Schedule & Breakout Sessions

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Breakfast

8:30 AM – 8:45 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Kimberly Burrows, Chief Development Officer, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle
Rajesh Mirchandani, CEO, Storyteller Consulting

A warm kickoff to the inaugural conference, setting the vision for how agriculture strengthens food banks, communities, and nutrition security. Includes an overview of conference goals, structure, and networking opportunities.

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
A Word from our Sponsor
Jon Zwinski, US Region Head & General Manager, Chiesi USA

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Fireside Chat: The Power of Growing Together
L. Ron Pringle, President & CEO, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

Not a panel discussion but a community conversation beginning with the end in mind: what happens when a community changes itself from a food desert to a food oasis? Featuring community members from the Conetoe Family Life Center, audience voices and other leaders in the nationwide network that’s building nutrition security and community resilience through local, sustainable agriculture.

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Networking Coffee Break

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Morning Breakout Sessions (choose one session to attend)

Option 1:
From Seed to Scale: Building and Expanding Food Bank Agriculture
Presenters: Donna Vick, Second Harvest Food Bank, TN + Margaret Burn, Low Country Food Bank

Whether you’re starting your first garden or running a small farm, the steps to grow your impact are rooted in strategy, planning, and relationships. This session will guide you from the earliest stages—assessing space, resources, and community needs—to scaling production, diversifying crops, and integrating agriculture into your organization’s mission. Attendees will explore case studies from food banks that went from small plots to thriving multi-acre operations, learn about volunteer and staffing models, and walk away with practical planning tools to fit any scale.

Option 2:
Better Health is Better Health Equity
Presenter: Allison McGee, Chief Strategy Officer at Feeding Southwest Virginia + Maria Bowman, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank + Sunny Grothaus, Chiesi, USA

Health equity starts with ensuring everyone has access to nutritious food. This session explores the intersection of public health, food systems, and equity, showing how addressing social determinants of health through food access can reduce disparities. Attendees will learn how to integrate equity principles into program design, track health equity metrics, and build partnerships with health-focused organizations

Option 3:
Opening New Ground: Access, Ownership, and Creative Growing Spaces
Presenter: Triangle Land Conservancy

Access to land is one of the greatest challenges for community agriculture—especially for historically marginalized communities. This session explores innovative solutions to protect and expand land access, from long-term lease models to community land trusts. We’ll also look at unconventional growing spaces—churchyards, school campuses, public parks, and rooftops—and discuss the partnerships and permissions needed to make them viable. Participants will leave with policy tools, partnership strategies, and creative ideas to unlock underused spaces for food production.

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch + Trade Show

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions (choose one session to attend)

Option 1:
Nourishing Mind and Body: Cultural Preservation Through Local Foods
Presenters: Margaret Burns, Low Country Food Bank + Rajesh Michandani, CEO, Storyteller Consulting

Food is more than nutrition—it’s heritage, memory, and identity. This session explores how culturally connected foods strengthen mental and physical health while reinforcing community pride. Through storytelling and knowledge-sharing this session will reflect on how different regions, cultures and communities are preserving their food ways and improving their nutrition security.

Option 2:
Stronger Together: Building Trust and Creating Win-Win Solutions for Farmers
Presenters: Charles Parrish, VP of Agriculture, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle + Carter Crain, VP of Food Procurement, Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC + Athan Barkoukis, Executive Director, Farmer Food Share

The most effective partnerships between farmers and food banks are built on trust, mutual respect, and shared benefit. This session dives into strategies for building lasting relationships, from fair pricing and transparent communication to innovative purchasing programs that turn surplus or “seconds” into valuable community food. We’ll also explore how circular economy models can reduce waste and mitigate risks for farmers while improving food bank sourcing.

Option 3:
The Role of Universities in Nutrition Security
Presenter: Heidi Coe, Second Harvest Minneapolis

Universities can play a unique role in addressing nutrition security—both as communities experiencing food insecurity and as resource hubs. This session examines how higher education institutions can address student hunger, use campus land for food production, and leverage Extension programs for public benefit. We’ll explore successful partnerships between universities and food banks, from joint research projects to student-led gardens and farm-to-campus dining initiatives.

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM
Networking Coffee Break

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions (choose one session to attend)

Option 1:
Remaining Resilient: Refocusing Our Advocacy in a Changed Landscape
Presenter: TBD

Policy and funding landscapes are shifting, and local agriculture programs are feeling the impact. This session focuses on strategies to adapt advocacy priorities in a time of reduced government support. Participants will learn how to make the case for restoring funds, build coalitions, and amplify the voices of growers, community members, and food banks. Expect practical tips for engaging policymakers and using data to influence change.

Option 2:
How to Build a Food Is Medicine Program
Presenter: Trevor Hyde, Wake County

Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs connect food access with healthcare, offering a powerful way to improve health outcomes and reduce medical costs. In this session, we’ll explore the end-to-end process of building a FIM program: sourcing fresh produce, designing medically tailored food packages, partnering with healthcare providers, and measuring health impact. You’ll learn how to navigate funding streams, integrate nutrition education, and align your program with both patient needs and healthcare system priorities.

Option 3:
Rooted In Resilience: Supporting Neighbors to Grow Their Own Solutions to End Hunger
Presenter: Alexa Poindexter, Ozarks Food Harvest

Communities already hold the knowledge and capacity to feed themselves—if given the right tools and support. This session highlights examples of food banks and local organizations providing resources, training, and technical assistance to help neighbors grow their own food. We’ll discuss asset-based community development, culturally responsive program design, and how to balance support with empowerment.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Day 1 Wrap-Up & Preview of Day 2
L. Ron Pringle, President & CEO, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

5:15 PM – 5:30 PM
Buses leave the hotel for Farm Dinner

6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
Reception at the Farm

6:45 PM – 8:30 PM
Dinner at the Farm

8:30 PM
Buses depart from the Farm to the hotel

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast and table topics in the Oak Forest Ballroom

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Morning Welcome & Reflections from Day 1

8:15 AM – 9:00 AM
General Session: Spotlight on Successful Partnerships
L. Ron Pringle, President & CEO, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

A showcase of real-life examples from food banks that have integrated agriculture programs with strong community and farmer relationships, demonstrating what’s possible when trust and collaboration drive the work.

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Self-Facilitated Breakout Sessions (attend your regional session)

Cultivating Connections: A Working Session for Partnership Building

Some of the most valuable conference moments happen when two people find shared purpose. This facilitated working session turns those conversations into action. Bring someone you met earlier—or find a new connection here—and use dedicated time to explore a potential partnership, map next steps, and commit to a follow-up plan. You’ll leave with a tangible collaboration in motion.

Option 1:
Southeast and Northeast Regions

Option 2:
Mountain Plains and Mid-West Regions

Option 3:
Southwest, Western, and Mid-Atlantic Regions

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Networking Coffee Break

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Group Harvest: Sharing Partnership Plans
Facilitator: Rajesh Mirchandani, CEO, Storyteller Consulting

Small groups report back on partnership ideas developed during Cultivating Connections. This session offers feedback, resource sharing, and potential joint commitments to keep collaboration moving after the conference.

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Closing Plenary: Growing Forward Together
L. Ron Pringle, President & CEO, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

An inspiring send-off focused on how attendees can keep the momentum going, connect across regions, and support each other’s agricultural efforts year-round.

Noon – Conference Adjourns