History and Partners
The Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Program (SENCFSP) was founded as a program of the Department of Sociology and Criminology at UNC Wilmington in 2006 by Leslie Hossfeld, former Chair and Professor of Sociology at UNCW, and Rev. Mac Legerton, Executive Director of the Center for Community Action in Lumberton. It began as a grassroots initiative to promote economic and community development in response to massive job loss and high poverty in this region. Since then, SENCFSP, now operating as the nonprofit Feast Down East, has developed an extensive network of partnerships with public and private institutions and agencies Southeastern NC. This region is the most ethnically diverse area in the state and is one of the three major regions of persistent poverty.
PARTNERS
Bladen County: Bladen County Cooperative Extension, Bladen County Division of Aging, Family Resource Center, Family Support Program of Bladen County
Brunswick County: Brunswick Catch, Brunswick Community College, Brunswick County Child Nutrition Program, Brunswick County Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Health Department, Brunswick Family Assistance, Dozier Grain & Produce, Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Greenlands Farm, Haag and Sons Seafood, A Second Helping, Shallotte Farmers’ Market, Shelton Herb Farm, Southport Riverfront Market
Carteret County: Carteret Catch, Carteret County Cooperative Extension, Carteret County Local Food Network
Columbus County: Columbus County Cooperative Extension, Columbus County Farmers’ Market, Columbus County Health Department, Down East Connect, DREAM Center, Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Southeastern Community College, Whiteville City Child Nutrition Program
Duplin County: Cottle Organics, Duplin County Cooperative Extension, Duplin County Health Department, James Sprunt Community College, REACH, Twin River Cooperative
New Hanover: Ability Garden, Aramark, Blue Ribbon Commission, Cape Fear Community College, Carolina Beach Farmers’ Market, Castle Street Community Gardens, Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, LINC, New Hanover County Cooperative Extension, New Hanover County Child Nutrition Program, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, NHC Health Department, Poplar Grove Farmers’ Market, Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations, Riverfront Farmers Market, Smart Start, Southeastern Alliance for Community Change, Tidal Creek Food Cooperative, UNCW Campus Dining, UNCW Small Business Technology Development Center, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Whole Foods Wilmington Green, Wilmington Housing Authority, Wilmington Riverfront Farmers’ Market, Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wrightsville Beach Farmers’ Market
Hoke County: Hawkeye Farms, Hoke County Cooperative Extension
Onslow County: Camp LeJeune Schools, Onslow County Chamber of Commerce, Onslow County Child Nutrition Program, Onslow County Cooperative Extension, Onslow County Farmers’ Market
Pender County: Burgaw Area Chamber of Commerce, Dogwood Farm, Historic Burgaw Train Depot, My Sister’s Organic Farm, Newberry’s Blueberries, Pender County Cooperative Extension, Pender County Tourism, Poplar Grove Farmers’ Market, Town of Burgaw, Willing Workers Cooperative
Robeson County: Center for Community Action, Lumberton Farmers’ Market, Robeson County Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Family Support Program, Robeson County Health Department, University of North Carolina Pembroke
Sampson County: Black River Organics; Sampson County Cooperative Extension
State Partners: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, BRAC Regional Task Force, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Central Carolina Community College Sustainable Agriculture Program, Good Work, Local Food Council of NC, NC Campus Compact / AmeriCorps VISTA, NC Department of Health and Human Services, NC FoodCorps, NC Gives, NC Prevention Partners, NC Rural Center, North Carolina A&T, The North Carolina Conservation Fund, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, North Carolina State University, North Carolina State University College of Life Sciences, Resourceful Communities, StrikeForce, Sustainable Food NC, Toxic Free NC, Wake Forest Community Law and Business Clinic
Brunswick County: Brunswick Catch, Brunswick Community College, Brunswick County Child Nutrition Program, Brunswick County Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Health Department, Brunswick Family Assistance, Dozier Grain & Produce, Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Greenlands Farm, Haag and Sons Seafood, A Second Helping, Shallotte Farmers’ Market, Shelton Herb Farm, Southport Riverfront Market
Carteret County: Carteret Catch, Carteret County Cooperative Extension, Carteret County Local Food Network
Columbus County: Columbus County Cooperative Extension, Columbus County Farmers’ Market, Columbus County Health Department, Down East Connect, DREAM Center, Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Southeastern Community College, Whiteville City Child Nutrition Program
Duplin County: Cottle Organics, Duplin County Cooperative Extension, Duplin County Health Department, James Sprunt Community College, REACH, Twin River Cooperative
New Hanover: Ability Garden, Aramark, Blue Ribbon Commission, Cape Fear Community College, Carolina Beach Farmers’ Market, Castle Street Community Gardens, Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, LINC, New Hanover County Cooperative Extension, New Hanover County Child Nutrition Program, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, NHC Health Department, Poplar Grove Farmers’ Market, Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations, Riverfront Farmers Market, Smart Start, Southeastern Alliance for Community Change, Tidal Creek Food Cooperative, UNCW Campus Dining, UNCW Small Business Technology Development Center, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Whole Foods Wilmington Green, Wilmington Housing Authority, Wilmington Riverfront Farmers’ Market, Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wrightsville Beach Farmers’ Market
Hoke County: Hawkeye Farms, Hoke County Cooperative Extension
Onslow County: Camp LeJeune Schools, Onslow County Chamber of Commerce, Onslow County Child Nutrition Program, Onslow County Cooperative Extension, Onslow County Farmers’ Market
Pender County: Burgaw Area Chamber of Commerce, Dogwood Farm, Historic Burgaw Train Depot, My Sister’s Organic Farm, Newberry’s Blueberries, Pender County Cooperative Extension, Pender County Tourism, Poplar Grove Farmers’ Market, Town of Burgaw, Willing Workers Cooperative
Robeson County: Center for Community Action, Lumberton Farmers’ Market, Robeson County Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Family Support Program, Robeson County Health Department, University of North Carolina Pembroke
Sampson County: Black River Organics; Sampson County Cooperative Extension
State Partners: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, BRAC Regional Task Force, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Central Carolina Community College Sustainable Agriculture Program, Good Work, Local Food Council of NC, NC Campus Compact / AmeriCorps VISTA, NC Department of Health and Human Services, NC FoodCorps, NC Gives, NC Prevention Partners, NC Rural Center, North Carolina A&T, The North Carolina Conservation Fund, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, North Carolina State University, North Carolina State University College of Life Sciences, Resourceful Communities, StrikeForce, Sustainable Food NC, Toxic Free NC, Wake Forest Community Law and Business Clinic
