E31: Michelle Horovitz from Appetite for Change is leading a food justice organization that has built a community around health, wealth and social change through food.

Today's inspiring guest is Michele Horovitz. Michelle is one of the co-founders and Executive Director of Appetite For Change (AFC), a nonprofit social enterprise organization dedicated to using food as a tool to build health, wealth and social change. AFC works with residents to build strong families and healthy, equitable communities around food. They also own and operate Kindred Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen incubator and Breaking Bread Café and Catering, a youth social enterprise serving North Minneapolis.

Michelle graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Bioethics and Spanish and earned a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. She worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County before working for James Beard Award winning Chef Michelle Bernstein as a prep cook, line cook and assistant to the pastry chef. After returning to Minneapolis she co-founded Appetite For Change. She is a dedicated leader, passionate about social and racial justice, and serves on the Board of Directors for Jewish Community Action. Michelle enjoys yoga, biking and spending time with her family and friends. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, two children, two dogs and 1 hamster.

In this inspiring episode Michelle discusses how eating healthy is tough for everyone, regardless of age, family status, how much time or money you have. She then explains how living in a community without farmers markets, healthy retail options, limited grocery store availability and reliable transportation make it so much harder.

We talk about how people often think that low-income communities just don't know what healthy is, or care about eating well, but it's often the policies systems, and the environment around us that influences our eating habits. Often times communities lack resources to solve their own health issues, but they don't need to be told what the solutions are, or "saved" by people who live outside their communities. It's more about the resources, social networks and assets in a community that prevent people from achieving their wellness goals.

We also discuss how health and wellness means different things for different people, but it's often stereotypes and fears of the unknown that keep us from trying new things. For example: black people aren't vegan, eating "healthy" is a white person thing, you have to have a lot of money to eat fresh and local foods, growing your own food is hard and you can't do it if you don't own your own property, etc.

We also hear all all about the foundation, the cafe, catering company, community garden and all the other amazing things her organization is working on - including a super cool rap video "Grow Food."

Michelle ends by sharing a powerful story about a woman, her journey and how Appetite for Change impacted her life.

You can find Michelle on:

https://appetiteforchangemn.org/

Facebook:

Appetite for Change

https://www.facebook.com/appetiteforchange/?ref=br_rs

Breaking Bread Cafe

https://www.facebook.com/breakingbreadcafeandcatering/

Instagram:

Appetite for Change

https://www.instagram.com/appetiteforchange/

Breaking Bread Cafe

https://www.instagram.com/breakingbreadmn/

Station 81 Union Depot

https://www.instagram.com/station81uniondepot/

Consider donating to AFC:

www.afcmn.org/donate

If you wish to volunteer at AFC:

https://appetiteforchangemn.org/volunteer/

Offer for listeners:

10% off your first catering order - mention The Art of Living Well Podcast

https://breakingbreadfoods.com/catering/

Reminders:

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