What is the mission of the Food Trust?

December 26, 2025 •

2 min read

Founded in 1992, The Food Trust's mission is centered on ensuring access to affordable, nutritious food and providing the knowledge for healthy choices. The organization works to improve food systems in communities across the U.S. through increased access, nutrition education, and policy advocacy.

Quick Summary

The Food Trust's mission focuses on providing equitable access to affordable, nutritious food through programs, education, and policy advocacy.

Key Points

Equitable Food Access: The Food Trust's mission is to ensure access to affordable, nutritious food for everyone.
Community Collaboration: They work with various community groups to improve food systems.
Nutrition Education: Educating both children and adults on healthy food choices is a core part of their mission.
Policy Advocacy: They advocate for policies that improve food access and nutrition programs.
Multi-Program Strategy: Programs include healthy corner stores, farmers' markets, and food financing.
Holistic Approach: Their strategy combines access, affordability, and education.
Empowering Communities: The Food Trust aims to empower communities to build a just and nourishing food system.

Core Pillars of The Food Trust's Mission

The Food Trust works to improve food access and security through three main areas: access, education, and advocacy. These are fundamental to their goal of creating a more equitable food system.

Access to Affordable, Nutritious Food

A key goal is to make affordable, healthy food more available in communities lacking access. The organization has several programs:

Healthy Corner Store Initiative: Helps small stores offer more fresh produce and healthy items.
Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI): A partner in HFFI, providing funding to healthy food retailers in low-income areas.
Farmers Markets: Operates markets in underserved areas, often accepting nutrition assistance benefits.

Nutrition Education

The Food Trust also focuses on educating people about making healthy food choices. They have programs for different ages, including school programs, community workshops, and an online learning platform {Link: Central Oregon Health Data https://www.centraloregonhealthdata.org/promisepractice/index/view?pid=3655}.

Policy Advocacy

The organization advocates for policies supporting a fair food system at various government levels. This includes supporting initiatives like publicly funded HFFI and nutrition incentives.

Comparison of The Food Trust's Programs


Program	Target Audience	Key Strategy	Benefit	Focus
Healthy Corner Store Initiative	Residents in low-income areas	Technical and marketing assistance for stores	Increases local availability of fresh food	Access & Education
Farmers Market Program	Residents in underserved communities	Operate local markets, accept nutrition benefits	Improves access to local, affordable produce	Access & Affordability
Healthy Food Financing Initiative	Food retailers in underserved areas	Financial assistance and support	Develops and expands healthy food outlets	Systemic Change
Nutrition Incentives (e.g., Food Bucks)	SNAP recipients	Coupons and prescriptions for healthy foods	Boosts purchasing power for fresh produce	Affordability
School-Based Programs	Children and students	Educational activities, taste tests, school markets	Teaches children to make healthy eating choices	Education
Policy Advocacy	Policymakers and government	Education and policy campaigns	Promotes systemic improvements to food access	Advocacy

Conclusion

The Food Trust's mission is dedicated to providing everyone with access to affordable, nutritious food and the knowledge to make healthy choices. Through programs and policy advocacy, they work to remove barriers to healthy food. Their efforts in supporting corner stores, farmers' markets, nutrition incentives, and youth education demonstrate their commitment. The Food Trust aims for a future where nutrition security is a reality for all. More information about their work is available on their website {Link: Central Oregon Health Data https://www.centraloregonhealthdata.org/promisepractice/index/view?pid=3655}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Food Trust was founded in 1992 with the goal of making healthy food available to all.

It's a program by The Food Trust partnering with corner stores to increase their fresh produce and healthy item stock.

Food Bucks are coupons for SNAP shoppers from The Food Trust, boosting purchasing power for fresh produce.

They use school-based programs, community workshops, and an online platform for nutrition education.

HFFI provides financing to healthy food retailers to open or expand in underserved areas.

No, while founded there, The Food Trust works in many states and advocates nationally.

They educate policymakers at all government levels about community needs and push for policies improving food access.