Local Foods, Local Places Program Helping Revive Rainelle

Above Photo: Frank Heinz/Flickr

RAINELLE, WV (WVVA) –

Rainelle’s “Local Foods, Local Places” newly-assembled steering committee is hoping to get the ball rolling for a healthier community.

“This gives them an ability to be able to do a ‘360’ with food here,” says Peggy Crowder, with the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation.

Some Rainelle leaders are looking to revive the economy and help residents live a healthier lifestyle. In January, Rainelle was granted assistance from the Local Foods, Local Places program. The national initiative helps communities boost health and the economy through development of a local food system.

“It’s infrastructure as well as development of healthy people, healthy food and healthy places,” says Andrea Pendleton, mayor of Rainelle.

The LFLP steering committee met for the first time Monday afternoon at Rainelle Medical Center. The group began assessing the need for Rainelle and its surrounding communities.The steering committee’s goal..to create a local food system that will increase access to healthy food, especially for children..

“Rainelle only has about one percent of tillable land in their area, so it’s time for us to get food that is plentiful in the rest of the Greenbrier Valley to Rainelle,” says Crowder.

Crowder says the initiative is all about teamwork…bringing together local communities but also bridging the gap between a small town in West Virginia and the federal government in Washington.

“The biggest accomplishment is to boost the economy for our local producers and to have access to local foods for the people of Rainelle and especially the children,” says Crowder.

Rainelle’s LFLP steering committee was assembled by the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation. It’s made up of 16 individuals from Greenbrier County and surrounding areas.