so much other food, it’s insane that we have any food insecurity in our country,” says Baird. Along with ingredients, Support+Feed supplies recipes to ensure the produce doesn’t go to waste. “When you’re dealing with produce and products, one thing you have to be aware of is if something is unfamiliar to someone, they won’t take it, or they take it and they won’t use it,” Baird says. “We try to provide recipes and guides and help people sample. I’ve heard from many people in the farmer/produce world that recipes are desperately needed to make sure produce doesn’t go away.” Support+Feed also performs in-person and virtual cooking demonstrations with its community organization partners. Support+Feed’s work is supported by donations, which it accepts on its website on both a one-time and monthly basis. “We’re not an organization that’s ‘40 meals for $1,’” says Baird. “We say your dollar goes farther because you are feeding someone,” she adds. “You are helping the planet. You are helping human health. You are providing information, education, and you’re supporting a small business.” Through her work with Support+Feed, Baird says she has become better informed about the connection between climate change and food equity. Baird notes that the link between the two is particularly noticeable in urban areas, where there are neighborhoods with fewer grocery stores, less green spaces, and limits on how many bags can be taken onto public transportation; in contrast, there are more fast-food
conjunction with Eilish’s concerts at the O2 Arena in London in 2022, and the second took place at the roller-skating rink, Flippers Roller Boogie Palace, in the UK’s capital city in 2023 — and Support+Feed is planning future events. “We realized people were not making the connection between food equity, climate change, human health, small business, economy, support, and local communities,” says Baird, speaking of Support+Feed’s mission. To tackle this issue, the nonprofit makes maximum use of its large digital platform to provide information and education about the health benefits of a plant- based diet and connect the dots between food choices and climate change. In addition to using social media to reach a broad audience — on Instagram, the organization has over 95,000 followers at the time of writing — Support+Feed takes a hands-on approach to make an impact. For example, during Eilish’s six-date run in London at the O2, the high-profile venue went all-vegan, a significant change in practices promoted and encouraged by Support+Feed. “On a larger scale, we’re trying to affect culture, making plant-based food more accessible with increased acceptance and demand, and influencing other organizations to also take these things into account. Our mission is the intersectional vision of it,” Baird says. She adds: “When we feed people, when we support the community, that is a major win for us every day.”
UPPORT+FEED HAS TAKEN THE next step in its mission to combat the climate crisis with Overheated, a summit geared toward Eilish’s fans, as well as the broader music industry. Named after Eilish’s song, the summit features panels and workshops focused on conversations about plant- based diets, sustainable fashion, and practical solutions to the climate crisis, to name just a few topics. The summit also serves as a storytelling platform for activists around the globe. For example, Support+Feed has a 37-minute “Overheated” documentary that brings the experience to interested viewers everywhere. So far, there have been two Overheated summits — the first was held in
establishments with unhealthy food available at lower prices. “An inequitable food system leads to terrible health outcomes. The same communities are more hit by the climate crisis. The temperature can be two degrees hotter,” Baird says, speaking from her personal experience delivering meals with Support+Feed. “Literally, as you drive from one area to another, you feel the temperature rise because of the lack of trees and more concrete.” Baird is quick to point out, though, that food inequity can be just as serious of an issue in rural areas where residents are surrounded by farmland, which is largely occupied by factory or industrial farms. Baird is finding that plant- based eating is still largely met with apprehension, and, in some cases, even anger. Support+Feed takes full advantage of its access at Eilish’s concerts where the organization has played a short video explaining the effects of food consumption and climate change before the show, and conducted plant-based food drives. The nonprofit has also hosted these drives at Paramore, Coldplay, and Dave Matthews Band concerts.
ABOVE: SUPPORT+FEED VOLUNTEER BRUNCH TEAM IN 2023. RIGHT: MAGGIE BAIRD DISTRIBUTING PLANT-BASED MEALS AT SISTERS OF WATTS’ ‘WINTER WONDERLAND’ EVENT IN LOS ANGELES.
Support+Feed has had a presence at Blink-182 and Metallica shows as well, where they’ve encouraged attendees to take the organization’s pledge to eat at least one fully plant- based meal a day for 30 days. “If 700 to 1,000 people in an arena take that pledge, that’s 7 million gallons of water saved,” says Baird, adding that she’s also involved in conversations about how to minimize the environmental impact of Eilish’s tours. “It’s part of our entire strategy,” she says, noting that she and Eilish’s team consider everything from merch to travel and always ask, “What’s the more sustainable version of what we’re doing?”
Visit SUPPORTANDFEED.ORG to learn more.
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ISSUE 01
HARVESTING HOPE
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