Eastern Kentucky program chief earns an exclusive Obama Fellowship to help families grow food

The executive director of the Hindman Settlement School, one of the oldest institutions in Eastern Kentucky, has been awarded an exclusive Obama Foundation fellowship to expand the school’s local food and other programs.

Brent Hutchinson, who has been the school’s executive director since 2012, was selected from about 5,000 applicants to be one of 20 2019 fellows.

The fellowship, which began last year, aims to connect civic leaders from around the world who are tackling problems, including health and education, in their communities and allow them to expand their existing programs.

Hutchinson and the other fellows will attend four multiday training and networking retreats over the next two years.

The fellowship does not provide a monetary award, but Hutchinson will meet with potential donors, growth strategists and communications experts through the program, he said.

Since its inception in 1902, the Hindman Settlement School has led several community-development programs and become “a vibrant beacon for progressive learning, community enrichment, and cultural exploration in the Central Appalachian region,” according to its website.

In addition to developing cultural heritage programs, the school has offered tutoring for children with dyslexia since 1980.

The Obama Fellowship will help expand all the school’s initiatives, including its roughly 6-year-old Foodways Program that helps local families grow and preserve their food, Hutchinson said.

“Food insecurity is a huge issue,” Hutchinson said. “You could almost put a pin anywhere on the map in Eastern Kentucky and find a food desert.”

The school also works with farmers to expand their businesses and create new products, like jams and salsas, from leftover produce.

Its farmers’ market, which began in 2013, has grown significantly in recent years, Hutchinson said.

According to the Settlement School’s website, the number of customers grew by 122 percent from 2017 to 2018 and housed 150 percent more vendors.

“People started recognizing that it was a part of our history,” Hutchinson said.

The school partnered with Grow Appalachia, a local food initiative out of Berea College, to supply people with seeds and other gardening materials, and to host educational programs.

Hindman also operates a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, through which residents receive vegetables every week for $25. The school reserves 10 free CSA subscriptions for low-income families.

Hutchinson said the Foodways Program aims to improve health outcomes for Eastern Kentuckians and to open new economic opportunities in the wake of the coal industry’s decline.

Shaping Our Appalachian Region, a nonprofit organization that connects civic and business leaders in Eastern Kentucky, considers a strong local foods movement a vital part of the region’s economic development.

“We know that when people have access to healthy food, their health outcomes improve dramatically,” Hutchinson said. “We know for sure it has an impact, and we also believe it’s a potential economic driver.”

Valerie Horn, who heads the similarly growing Letcher County Farmers’ Market in Whitesburg, agrees local food initiatives make a difference.

“I think the programming brings attention in a very positive, positive way to healthier lifestyle and healthier choices,” Horn said. “It becomes a community endeavor, and a way to, as a community, work on a healthier lifestyle and choices together.”

Hutchinson will begin his fellowship this weekend with a 5-day retreat in Washington, D.C.

“What we do, nobody else is really doing,” Hutchinson said. “We expect (the fellowship) to open doors and make connections with people to appreciate Eastern Kentucky in a way they don’t right now.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2019 at 7:47 AM with the headline "Eastern Kentucky program chief earns an exclusive Obama Fellowship to help families grow food."