Marion Institute Grows Healthy Food Access Across the SouthCoast

For more than 30 years, the Marion Institute has worked to make healthy food more accessible across the SouthCoast. Based in Marion, the nonprofit’s mission is to build healthy, resilient regional food systems and expand access to nutritious food for all, Executive Director Liz Wiley said during a Southcoast Health Community Spotlight appearance this week on Fun 107.

The work that Wiley referenced in the Spotlight happens through four core programs that support local agriculture, food education, and hunger relief. The goal is to teach kids where food comes from using Grow Education, the Institute’s farm to school initiative. Grow Education showcases how the food is grown locally and why buying local can support both public health and the environment.

"What can look like a simple school garden is actually a hands on learning experience," Wiley said. Grow Education is now active in 24 schools across six SouthCoast districts. That is a goal that Wiley once thought would never be possible.

Growing Healthier Habits in SouthCoast Schools

Wiley said students are highly responsive to learning about fresh food, gardening, and local farming. The program helps connect classrooms with seasonal produce and reinforces the value of healthy eating at a young age.

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What is Gleaning and How Does It Help Food Pantries

The Marion Institute also runs a regional gleaning effort called Fields to Families. Wiley explained that gleaning is when a farmer has surplus crops that will not be harvested and might otherwise go to waste. Volunteers harvest that produce and deliver it to nearby food pantries, helping ensure nothing goes to waste while expanding access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Strengthening Local Food Systems Through Policy and Food Relief

The nonprofit also leads the SouthCoast Food Policy Council, bringing community partners together to strengthen the regional food system. On the direct service side, it operates Frog Foot Farm, a farm to food relief program focused on getting quality, healthy food to people who need it.

After a year of ups and downs, including uncertainty tied to the SNAP crisis, Wiley said the focus remains on improving the quality of food people can access. Healthy food can be expensive, she noted, but communities pay for it one way or another: the high cost of healthy food or the high cost of healthcare.