Michelle Moskowitz Brown ’96 has worked as chair of the all-volunteer Ohio Food Policy Network and executive director of central Ohio nonprofit Local Matters. Her position has allowed her to “have an up-close view on both the responsive efforts to feed our community and the heightening issues within our food system.”

In an article for The Columbus Dispatch, Michelle advises that in order to support small- to mid-scale Ohio farmers, it is important that we support their infrastructure needs and purchase our food directly from them. She notes that,

“Farmer’s markets have shifted, making direct purchase easy and safe. Online ordering technology will allow many farmers’ markets to increase sales and interest, despite this challenging climate.”

One thing which has been giving Michelle hope during the pandemic has been our ability to connect with each other and form relationships while being safe:

“Maybe it’s a smile with your eyes while wearing a mask, a text to see how you can lend a hand, or a person you’ve gotten to know better due to these unusual circumstances.”