Our Vision

A thriving local food system.

The Regional Food Council is a collective effort to make healthy food available and accessible with a stronger local food economy. Our vision is to cultivate a healthy regional food supply that is safe, affordable, and available to all. We are committed to working towards a thriving food system by creating environments that support healthy people and a strong food economy.

The Council formed in the summer of 2015 with the mission and vision for a comprehensive council to represent Central Illinois' five-county region including Logan, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford. The work of the Council grew as a natural extension of the growing body of support for fresh food access in the region and was spearheaded by the leadership of the Gifts in the Moment Foundation.

In its early stages of development, the Council defined its purpose along four tracks. All were designed to drive progress toward the organization’s vision and mission. These tracks include:

Serving as a forum for food system conversations.

Coordinating the sectors of our local food system.

Evaluating and influencing food policies and impact.

Launching and supporting programs to address local food needs.

Better food means better health.

Scroll down to learn more about our recent projects involving research, action and motivation towards a healthier food system.

Filling the Grocery Gap in Peoria report contained the findings of a study to better understand the closing of two grocery stores in the Peoria area and explore sustainable grocery solutions to fill the gap. This report aims to support the development of healthy, affordable, and sustainable grocery retail businesses in underserved Peoria neighborhoods.

Good Food Recovery improves the availability of healthy food alternatives for food banks, food pantries and kitchens through donated fresh vegetables, fruit and prepared meals. The program enables the recovery of unsold surplus food by matching food donations with hunger relief organizations and volunteer food runners.

HEAL was prioritized by the Tri-County area to focus on youth and adult nutrition and physical activity. The HEAL group was formed to create a goal, objective and strategies. This group met a total of four times to finalize the dashboard presented in the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).

After months of researching and benchmarking with national food council groups, we elicited feedback and suggestions for meaningful strategies to meet the needs of the region. 500 in 5 data will guide our future project work and support for key initiatives in the region.