Building Pasco County’s Food Resilience

Connecting people, produce and programs through partnerships.

Access to Fresh is building on established programs and community relationships to expand fresh-food access, support regional growers and create opportunities for a healthier, more resilient Pasco.

The Pasco Community Resilience Food Hub initiative would help connect agriculture, healthcare, education and workforce development—providing the capacity to serve more people and strengthen the local economy.

Invest in Access to Fresh. Grow Community Impact.

More Than One Million Servings—and a Foundation to Build On

Access to Fresh has sourced and delivered more than one million servings of fresh food to students, seniors, veterans, patients, foster youth and families.

Our work combines fresh-food access with practical food education. Relationships with growers, schools, healthcare organizations and community partners make that work possible.

The next step is to strengthen the capacity behind those connections.

Food Infrastructure Builds Community Resilience

A dependable food system connects what a region grows with what its communities need.

Production, aggregation, produce processing, cold storage and distribution can help create:

  • More reliable food access: Greater capacity to source, preserve and deliver fresh food through local markets and community programs.
  • Stronger agricultural businesses: Opportunities for regional growers, including regenerative farmers, to reach dependable buyers.
  • Workforce pathways: Opportunities to develop skills in agriculture, food preparation and handling, storage, logistics and distribution.
  • Local economic growth: Connections that help regional producers and businesses serve schools, healthcare and other institutions. Spaces for processing and product development supporting entrepreneurs.
  • Food and health connections: Reliable fresh-food supply for nutrition-focused programs, paired with education and evaluation.

 

Infrastructure gives partnerships the capacity to deliver more.

Why Pasco County?

Pasco’s population growth, household financial pressures and expanding healthcare ecosystem create an opportunity to connect food access, health and economic development.

The county’s agricultural roots and regional location provide a foundation. Engaged community stakeholders and an established, county-supported Food Policy Advisory Council help bring local priorities into the conversation.

The opportunity is to build connections between regional production and local demand—so farmers, families, institutions and businesses can benefit together.

Why Access to Fresh?

Ready to Scale

Established fresh-food and food literacy programs provide practical experience to build on.

Connected to Demand

Relationships across schools, healthcare and community programs help us understand needs and develop pathways to new markets.

Community-Led

Our work begins with people. Community relationships and stakeholder engagement guide our approach. Nichole Dube leads Pasco’s established, county-supported Food Policy Advisory Council, helping connect local perspectives with food-system planning.

The Pasco Community Resilience Food Hub Initiative

The initial concept brings together on-site production, aggregation, produce processing, cold storage and distribution.

These capabilities would support Access to Fresh’s programs while helping regional growers reach institutional, consumer and community markets.

Future development could include dedicated workforce training, culinary and Food Is Medicine spaces, and a community center for education, events and coordinated services.

Our focus begins in Pasco, with potential for broader regional collaboration.

The hub remains a proposed concept. Its location, design, operating model and timeline will be shaped by planning, community input, partnerships and funding.

Help Grow What Comes Next

LEAD — Contribute Expertise

Help guide our growth through experience in agriculture, healthcare, workforce development, logistics, finance or community leadership.

FUND — Support Program Delivery

Help expand fresh-food access and practical food education for students, seniors, patients and families.

BUILD — Invest in Infrastructure

Support hub planning and development to strengthen regional supply, expand access and create economic opportunity.

Bring your expertise, resources or shared commitment to the table.

Let’s explore what we can make possible together.