Stand Together or Starve Alone

by Mark Winne (Author)

America has a perplexing, multifaceted problem that combines hunger, obesity, and unhealthy food. This book examines how this situation was created and shows how people working together can resolve this longstanding issue.


• Taps the available evidence and interviews with some of the nation's leading food activists and academics to unveil compelling strategies to end hunger and reduce obesity

• Explains why the problems of obesity and food insecurity persist despite attention, organizations, and agencies focused on these pervasive problems

• Demonstrates how the solutions to America's food problems lie not in more money and programs but in the coordination of people working together constructively and creatively

Review
"Mark Winne continues to blaze the trail towards a national food policy. With humor, passion, and from-the-field reporting, he maps the many travelers and miles along this inspired journey. Stand Together or Starve Alone charts the next steps integral to establishing a food movement in the United States where cooperation and collaboration are hallmarks and where hunger and food insecurity will not stand." (Cindy Gentry, Food Systems Coordinator, Maricopa County Dept. of Public Health)

"In this book readers will find a combination of history, personal tale, and principled critique of the modern food movement over its nearly fifty-year duration. Mark Winne has been both leader and participant for decades―on hand for many of the movement's defining moments. I would encourage anyone who wants to understand where the food movement came from and what it could be to read this book." (Mike Hamm, C.S. Mott Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, Michigan State University)

"Those of us in local food work are often torn between picking the lowest hanging fruit for quick small wins, or toiling endlessly (and hopefully) in the food system thicket for little glamor but longer-term, systemic gains. Both are important; both are exhausting; neither is enough. If we had time to look up from our work, the best question might be 'How do we start making real progress?' This book gives us more than an inspirational answer. It arrives at just the right time for a movement that is paradoxically energized, but running on fumes. Mark Winne writes a crisp, engaging history of how we got here and offers clear guidance on how we can move forward. A must-read!" (Janie Burns, Treasure Valley Food Coalition)

"Food systems work is like running a marathon through three feet of mud―it's painstakingly challenging and requires endless endurance, persistence, and patience. Stand Together or Starve Alone: Unity and Chaos in the U.S. Food Movement is a mindful reflection of Mark Winne's decades-long marathon of improving the health, access, and security of our food system. This book is an essential tool in the food system toolbox, packed with critical inquiry, systems principles, and relationship-building strategies. A trailblazer in his own right, Winne has gone the 'extra mile' in delivering this must-read." (Angie Tagtow, MS, RD, LD, Former Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

"Unafraid to call out the role of money, funders, and larger-than-life personalities, Winne offers a sharp and informative analysis of the food movement. Read this book if you want to understand what drives the food movement, why it has fractured, and how it might unite." (Brian Depew, Executive Director, Center for Rural Affairs)

"Mark Winne provides those passionate about the food system an approach that can and does make a difference. Finding common ground, being inclusive, and challenging our own assumptions is critical if we want to make meaningful progress toward an equitable food system in which everyone benefits." (Gina L. Cornia, Executive Director, Utahns Against Hunger)

"My current windows onto the food movement are my dinner plate and my small community garden plot. I'm so glad Mark Winne has maintained his passion, drive, and memory so we can see a bigger picture of the movement. I think he's right that poverty is the real issue, and I applaud his book's brave suggestion that we can solve this massive problem together!" (Jack Hale, Founding member of Hartford Food System and Hartford Food Policy)

"Mark Winne's reflections are profound and guaranteed to motivate anyone to work towards a more just food system for all. No matter if you are new to food systems work or have years of experience, you will find something inspiring within Stand Together or Starve Alone." (Yvette Molina, Director of Community Services, Elijah's Promise; Cochair of the Community Engagement Workgroup, New Brunswick Community Food Alliance; Member of Leadership Team, Closing The Hunger Gap Conference 2017)

Mark Winne is senior advisor to the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is cofounder of the Community Food Security Coalition, where he also worked as the Food Policy Council Program Director.