Adagio Health Convening Community and Government Leaders to Strengthen Food Access
Adagio Health will host an Expanding Access to (EAT) Farm Fresh Produce Stakeholder Meeting on March 5, convening community partners, policymakers, and regional leaders to strengthen collaboration around food access in Western Pennsylvania and support local agriculture.
The meeting will be held at Cranberry Highlands Golf Course in Cranberry Township from 10AM to 3PM. Attendees will hear from Adagio Health about the EAT Farm Fresh project, along with perspectives from partners representing WIC, Agriculture, Aging Services, local farmers, elected officials, and other community stakeholders.
Leaders expected to attend include Julie Swartfager (PA-16) from U.S. Representative Mike Kelly’s office; Butler County Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kimberly Geyer; Laura Sohinki, Southwestern PA Director for Governor Josh Shapiro; Dawn Plummer, PA Food Policy Council Director; and Darrin Youker, Policy Director to Secretary of Agriculture Redding. Their support demonstrates a shared commitment at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure PA residents have access to fresh, healthy food.
“This will be a great opportunity to bring together local growers, community organizations, and state partners to talk about the impact of improving access to fresh produce for program participants of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, as well as helping to inform the future of mobile and pop-up markets,” said Britney Zwergel, Vice President of Nutrition & Education Programs at Adagio Health.
The stakeholder meeting builds on the success of Adagio Health’s Farm Fresh initiative, which returned for the 2025 growing season with expanded reach and impact, including:
- Partnerships with 22 local farms across 12 counties
- Service to 4,392 customers through farmers markets, pop-up farm stands, and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) benefit assistance
- Expanded access for seniors and veterans through farmers market vouchers and veteran stand down events
- Teaching Kitchens providing hands-on cooking experiences for 500 children and 103 pregnant or postpartum women
- 18,857 food cupboard intakes completed across Adagio Health sites, with nearly one-third screening positive for food insecurity
The meeting aims to align stakeholders around shared strategies to support local agriculture, strengthen nutrition programs, and respond to ongoing food access needs across Western PA.
Read an article covering the meeting from the Butler Eagle here.