Baltimore-based Black Church Food Security Network Elevated Through Wesleyan Impact Partners 

Reverend Dr. Heber Brown, III, founding executive director of The Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) in Baltimore, Maryland, was among the five spiritual innovators who were selected by Wesleyan Impact Partners as a 2024 Locke Innovative Leader Award honoree.

Each Locke Innovative Leader Award honoree receives a $50,000 stipend and becomes part of an ongoing learning community, according to a press release.

Wesleyan Impact Partners’ president & CEO, Reverend Lisa Greenwood explained why Rev. Brown was selected by the national nonprofit’s leadership.

“Rev. Brown exemplifies the qualities we look to shine a bright light on with the Locke Award,” Rev. Greenwood stated. “The selection committee was particularly moved by the exponential aspect of his ministry as he has networked churches and church gardens with advocates working in food security to build a national movement to ensure access to healthy food as a basic human right. Rev. Brown lives out his deep faith and inspires others to do the same through addressing food deserts and loving one’s neighbors.” 

Rev. Greenwood shared that anonymous nominators from across the country submit names to be considered for the award. Honorees were notified in December 2023 and issued their stipend. 

She further explained, “It is purposefully awarded with no strings attached in order to acknowledge the sacrifices a faith leader makes when they choose a path of spiritual innovation and entrepreneurship.”

The Locke Innovative Leader Award lifts the work of spiritual entrepreneurs who envision new ways to serve their mission field and inspire others to join them in growing the impact of the church and nourish their communities. It is named in honor of former Wesleyan Impact Partners President Tom Locke. 

Rev. Brown explored the idea of what could happen if more Black churches started growing food on their land and worked in coordination with other congregations and farmers to co-create local Black-owned food systems. Today, BCFSN consists of nearly 250 member congregations across the United States. After being fiscally sponsored by Fusion Partnerships for nine years, BCFSN received its own official 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation in January 2024. It is now an independent nonprofit organization.

“The Black Church Food Security Network’s mission is not to feed those ‘in need.’  Baltimore has an endless number of organizations already working to ‘feed the needy’ and despite their noble intentions, food insecurity remains a dire challenge for many Black or impoverished neighborhoods,” Rev. Brown said, explaining that BCFSN works to organize the hungry to feed themselves.

Rev. Brown explained that by utilizing an asset-based community development model, people are taught how to grow food on church land. Partnering with Black farmers to sell food in bulk and learning together how to create Black food ecosystems that put African Americans in the driver’s seat of shaping the food environments of their own communities are other components of BCFSN’s work.

He further stated that Baltimore has many cultural communities that contribute much to the City while controlling their own food environment, including the orthodox Jewish community of Upper Park Heights, Little Italy and Greektown. 

“Through our work, we hope to help spur the creation of more Black districts that control the food systems of where we worship, live, work and play,” Rev. Brown noted.

BCFSN invites congregations to advance food security and sovereignty in Black America by helping them grow food on church-owned land, host Black Farmers Markets on their ground and participate in food value chain development that supports institutional purchases for food-related expenses of the church.

Rev. Brown also said that the funds provided to him for being selected as a Locke Innovative Leader Award honoree will most likely be used to obtain land to grow food while providing people with the opportunity to leave the environs of the city to deepen their spiritual, physical and mental health.

“It is a great honor to receive this recognition. However, far more important than what this means for me individually, this award helps to give an even greater stage to the vital work of The Black Church Food Security,” Rev. Brown said. “It is my greatest hope that more people who learn of our mission will be inspired to join this national movement to organize Black churches and mobilize those that love the Black community so that we might grow our capacity to feed ourselves, better control our health and provide economic/entrepreneurial opportunities as we grow our own food systems.”

Visit https://blackchurchfoodsecurity.net/ to learn more about BCFSN.