Mark your calendar now and plan to join us and our partners February 9th for the Virginia Food Access Coalition advocacy day. We will  join together virtually for a day filled with actions you can take from wherever you are to speak up for building, longer healthier lives in Virginia.

Even though we aren’t meeting in person, lawmakers still need to hear our voices when it comes to issues like systems of stroke care, tobacco use, and access to health care.

We’ll start our day with a kick-off and create a space to learn more about our 2022 General Assembly Session priorities. Hear from legislative champions, partners, and engage in meetings to advocate on behalf of  increased access to healthy and nutritious foods. We’ll close with motivation and reflection on our hopes for the future.

The Virginia Food Access coalition is co-led by Voices for Virginia’s Children and the American Heart Association- Virginia and supported by coalition members and community leaders.

Register here.

Agenda/Itinerary 

 8:30AM-8:40AM: Opening Remarks   

• Chlo’e Edwards, Policy Analyst, Voices for Virginia’s Children   
• Nichole Wescott-Hayes, Government Relations Director- Virginia, American Heart Association – Virginia  

8:40AM-8:45AM: Advocacy Day Kickoff

• Office of Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn 

8:45AM-8:50AM: Advocacy Day Remarks

• Salaam Bhatti, Staff Attorney, Director, Virginia Hunger Solutions   

 8:50AM-9:00AM: Legislative Priorities  

• Chlo’e Edwards, Policy Analyst, Voices for Virginia’s Children   

• Nichole Wescott-Hayes, Government Relations Director- Virginia, American Heart Association – Virginia   

9:00AM-9:15AM: Impact of Legislative Advocacy   

Virginia Food Access Investment Fund/Virginia Fresh Match Recipient   

• Omari Al-Qadaffi, Community Organizer/Strategic Planner, Richmond Food Justice Alliance   
• Arthur Burton, Director, Kinfolk Community (Community Unity in Action/Food Justice Corridor)  

Virginia Produce RX Prescription

• Erin Lingo, Shalom Farms 

9:15AM-9:30AM: Lay of the Land & Take Action  

• Kristin Lennox, Advocacy & Engagement Manager, Voices for Virginia’s Children   
• Katey Aquilina, Grassroots Manager, American Heart Association- Virginia  

9:30AM-10:50AM: Legislative Meetings   

(Homeroom Zoom/Legislators come to the full Zoom link. We will have “kickoff” speakers with the opportunity for others to chime in following if time allows, to add chat comments, or stand in solidarity on the Zoom)  

 9:30AM-9:45: Meeting 1: Northern Region – Senator Marsden (Burke/Fairfax) 

Northern Region: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Fauquier, Fredericksburg, King George, Loudoun, Manassas, Manassas Park, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford 

Kickoff Speakers:  

• Opener- Chlo’e Edwards, Policy Analyst, Voices for Virginia’s Children   
• Nick Stavley, Northern Region Lead, FRESHFARM   
• Bill Threlkeld, Vice President, Community Building & Neighborhood Resources, Cornerstones, (nonprofit that offers SNAP and Fresh Match at Reston Farmers Market)  

9:50AM-10:05AM Meeting 2: Eastern & Hampton Roads Region – Delegate Knight (Chesapeake/Virginia Beach)  

Eastern Region: Accomack, Essex, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northampton, Northumberland, Richmond County, Westmoreland 

Hampton Roads Region: Chesapeake, Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, James City, Newport News, Norfolk, Mathews, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, York 

Kickoff Speakers: 

• Opener- Nichole Wescott-Hayes, Government Relations Director, American Heart Association   
• Tracy Frey, Williamsburg Farmers Market, VFM Coastal Regional Lead 
• Hampton Roads Trauma-Informed Community Network (CHKD- Erin)  

10:10-10:25AM – Meeting 3: Richmond/Southside Region – Delegate Adams/LA (Richmond) & Delegate Coyner (Southside)   

Richmond Region: Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, New Kent, Petersburg, Powhatan, Prince George, Richmond 

Southside Region: Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Danville, Emporia, Franklin City, Franklin County, Greensville, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Martinsville, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Southampton, Surry, Sussex  

Kickoff Speakers:  

• Opener- Kristin Lennox, Advocacy & Engagement Manager, Voices for Virginia’s Children 
• Omari Al-Qadaffi, Community Organizer/Strategic Planner, Richmond Food Justice Alliance  
• Arthur Burton, Director, Kinfolk Community (Community Unity in Action/Food Justice Corridor)  
• Kai Banks, Parent & Community Advocate 
• Erin Lingo, Shalom Farms 

10:30AM-10:50 AM- Meeting 4: Central, Southwest, & Valley Region – Delegate Fariss (Rustburg/Campbell County), Delegate Rasoul (Roanoke), & Delegate Hudson/LA (Charlottesville/Albemarle) 

Central Region: Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford County, Bedford City, Campbell, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Lynchburg, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Rappahannock  

Southwest Region: Bland, Bristol, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Galax, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Norton, Pulaski, Radford, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, Wythe 

Valley Region: Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Buena Vista, Clarke, Craig, Covington, Frederick, Harrisonburg, Highland, Lexington, Page, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Salem, Shenandoah, Staunton, Warren, Waynesboro, Winchester 

 Kickoff Speakers:  

• Opening- Katey Aquilina, Grassroots Manager, American Heart Association- Virginia  
• Ricky Kowalewski, Market Manager, Lynchburg Community Market (closest VFM market to Rustburg)  
• Maureen McNamara Best, Local Environmental Education Project  

11:00AM-11:15AM – Meeting 5: Senator Ghazala Hashmi (Richmond) & Delegate Betsy Carr/LA

Richmond Region: Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, New Kent, Petersburg, Powhatan, Prince George, Richmond 

Kickoff Speakers:  

• Opener- Kristin Lennox, Advocacy & Engagement Manager, Voices for Virginia’s Children 
• Omari Al-Qadaffi, Community Organizer/Strategic Planner, Richmond Food Justice Alliance  
• Arthur Burton, Director, Kinfolk Community (Community Unity in Action/Food Justice Corridor)  
• Kai Banks, Parent & Community Advocate  
• Erin Lingo, Shalom Farms pending 

11:15AM-11:30AM: Next Steps & Reflection  

• Chlo’e Edwards, Policy Analyst, Voices for Virginia’s Children  
• Kristin Lennox, Advocacy & Engagement Manager, Voices for Virginia’s Children  

Resources & Materials:  

• Intersectional Solutions To Increasing Food Access & Nutrition Security In Virginia blog with data and talking points (Read)  
• Talking Points (view)  
• Action Alerts (click)  

For more information, email: Chloe@vakids.org or Nichole.Wescott-Hayes@heart.org