Tuesday morning, we reported on the $1 billion in cuts from the US government affecting two significant programs:

• LFPA25
• Local Food for Schools

Both programs funded on-the-ground organizations - food banks and local schools - to purchase fresh, regionally-grown food from small farmers to distribute for students and families.

Some - well, much - government spending can be reckless and wasteful.

But this?

It's hard to imagine a more wholesome + holistically effective program.

"LFPA was the best of a federal program," declared Jeannine Carpenter, chief communications officer for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. "Everyone benefitted from the LFPA program."

Many of you already called our Washington representatives in response.

"Everyone who reads this should also," said one reader.

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann can be reached in a variety of ways. His email is here.

You can email Sen. Bill Hagerty here or call.

You can email Sen. Marsha Blackburn - considering a run for Tennessee governor - here or call.

This could be a good Lenten practice - contacting our representatives daily for the next week. Or two weeks. Or 30 days.

One reader - a friend and conservative and Trump voter - sent this outstanding note to Sen. Blackburn. It serves as a good, balanced response for many of us who lean right and believe funding like this matters.

Dear Senator Blackburn,

First, thank you for your service to our state and our nation.  I am decidedly onboard with the cost control and common sense initiatives President Trump is undertaking.  It is unfortunate things have gotten this bad.  Having said that, there may be margin for more common sense within the common sense. 

I live in Chattanooga.  Recently, one of the spending control measures eliminated a program where local producers provided locally-sourced foods to TN schools.  This was a really a WIN-WIN situation, benefitting small, locally-owned farmers and producers as well as providing clean, good-quality food for TN children.  And, it came with a relatively low price tag of $8.5MIL. 

I realize "relatively low price tags" can add up quickly.  However, this expenditure seemed to be a force multiplier for children, producers and schools, far out-weighing the cost of the bill. 

As current budget reductions continue, is there a chance for some of these cuts to be further scrutinized through a cost-benefit analysis and restore those that are of broad community value and not merely pet projects? 

As I write this thought, I'm also reminded of an international relief food producer in north GA who lost its contract after USAID cuts.  While USAID should be "gutted like a fish," there are some initiatives there that are of higher value. 

Again, thank you.  And, if there is opportunity to re-evaluate LFPA25 and Local Food for Schools, I do encourage a second look.

• Think of tourism in Chattanooga, and one name stands head and shoulders (and mountains) tall.

See Rock City.

It's the original agro-tourism: the painted barns, born here.

Today, the 93-year old institution continues to balance the old - nobody does gnomes and magical mountain trails better - with the new.

For its cafes and Clumpies menu, Rock City sources the majority of ingredients and products within 100 miles of Lookout Mountain. Rock City launched a composting program, installed solar panels and received the Tennessee Green Hospitality certification. They invested in The Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management at The Howard School.

They call it Green Way Forward.

Now, we're honored to call them a partner.

See Rock City and Clumpies, the newest Food as a Verb partner.

Later this spring and summer, we'll bring you an inside story on the creation of one of the new Clumpies' flavors.

• It's Holi on Friday.

The Indian holiday - The Festival of Colors - celebrates the end of winter and beginning of spring.

Spice Trail's Sujata Singh offers a gorgeously original menu with Indian food unlike any you've had in this region.

"I love Spice Trail," one reader said recently.

We fully agree.

• It's also Pi Day on Friday.

Lots of pizza in town. Lots of good reasons to enjoy it.

For us, there's one pizza place that stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Why? Here's our feature on Dorris Shober and the history + ethics of Lupi's.

And her Flying Turtle Farm, where the pigs eat leftover pizza.

Stop by one of Lupi's five locations and enjoy.

Also for Pi Day? Our Food as a Verb friend Jon Geerlings is hosting a short course on DIY pie crust.

"I will be leading a roll-your-own pie crust class," he said.

On Friday, March 14 at 6:00 pm at New Hope Presbyterian Church, the free class is offered as part of New Hope's 50th anniversary.

The church has committed to 50 service projects in 2025.

"How often can you go to church and learn to roll your own?" Jon asked.

See you Sunday.

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in partnering with us? Email: david@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.