd Annual Grilled Cheese Throwdown and Foodie Spelling Bee at the Hills Market; an Urban Garden Bike Tour. In total more than 1,200 individuals participated in events hosted by Local Matters during Local Foods Week.

Key events during the week included the Eat Local Challenge and Kids Eat Local Challenge, both of which fostered engagement within the local food system through a “local food scavenger hunt.”

GOALS FOR THIS YEAR: ● Increase engagement in local foods. ● Engage new groups and organizations in Local Foods Week STEPS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

TO ORGANIZING A LFW EVENT Come up with a brief concept for your event.

Pick a location and a preferred time.

Send an email to scsherwood@local-matters.org with your idea. Include all logos, descriptions and bios if possible.

If your event is consistent with the LFW mission, we’ll notify you and place the event on the calendar.

We may follow up with a list of questions to help.

We’ll keep you up to date as the event nears.

Attend the kickoff breakfast shortly before LFW to pick up materials. Date TBD. Hold your awesome event.

Send us your photos, links, video and other media for posting on the Local Matters website.

REQUIREMENTS 1 Send all logos and branding upon event acceptance. We cannot add your event to the website and other materials without a print-quality logo. Preferably in .ai format.

2 Display track sponsorship information, if applicable, at your event.

3 Attend a kickoff breakfast shortly before LFW. Date TBD. 4 Distribute LFW and Local Matters print materials at your event. Including making the Local Foods Week/ Local Matters sign up sheet accessible – return to Local Matters by the end of August 5 You are responsible for insurance and liability of your event.

2

LOCAL FOODS WEEK EVENT ORGANIZER DEADLINE: • July 12th - Deadline to sponsor Local Foods Week • Deadline for event inclusion in print publications.

Additional events can be added until July 26 but we cannot guarantee promotion and marketing.

FAQs How do I become a sponsor of LFW? Sponsorship information is available at www.local-matters.org. You do not have to sponsor LFW to organize an event, though we’d certainly appreciate your support to make LFW the best it can be.

Can I charge for events? Can I find my own sponsors?

Yes. We realize that these events cost money to organize. In the case of sponsorship, we ask that you notify Local Matters of all sponsorships to avoid overlap with other LFW efforts. When charging for events, partners have seen better success by donating a portion of the net proceeds of the event to Local Matters and promoting it as a fundraiser.

Who’s in charge of LFW? Local Matters, based in Columbus, OH & celebrating 5 years of Local Food For All, Is a nonprofit focused on teaching children and adults about what local, healthful food is, where their food comes from, how to grow it and how to cook it. We also work with communities in need to create opportunities for access to local, healthy food.

Why is Local Matters organizing this event?

To increase engagement in Columbus on local, fair food issues and to increase the reach and relevance of the local food movement.

Why should I get involved?

1 To help bring attention to your organization while showing solidarity with the local food movement.

2 To foster collaboration and build community through the lens of food.

3 To help make our city a better place to live.

4 It will be fun!

Disclaimer: Local Foods Week is meant to promote and curate a calendar of events that is organized and operated by other groups, businesses and organizations. While Local Foods Week organizers vet these events, they are not liable for the content, safety and organization of these events and their venues, unless otherwise disclosed.

You are responsible for insurance and/ or liability of your event, not LFW. The organizers of Local Foods Week are a conduit for hosting the week's events and indemnify all liability.

Have any more questions? Contact Local Foods Week organizer Stephanie Craddock Sherwood.

Drop an email to scsherwood@local-matters.org, or call Stephanie at 614-263-5662.

3