The Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Food are an extension of the Foundation’s programs that support extraordinary people. Food is critical to our well-being and enjoyment of life. The Awards in Food recognize and support the efforts of individuals who encourage people to be aware of the importance and impact of food for both well-being and enjoyment; and whose work regenerates the land, sea, and human connections through food, so the future can be more resilient, vibrant and nourishing.
Food Award recipients have made a significant impact in one or more dimensions of food: craft, cultural knowledge and tradition, environmental sustainability, and/or nutrition and access. We celebrate winners who are under-recognized and aim to support them at a critical moment. The Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Food are one-time, unrestricted awards that provide people with recognition and monetary assistance in support of their work.
In 2023, the award’s first year, it focuses on people in the western United States. The inaugural cohort of winners are community catalysts: farmers and fishermen, educators and healers, storytellers and researchers. Through their work they harvest, distribute and celebrate food.
Read the full news release here. Learn more about the 2023 winners and their work below, and read more details about each winner on our blog.
2023 Food Award Winners
ab banks
ab banks is a West Oakland farmer who has delivered food to East Bay community members through work grounded in agroecology, wellness and Black food autonomy.
Deenaalee Chase-Hodgdon
Deenaalee Chase-Hodgdon is a Deg Xit’an Dene and Sugpiaq subsistence and commercial fisher and storyteller, highlighting sustainable fisheries, Indigenous voices and traditions, and relationships to the land and water.
Nelson Hawkins
Nelson Hawkins is a Sacramento-based farmer advancing regenerative agricultural methods, securing land access for Black farmers and inspiring the next generation of farmers of color.
The Foundation has partnered with Centipede Collective to design and support the awards. We have invited a network of individuals to confidentially serve as nominators. No self-nominations are allowed. A common thread of local and community food access runs through the work of the 2023 winners. In future years, the Foundation looks forward to expanding its geographic focus to nationwide and its topical focus to a greater variety of food impact areas.