Background

The Pittsburgh Food Equity Ambassador pilot program is part of the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge. The “PghFoodTeam” participating in this challenge, composed of partners from the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Health Department, American Heart Association -- Greater Pittsburgh, and One Pennsylvania want to center residents in the City of Pittsburgh’s food policy and bring full representation in the policy development process.

Program Overview

The Pittsburgh Food Equity Ambassadors program centers residents’ voices and the leadership of those most impacted by food inequities in developing policy solutions. 

Through a series of 10 meetings from April to September 2022, Pittsburgh Food Equity Ambassadors (“Ambassadors”) will meet virtually and in person to advance the six recommendations established by the first cohort of Ambassadors, and continue to build upon our City’s strengths in collaboration with local government and peer organizations to ensure resident-led solutions are central to the development City-level policy solutions for our community’s food system challenges.

Ambassadors have compensated a $600 stipend for their full participation in the program. The selection process will prioritize folks with lived experience of food inequities and those living in neighborhoods with an identified Healthy Food Priority Area:

  • District 1 - Northview Heights

  • District 3 - St. Clair

  • District 5 - Hazelwood

  • District 6 - Greater Hill District - Bedford Dwellings, Middle Hill, Crawford Roberts, and Terrace Village,​​ Perry South/Hilltop, and California-Kirkbride

  • District 8 - North Oakland

  • District 9 - Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Larimer, East Hills, and Greater Homewood

Residents who want to take action and progress policy solutions alongside the local government to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable food system in Pittsburgh are encouraged to apply at the link below.

Program Details 

  • Qualifications

    • City of Pittsburgh resident 16 years or older

    • Has a strong sense of community and interest in food systems and food policy

    • Willing to participate in creating policy solutions alongside local government

    • Willing to work with a diverse group and contribute to the program through active participation and feedback

    • Must be able to attend all meetings, with flexibility for two excused absences for last-minute emergencies

  • Meetings and dates of the program

    • Attend all 10 sessions from April to September 2022

    • Actively engage during the 2-hour long sessions

    • Complete approximately 5 hours of extracurricular work as assigned over the course of 5 months

    • Maintain regular communication with the PghFoodTeam, especially for any absences

  • Compensation

    • Ambassadors have compensated a flat stipend of $600 to recognize their expertise, lived experience with food insecurity and injustice, leadership, and input into the policy-making process

      The $600 flat-rate stipend includes:

      • $500 for attending all bi-weekly in-person or virtual sessions from April to September 2022

      • $100 for approximately 5 hours of extracurricular work outside of the program as assigned

      • 2 excused absences for the flexibility of emergencies

  • Application Timeline

    • Applications open on February 9th, 2022, and close on March 7th, 2022 at 11:59 p.m

    • The selection committee will complete their application review and request interviews with selected applications in mid-March

    • The selection committee will conduct interviews in late-March

    • Final Cohort 2 Ambassadors will be selected by the first week of April

Session Overview

The ten sessions will occur bi-weekly over the course of five months - April to September 2022. The time and dates of meetings will be determined by the availability of selected Ambassadors. Meetings will be virtual and in-person at familiar food system sites across the City of Pittsburgh. and are predominantly English-speaking. Protocols like masking and social distancing will be encouraged for in-person activities.

Throughout the meetings, Ambassadors will share their experiences and build upon the first Cohort’s policy recommendations with support from the PghFoodTeam and local leaders that include City of Pittsburgh elected officials and staff.

Questions regarding the program or the application? Email Sam Applefield or call & text the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council at (412) 406-6061.