FEEST

The Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team (FEEST) is a weekly youth-run organic dinner program that engages young people in issues of civic and social justice, food security, cultural expression, systems change and community development.  It is a practical laboratory for new and unique methods for youth engagement and development around food that provides a new model for communities nationwide.

FEEST started as a program of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in 2006 and has been nested in a couple of other organizations during its growth and development since then. With a generous multi-year award from the WK Kellogg Foundation, FEEST began the process of development towards autonomy and larger instutitonal sustainability.

Starting in early 2013, Fife Consulting began working with FEEST on an eight-month series of projects to articulate a strategic plan, develop an organizational structure and define a system of operations.  During that time we developed an employee handbook, improved the benefits and compensation packages, drafted a communications plan, built logic models and program development plans, grew the stakeholder base of the organization and engaged them in strategic planning, established the first formal board of directors and wrote bylaws.  All culminated in the establishment of a new Business Manager position and the publication of a five-year strategic plan.

Currently, we continue to provide coaching support to the Executive Director and board through our partnership with The Ostara Group.