On March 22-23, Food for the Spirit (F4tS) hosted a two-day gathering to kick off a coordinated food systems effort in Buffalo. The Buffalo Bypass Network Launch & the 2nd 2025 NY Foodways Gathering brought together food justice advocates; Queer, Transgender, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color growers; and community partners for a powerful weekend of learning, sharing, and connection.
The Buffalo Bypass Network is a coordinated food systems effort, building on years of local food systems organizing and modeled after successful Bypass Network projects in Connecticut. This new initiative aims to co-create food value chains that provides high-quality, local food from QTBIPOC growers to residents of Buffalo’s east side; ensures fair wages and sustainability for producers and workers; centers people and relationships in reimagining what food justice looks like in practice; and fosters collaboration and community-led food systems change.
F4tS co-hosted this two-day experience with NY Foodways Gathering organizers and Red Tomato, bringing together farmers, growers, food workers, food distributors, retailers, logistics experts, philanthropists, aligned organizations, and food justice advocates traveling to Buffalo from other parts of New York State and beyond—including Ohio, Kentucky, and Rhode Island—all committed to strengthening food access and sovereignty in Buffalo’s East Side. The gathering featured simultaneous Spanish-English interpretation to facilitate active participation of leaders from Alianza Agrícola, an immigrant and farmworker-led organization. A special highlight was Tiffany Bellfield-Amin from the Kentucky Black Farmers Association conducting her Jesup Wagon asset mapping activity for attendees, connecting participants to the rich history of Black agricultural organizing.
The weekend included identifying needs and gaps in our food systems, conducting a landscape assessment and SWOT analysis, and participating in a Buffalo Food Justice Tour that highlighted local community efforts at Buffalo Go Green and Massachusetts Avenue Project. Participants engaged in resource sharing, asset mapping, and opportunities around cooperative development and collective ownership models—all essential components of building the resilient food networks our communities deserve. Attendees expressed feeling incredibly moved by the strength and depth of the relationships in our community and shared excitement around continued partnership to support the development of the Buffalo Bypass Network.
Thank you to the following data and event partners that supported this convening: Buffalo Go Green, Kentucky Black Farmers Association, Massachusetts Avenue Project, Red Tomato, the UB Food Lab, and NY FoodWays Gathering organizers from Rock Steady Farm, Tierra Viva Collectivo, and Brooklyn Packers. Additional support came from the Growing Justice Fund, Wildseeds Fund, Western New York Foundation, USDA-RFSI NY, and many other amazing organizations and partners from Buffalo and across New York State.
The Buffalo Bypass Network launch marks the beginning of ongoing work to strengthen regional food systems, economies, and collective resilience. In 2025 and beyond, F4tS and community partners will continue building the deep relationships that are the heart of our movement around food as a foundation for community power and liberation.
If you’re interested in learning more or getting involved with the Bypass Network, we are seeking five people to join our Buffalo Bypass Network steering committee!
Applications are due Sunday, October 26, 2025. Review the criteria and complete your application using the link above. Join us in building something our community deserves—a food system rooted in pride, justice, and healing.