What happens when you blend lived experience, operational grit, and a bold vision for food equity? You get Nichole Dube—a farmer, operator, and co-founder of Access to Fresh—on a mission to transform how communities access and experience food.
In the latest episode of Food is Health, Nichole joins host Clancy Harrison for an honest conversation about the real challenges and untapped potential in our food system. Clancy, the founder of the Food Dignity® Movement, brings her expertise as a registered dietitian and national thought leader to the table, guiding a strategic program that helps leaders make healthy food access a priority in every sector.
Together, Clancy and Nichole explore critical topics like the overlooked gaps in community pantries, the power of small growers, and what it really takes to support direct service operators on the front lines.
Key takeaways:
- Community gardens are struggling without consistent funding and volunteer support.
- Food is more than fuel—it’s a tool for survival, dignity, and connection.
- Pantries are often missing what people need most: fresh, quality produce.
- Empowering direct service operations with funding and infrastructure could be a game changer.
- “Food dignity” means meeting people where they are—without judgment, and with respect.
Nichole’s perspective is more than inspiring—it’s actionable. Her work through Dube’s Farm and Market and Access to Fresh is already changing lives across Pasco County and beyond. And through Clancy’s Food Dignity® framework, this conversation becomes a blueprint for how communities—and the leaders who serve them—can do better.
Listen now to Episode 175: Empowering Direct Service Operations
and get grounded in what it means to truly nourish communities
