Photo caption: Rachel Bair shows state agricultural director Gary McDowell around Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Food Innovation Center and Culinary and Allied Health Building.

Representatives from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), formerly the Department of Agriculture, recently visited Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Food Innovation Center and Culinary and Allied Health Building to learn about the creative ways the college is working to make healthy foods accessible.

Director for Sustainable Food Systems Rachel Bair led the tour at the Food Innovation Center and explained that the food hub concept brings into focus the intersection between food, education and mental health.

“The idea has morphed as we have had different partners come onboard or we look at community needs,” added Kalamazoo Valley President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.

MDARD Director Gary McDowell said field trips to local communities were more frequent prior to the pandemic. “We’re here learning and asking questions,” he said. “Great ideas are coming from people across the state who have the same goals and we’re really impressed. We want to be a part of it, too.”

He said he’s hopeful that food insecurity can be tackled by organizations that band together across the state. “Food brings people together,” McDowell said. “If we can solve the food crisis, it will go a long way toward solving other social ills.”

ValleyHUB, a social enterprise food hub run by the Kalamazoo Valley Community College, connects local growers with buyers like restaurants and institutional kitchens in schools and hospitals.

“We have to look more at local, so we’re not depending on the rest of the world for our food supply,” McDowell said. “I just appreciate what’s going on in Kalamazoo. It’s a great example of what can be done when we work together.”

To learn more, see a video of the tour and photos.

Established in 1966, Kalamazoo Valley Community College offers certificate programs in more than 50 areas of study and associate degrees in 60 others. These include business, healthcare, human and public service, and technical occupations, culinary arts and brewing training. It has four Kalamazoo, Mich., locations, including the Texas Township Campus, the Groves Campus, the Arcadia Commons Campus and the Bronson Healthy Living Campus. Classes are available during the day, evening, online and weekends. For more, visit kvcc.edu.