Powerful things are blossoming in Kingston – fresh, delicious meals, creative programs, and a whole lot of community love. Supported by the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) grant, this storytelling series featuring 9 interviews with 10 community members uplifts the powerful work already happening across Kingston. These stories remind us that wellness begins in kitchens, on sidewalks, at community meetings, and in the relationships we grow together. By listening intently and honoring community expertise, we can build systems that reflect the lives, needs and dreams of those most impacted. This is a love letter to that kind of care: creative, rooted, collective, and ongoing.

Check out all of the posts on our Live Well Kingston Instagram and Facebook pages (shared June 9-20, 2025), or our Special Edition newsletters, Seeds of Change (In Our Schools) and Harvests of Care (In Our Community).

Find The Stories In The Media

Daily Freeman- ‘Kingston Spotlights’ showcases residents tackling food insecurity, health disparities

Radio Kingston/I Want What She Has- 381 Kingston Spotlights with Kristin Kessler

Radio Kingston/The Black Meta- The INTERVIEW: THE RE-RETURN of KRISTIN KESSLER, RDN, CDN, CYT … City of Kingston Food & Nutrition Lead Project Manager!

Kingston Wire- ‘Kingston Spotlights’ Demonstrates How Community Can Be A Verb

Interested In Featuring Our Campaign?

We’d love to uplift, amplify, or otherwise celebrate the incredible work of our incredible friends and neighbors. If you agree with us that local stories are powerful, impactful, and important, and are interested in sharing on your media platform please contact:

Kristin Kessler, RDN, CDN, CYT

Food & Nutrition Lead, Department of Health and Wellness, City of Kingston

kkessler@kingston-ny.gov 845-334-3917

A Big Serving Of Gratitude

Thank you to everyone who was a part of the creation of this project, including:

Storytelling Team

Mae Ryan, Photographer & Documentary Filmmaker
Sevaad Walker, Media Creator & Marketing Lead
Agatha Bacelar, Media Creator & Ethical Storytelling Lead
Andrea Lubrano, Nutritionist & Consultant

Interviewees

Claudette Ford
Devon Wood
Emmet Moeller
Jana Conti
Jason and Emily Daniels
Joe Baganz
Kate Berardi
Melissa Parker
Roselyn Vargas

CHSC team

Ninette Warner
Tracy Snyder
Emily Flynn
Kristin Kessler

This project was supported with funds from the New York State Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities grant.