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mission

Our Mission

Our mission is to cultivate food justice in Northeast Ohio and beyond by building enduring local food systems from the ground up. We use the power of food and collaboration to transform under-resourced neighborhoods into thriving, self-sustaining communities. 

 

In all of our work, we make sure to engage the community. We work with, not for, communities, with the mindset that sustainability is ensured when the community has a sense of ownership over our work. We also form strategic partnerships with groups and individuals from the public, business and nonprofit sectors.

 

It takes a village, and by working together, we are able to conserve resources while bringing in the services and expertise of a variety of like-minded stakeholders. 

Food Strong is dedicated to using fresh foods as a tool to educate, empower, and cultivate health throughout Northeast Ohio. We offer a variety of programs including the School Gardens, Care-A-Van, our Vacant Lot Restoration Initiative, Mobile Farm Stand, and the Care Strong Project, all designed to engage local neighborhoods through collaborative food and health-conscious education initiatives.

 

 

 

 

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"Being able to work with Food Strong mural project has been one of the best things I’ve been able to be involved in. I loved being a part of a positive force in the community."  - Carson Bassett, Muralist

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​Click here to learn more about Food Strong’s programming.

the food strong team

Sara Continenza
Founder and Executive Director

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Stephanie Budd

Education Manager

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Ruth Gray

VLRI Project Manager

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Katie Signorelli

Office Associate

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Heather McCormick

Community Outreach/Marketing Manager

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Jeff Thaler 

Farm Manager

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Ericka Stewart
Teaching Artist

Amahd Manigault
AmeriCorps Member

Taylor Sniatecki

Grants Coordinator

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Devin Burgess 

Learning Garden Associate

Mia Farinacci 

Graphic Design Intern

Alisha Sheth
Grant Writer

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Fatima Muntaser 

Junior Office Associate

board of directors

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Nicole Salerno

President

Joseph Jerdonek

Vice President 

Sam Weir

Secretary

Max Kolman

Treasurer

Mary K. Thomas

Board Member

Benjamin Simmons

Board Member

Susan Carroll

Board Member

John Fahsbender

Board Member

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David Miller

Board Member

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Caleb Curry

Board Member

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Kevin Ament

Board Member

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David Hester

Board Member

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