About
Strengthening our local food system to support a healthy and resilient North Coast Community.
Our Story
The Del Norte and Tribal Lands Community Food Council (DNATL CFC) was founded in 2010 by community members who recognized the pressing need to improve access to healthy food in our region. Over time, this initiative evolved into a key player in enhancing local food systems, promoting food sovereignty, and increase food access for the rural Del Norte Community.
In 2016, to ensure the program's sustainability and growth, DNATL CFC became a fiscally sponsored project of the Family Resource Center of the Redwoods (FRCR). This partnership allowed DNATL CFC to benefit from FRCR’s established infrastructure while maintaining its own leadership and direction through a dedicated DNATL CFC director.
Under this structure, DNATL CFC expanded its programs, increased staff, and broadened its impact across the community. Throughout 2018-2023, the DNATL CFC helped launch and run a nutrition-based choice food pantry (Pacific Pantry), a county mobile pantry (Pacific Northwest Fresh), a food bank program, and food recovery program before handing over leadership of emergency food distribution to the Family Resource Center of the Redwoods in Fall of 2023. This decision was made in order to shift a more direct focus on education and training to increase local food production and provide regional supply chain support. Growing demands for staff and facility space began to exceed the capacity of the FRCR and the DNATL CFC decided to transition into an independent nonprofit organization to build on its strong foundation, continue its successful programs, and explore new opportunities to further its mission of promoting access to nutritious local food and food sovereignty.
We continue to lead and implement our programs that include convening a county-wide food policy council, hosting workshops and events to shift food culture, running a community food forest garden program, managing school gardens, leading county-wide emergency food system planning, providing beginning farmer training & land match, organizing local food procurement & aggregation, and developing food system career pathways.
Our Work
Local Food Economy
Supporting Local Farmers, Businesses, and Food Access
A strong local food economy benefits everyone. We work to expand opportunities for local farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and entrepreneurs by improving infrastructure, strengthening supply chains, and creating new markets for locally produced food. By investing in our regional food economy, we help keep food dollars local while increasing access to fresh, healthy food throughout Del Norte County and Tribal Lands.
Community Education
Growing Knowledge, Growing Community
We believe that healthy food systems begin with education. Through hands-on learning opportunities, we help community members build the skills and confidence to grow, prepare, preserve, and enjoy healthy local foods. Our education programs strengthen lifelong connections to food while honoring Indigenous knowledge, local traditions, and environmental stewardship.
Food Systems Resilience
Building a Food System That Can Adapt and Thrive
A resilient food system ensures our community can respond to challenges while continuing to provide healthy food for everyone. We strengthen regional preparedness through emergency planning, sustainable resource management, and partnerships that improve long-term food security. By supporting resilient infrastructure and collaborative planning, we're helping create a stronger North Coast for future generations.
Visit Our Programs Page to see what work is being done
Our History
2010
Del Norte and Tribal Lands Community Food Council was born of the Del Norte Building Healthy Communities Initiative funded by The California Endowment, which was a 10 year funding initiative to address health inequities across Del Norte County.
2016
Community Food Council becomes part of the Family Resources Center of the Redwoods, with a focus on nutrition security and increasing access to healthy food through education, events, food policy, and building our local food economy.
2016
Good Food Makes Us All Healthy Food Forest Grant with Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation helped establish food forests in Smith River, Crescent City, Klamath, and Weitchpec. The CFC still manages the Crescent City Food Forest located at College of the Redwoods Del Norte campus.
2018
Crescent City- City Development Block Grant comes to DNATL CFC to run a choice based food pantry, Pacific Pantry at Family Resource Center of the Redwoods
2019
Established first-ever food rescue program in Del Norte, diverting edible food from the landfill to those in need, through our Waste Not Weekly Program. Start Sea to Market project to support small scale fishermen and increase access to local fish.
2021
Became the second food bank in Del Norte County and started the Pacific Fresh Mobile Market to serve our more remote, rural communities with fresh food. Harvest Box is launched, aggregating local products into a weekly subscription for local food.
2022
Four new grant programs to address multiple sectors of the food system which includes Beginning Farmer and producer training & North Coast Land Match, Klamath Promise Neighborhood for pathways to food system careers, Sea to Market fish filet trailer for small scale fishermen, and Regional Food Systems Partnership for emergency food planning. Launched Food Council Steering Committee
2023
DNATL CFC starts strategic planning to develop a new 10 year plan. Family Resource Center of the Redwoods starts to take over lead on Food Bank and Emergency Food Distribution through Pacific Pantry and Mobile Pantry so CFC can focus on local food economy and education.