Mission Statement
The Cochise County Food Network fosters collaboration among community partners to strengthen local food systems, reduce hunger, and ensure equitable access to nutritious food throughout Cochise County. Through shared resources, communication, and coordinated efforts, we work together to create sustainable solutions that serve our communities with dignity and compassion.
Vision Statement
A connected Cochise County where every community works together to ensure equitable access to nutritious food for all.
Core Values
Collaboration: We believe that collective action and open communication strengthen our impact. Together, we leverage resources, expertise, and relationships to address food insecurity across Cochise County.
Equity: We are committed to ensuring that every person in Cochise County has fair and dignified access to nutritious food, regardless of circumstance or location.
Respect and Dignity: We honor the experiences, cultures, and voices of all community members, treating each individual and organization with compassion and respect.
Transparency: We build trust through honesty, accountability, and the open exchange of information among partners and stakeholders.
Sustainability: We work toward lasting solutions that strengthen local food systems, promote resilience, and reduce dependence on emergency food assistance.
Community Empowerment: We value the power of local voices and aim to engage and uplift communities in shaping a healthier, hunger-free future.
The Beginning of the Cochise County Food Network
The Cochise County Food Network (CCFN) grew from a vision to bring the people and organizations working to address food insecurity in Cochise County closer together.
The Network began at the Legacy Foundation of Southern Arizona, where Outreach Coordinator Becky Smyth recognized the need for greater collaboration among the county's food pantries, food banks, and hunger-relief organizations. Becky brought together a group of community stakeholders who shared a common belief: no single organization can solve food insecurity alone.
Through their collaboration, the stakeholders worked to create a part-time position dedicated to expanding and strengthening the Network. Funding from the Legacy Foundation of Southern Arizona and Arizona Complete Health made that position possible, while Peach's Pantry took on management of the position and helped provide the foundation for the Network's continued growth.
In July 2025, Wendee Grinde was hired as the Network Coordinator, beginning what was established as a pilot program to turn that vision into action. What began as an effort to strengthen connections among food providers has grown into a countywide network connecting food pantries, food banks, community organizations, farmers, ranchers, businesses, funders, and other community partners.
During its first year, the CCFN worked to build the infrastructure needed for long-term collaboration while responding to an immediate and growing need for food assistance. The Network helped coordinate emergency food resources, supported food pantries with technical assistance and outreach, promoted food drives and donations, connected partners through the CommunityCares/Unite Us platform, and created opportunities for organizations to share resources and work together rather than work alone.
The Network's commitment to sustainability also began taking shape during this first year. The Industrial Development Authority of the City of Sierra Vista (IDA) established an Endowment for Food Insecurity with the Arizona Community Foundation, creating an opportunity to build a long-term source of support for hunger-relief efforts in Cochise County. While the endowment is still in its early stages, the CCFN hopes to grow this resource over time as an important part of sustaining food security efforts for future generations.
The first year of the CCFN was a year of learning, building, connecting, and responding. Most importantly, it demonstrated what can happen when people who care about their neighbors come together around a shared purpose.
The Network was built on collaboration, strengthened by community, and driven by a simple belief: no neighbor should have to face hunger alone.
Let’s Work Together
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