Good Food Finder

One item that all of us on the local food systems team have been especially proud of, is the Good Food Finder website. 

GoodFoodFinder.com

Good Food Finder is a searchable database of local food! We have researched hundreds of local businesses, and farms that are Arizona locally based and have local food items available to the consumer. We will have spent many hours entering as much information as possible into the database, in order to ensure a pleasant experience for the consumer. This project will always be ongoing, but we are very proud to have made the first big strides in its launch. 

So, for example, if you are having a BBQ, and you want to find corn, you simply enter 'corn' into the search engine, and a list of local farms, or stores that provide local corn will be displayed. 

Or, if you want want a dessert for a family event, and don't personally feel like baking it, simply search for 'desserts', and any business that provides desserts will be displayed.

The main goal of Good Food Finder is to provide a fast, easy, and convenient way for Arizona consumers to find their food, locally! I encourage everyone who views this post to click the link of the website, and do some browsing for food related items. You will be surprised what you find! 

During this project, I have enjoyed learning about all the local farms and businesses that provide local food. It is amazing how many that I had no idea existed, or wasn't quite aware of their local significance. 

Remember that making the local choice promotes sustainability, jobs, and our local economy!  

Local First Arizona

Local First Arizona is a non-profit organization that works relentlessly to educate the Arizona consumer to shift their money locally, to improve Arizona's economy, and keep its communities vibrant. 

Their efforts include community outreach, speeches from the founder and all of the organization's change leaders, educational newsletters and blog entries, events, and collaboration with local businesses. "Local First Arizona empowers individuals to build the life they want in their local community. Together we can create a stronger economy, a more vibrant community, and better job opportunities for Arizonans" [REF] Each individual within LFA is involved in the change process to shift the consumer's spending, and influence policies for the benefit of local businesses. 

At LFA, I am interning as the local food systems intern. I will help focus on the local food system, which includes local farms, and establishing the connection with local consumers. In the office I will be helping the change effort by researching and writing educational blog posts, watching webinars about local food related topics, helping with organization of events, and helping with the database for the Good Food Finder website. Each Saturday of the week I will be out at various events speaking to and educating the public about our mission, and ways to get more involved with local food. 

-CC

I am a senior working through my last semester at ASU, and am majoring in Public Service and Public Policy (Sustainability). To give a perspective of my journey to where I am now, I will go back a few years. 

I graduated from high school, as well as, cosmetology school in May 2008. After working a few years as a hair stylist I found myself having the desire to continue my education. When I started at Mesa Community College, I realized I had a strong interest in the sustainability field. After my first semester at MCC, I moved to Flagstaff to experience a different environment from Phoenix, where I was actually born and raised. I had an excellent three years in Flagstaff exploring a couple different sustainability majors at Coconino Community College, including sustainable green building, and of course the wonderful outdoors the town had to offer. I moved back to the valley at the end of 2013, and began my final stretch of college at Arizona State University. So, here I am, finishing my last semester of my Bachelor's degree. Currently, I am a full time student, and work full time as an assistant account manager at an interior construction firm, all while planning my wedding! I hate to admit it, but I think I  enjoy being busy. 

With that said, three things I am hoping to gain from my internship with Local First Arizona are:

1- Community involvement: I would appreciate learning how to be more actively involved with the public in regards to communicating and educating them about a meaningful purpose. I believe this is a great skill to have, especially when trying to make a societal change. 

2- I am hoping to learn more about what local means, and how it affects sustainability. 

3- I would like to gain the real world experience of a position that relates to my major. 

I look forward to the semester!

Cristy