The Frederick County Food Council is dedicated to ensuring a healthy, resilient food supply for all County residents both now and in an uncertain future. As a convening body for local food system stakeholders, we
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Advocate for food system resiliency at the state and local level;
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Support efforts that sustain farmers, improve soil health, and strengthen the local food economy; and
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Promote initiatives that increase healthy eating, reduce food waste, diminish food insecurity, and distribute fresh local food equitably.
How We Do It
Meet Our Team
Michelle Caruso
Chair
Michelle Caruso, MPH, RDN is a public health and food systems professional with over a decade of leadership experience in food councils across multiple jurisdictions. She brings deep expertise in food policy, strategic planning, and cross-sector collaboration. She has served on several statewide advisory councils focused on food system resilience and school health, and was elected to serve on the leadership team of the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council.
Alison Wexler
Treasurer
Alison Wexler is the owner of Sand Garden Health & Wellness Coaching here in Frederick and a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach. She is also a trained CHEF Culinary Coach and a board member with the Common Market Co-op. Prior to her career in coaching, she worked extensively in non-profit and for-profit business operations. She moved to Frederick with her husband and son in 2021.
Kirk Druey
Food Security Lead
Kirk Druey leads the Food Security Workgroup which assesses, and aims to respond to, the needs of our county's food insecure households and the food pantries and community organizations that serve them. This workgroup also aims to provide more fresh healthy foods from local farms and food producers with our food insecure households.
Hannnah Fuchs, Advocacy Lead
The Advocacy Lead for FCFC builds relations with leaders and elected officials and shares educational materials on how to strengthen our local food system. She responds to requests and initiates support for bills and proposals at the state and local levels that further local food supply chain infrastructure and partnership/investment.
Nora Wade, Editor
Digging In
Nora discovered the FCFC as an avid customer of Frederick Fresh Online. She has worked for a local life insurance company for over 28 years, most recently as a Senior Data Analyst, and has resided in Frederick for the past 12 years. In addition to her work with FCFC, she volunteers with the AWLFC, is a member of several Toastmasters clubs, and
spends her remaining free time gardening, birdwatching, reading, and taking Improv
classes.
Melanie Smith-Bell
Social Media Manager
Melanie has been with the Food council and its earlier iterations for many years. Though she now lives in California, she continues to use her local expertise to help promote the FCFC on our Facebook page.
Our Partners
Check out our amazing partners. They join the Food Council with their dedication to building a resilient, locally based, food system that serves all citizens in Frederick County.
Bar T Mountainside
Bar T Mountainside made the Frederick Fresh Online (FFO), a Food Council pilot project, possible. From June 2020 - February 2023 Bar T's barn and facilities offered FFO a place for farmer deliveries, order aggregation, and customer pick-ups. Bar-T Mountainside campus lent us use of their walk-in refrigerators, freezers, and more. We are grateful to Bar-T for their Food Council support.
Farm to School
Frederick
Farm to School Frederick (F2S) started as a project of Community FARE and the Frederick County Food Council, with community and USDA Food and Nutrition support.
In 2022 we launched F2S with pride and intent to become its own organization that will have greater reach and impact to better serve families in Frederick County.
Meetings
Please join us at our Community Meetings! Each 1.5 hour meeting features a special guest speaker, a local producer and food provider, and committee and business updates. If you can't join in, you can read about them below!
The Frederick County Food Council is run by an incredible team of dedicated volunteers. If you would like to get involved, please fill out the form below.