Agenda - 12-13-2022; 8-a - Minutes

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8 1 that feedback to larger trends in the community. She said she would share that comment with 2 the team. 3 Commissioner Hamilton said the report is heavily qualitative and could use some 4 quantitative data. She said that it would be helpful to have a description of what the services 5 are, who the players are, and to fit in some of the qualitative data more effectively. She said that 6 it comes off as anecdotal, and not resting so much on that would have strengthened the report. 7 Ashley Heger said that the visual report that will be available will show some of that 8 information. She said that the community experts were asked what they thought would be most 9 impactful to share in the report. She said it would have been helpful for the commissioners to 10 see what setting this information is in. 11 Commissioner Richards said she understands the need, desire, and value of the 12 community experts. She said she expects that staff would take that and bridge that to what the 13 elected boards or decision makers want to see to better inform the decision process. She said 14 the balance between the two would enhance the work and is critical going forward. 15 Ashley Heger said she hopes that before she maps out next steps that they will move in 16 that direction. She said that she would like to set the Food Council up for success with follow- 17 through. 18 Commissioner McKee asked for clarification if the inability to reach out to rural residents 19 was due to time. 20 Ashley Heger said that it was not only time. She said that due to time and funding and 21 looking at where the biggest food insecurity numbers are in the county, they worked with 22 community leaders to identify community experts that would support the work. She said that 23 naturally led them to working with experts that live in the more populated areas. She said there 24 was rural representation in the process, but they can do more. She said the process was proof 25 of concept, by shifting power to those most impacted. She said that her hope is that the Food 26 Council can have convenings that can have more of a process that would help the decision 27 makers in the county. She said that they have done what they can, given time, relationships, 28 and funding, but the Food Council can do more, especially in the future. 29 Commissioner McKee said he has been dealing with this for six years now. He said he 30 does not see how time can be a factor. He said that there is not an area specific to Orange 31 County that is more impacted by food insecurity and that it is north to south, and east to west. 32 He read the paragraph from the MOU from 2015 and said they are not closer to then where they 33 were in 2015. He said that the system is not working. He said that the engagement needs to be 34 with providers and there is a disconnect. 35 Ashley Heger said that providers are a necessary part of finding a solution and should 36 be part of the process in the spring. She said that would work with people in various county 37 departments and the charitable programs. She said that there is a systemic problem and that 38 she has sadness leaving because this feels incomplete. She said it is long-term work and will 39 require difference collaborative pieces across the system and more staff primed to convene 40 around the entire food system. She said that is too large for any one staff person to handle 41 alone. She said the work is taking place and there are a lot of amazing people doing the work 42 but it will be difficult to see the same type of results because of the staff. She said it takes time 43 to build trust and relationships. 44 Commissioner McKee said his concern is moving past the discussion to getting food to 45 the people who need it. 46 Chair Price said the report is a good description of hunger in the United States. She 47 said if it was for a university class it would have been good. She said that many of the points 48 they have known for years. She said she worked with a hunger organization twenty years ago 49 and because they have not made systemic change, they are dealing with the same issues. She 50 said that transportation is an issue and that having income would be a part of the solution. She 51 said that she is glad the community voices are included but knowing where they are would have