Dignity, at its core, is fundamental to human experience. Yet for countless individuals facing food insecurity, this essential aspect of self-respect becomes profoundly eroded.
When access to fresh, nutritious food is a daily struggle, it sends unspoken and damaging messages. Imagine needing to rely on sustenance that is nutritionally inadequate, or culturally inappropriate. It’s a constant reminder of a system that fails to acknowledge one’s basic right to wholesome nourishment and respectful provision.

Good people, often through no fault of their own, lack the lived experience to truly grasp the constant stress, shame, difficult choices and long-term health and developmental consequences that food inequity imposes on low-income individuals and families. They may see it as a simple problem of “not enough food” rather than a complex web of systemic issues with human struggles.

The investigations and documentaries of the late 1960s, particularly “Hunger in America,” were pivotal. They revealed that hunger existed not just in developing nations but within the seemingly affluent U.S. This exposé brought to light the shame and stigma associated with hunger, implicitly highlighting the lack of dignity.
People were hiding their hunger, demonstrating the social and emotional toll. Community food activists and advocates began to articulate concerns about the dignity of food provision, pushing for approaches that offered more choice and empowerment.

Today, in South Burlington, Common Roots partners with The South Burlington Food Shelf. Working together they offer this bridge to stability, choice and empowerment. Since 2007, Common Roots nutritional education staff and trained college interns have been setting up a bountiful organic farmstand several times a week. Their vibrant display of freshly harvested, seasonal produce highlights the best of nature’s offerings.
With Common Roots as my “inspirational teacher” for over five years I’ve noted the holistic impacts that can transform and heal within our community. I’ve become increasingly aware of the people, programs and determinants of their growing mission. We are beyond simply providing food. We educated and equipped individuals with the resources, knowledge and opportunities to actively participate in their own food security and improve their health.

Simply put, “Nourish to Flourish” means providing a health selection of fresh produce where clients can choose the foods they prefer and need, allowing individuals to make decisions based on their family’s tastes, dietary restrictions and even cultural preferences. This allows autonomy over food choices and restores a sense of control that can be diminished by food inequities.

Trained in active listening, the South Burlington Food Shelf staff and Common Roots educators are in tune with the needs of their clients and neighbors. This shifts the dynamic of intrusive questions, and ensures privacy during the “shopping” process, maintaining confidentiality of personal information and reducing shame.

To take this philosophy one step further, clients are offered other hands-on means to build greater self-sufficiency. By providing seeds and plant starts, along with instructions and resources like compost and planters, clients are empowered to grow their own food. This goes far beyond addressing immediate hunger. By offering opportunities for food shelf participants to grow their own food at our farm, their agency and connection to their food sources, grow too. This shift from recipient to active participant in cultivating their own crops can be incredibly healing. Tending to plants, being outdoors and engaging with the cycle of growth can be profoundly therapeutic. Working alongside others, sharing knowledge and celebrating harvests creates a strong sense of community. This combats isolation and builds supportive relationships, which are crucial for well-being.

The path to true dignity for individuals facing food insecurity is paved by listening deeply, offering unwavering support and providing the essential tools and land access for them to cultivate their own food. This approach transcends mere provision, empowering individuals to reclaim agency and foster profound self-sufficiency.
Recognizing and nurturing the dignity of every individual — especially through empowering them to grow their own food — helps not only them, but our entire community to flourish and grow.