Strengthening the Food Resource Safety Net
7th Annual Conference
 May 14–15, 2007

On May 14 and 15, the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network and the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center hosted their 7th annual conference, Strengthening the Food Resource Safety Net, at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The event was a great success with attendance peaking at 220 participants and speakers, a count almost twice as high as last year and the highest in our seven-year history! A variety of topics were covered, ranging from eating competence to nutrition education methods and programs to legislation and childhood hunger. The conference provided an excellent opportunity for professionals to learn and be challenged, to network and share ideas, and to renew their commitments to bringing both nutrition education and food security to low-income Pennsylvanians.

Ellyn Satter was a highlight of the conference, conducting three workshops and delivering a breakfast keynote address on May 15. Special thanks to Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks and Penn State's Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Health and Human Development for working with us to sponsor such an acclaimed speaker. Satter, M.S., R.D., L.C.S.W., B.C.D., is a family therapist and feeding and eating specialist. Her books, journal and magazine articles, teaching materials, seminars, and media interviews have made her well known as a leading voice on feeding dynamics and eating competence. Satter specializes in psychodynamic psychotherapy and in the symptom management of eating disorders and established eating and feeding problems in adults and children.

For a more on Satter’s workshops, see A Reflection on Ellyn Satter and Eating Competence.

We were also pleased to welcome Dr. Maureen Black of the Growth Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, and Lynn Parker, director of Child Nutrition Programs and Nutrition Policy at the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in Washington, D.C., as keynote speakers. Dr. Black shared the importance of good nutrition early in life, especially for low-income families, while Lynn Parker energized the audience to get involved in local, state, and federal nutrition policy. This is especially important given the upcoming Farm Bill, the Governor’s Child Wellness Initiative, and local school wellness policies.

A variety of breakout sessions were held with topics ranging from the 2007 Farm Bill to the importance of school breakfast to using grocery store tours as nutrition education tools to fighting food insecurity through gardening programs.

A special thanks to the PA NEN Conference Committee, staff, speakers, and all who helped to make this event such a success!

If you weren't able to make it to the 7th Annual Strengthening the Food Resource Safety Net Conference, we are happy to share some materials/experiences presented at the conference. Scroll down for the links to select materials and to pictures of colleagues.

If you would like to use these materials, please contact the authors for appropriate accreditation.

Eating Smart Starts in Your Cart: Using Grocery Store Tours as a Nutrition Education Tool (Paula Shipman and Cheryl Gamber)

Promoting Fruits and Vegetables in Pennsylvania

The Connection between Food Insecurity and Child Health

Eating Competence

 

Conference Photo Gallery

Berry Friesen, Executive Director of PA Hunger Action Center, and Mary Ann Mihok, past Chair of the PA NEN Steering and Executive Committees, address conference participants.

 
Paula Shipman and Cheryl Gamber share the basics of conducting grocery store tours in the first nutrition breakout session, "Eating Smart Starts in Your Cart."
Cheryl overlooks as participants brainstorm targeted grocery store tours.

Participants work together to develop tour

 
themes for single males, pregnent teens,
seniors, youth groups, and more.

Groups developed and shared lesson

 
plans, focus areas, goals, and evaluation
related to their grocery store tour theme.

Karin Marlin of Mechanicsburg school district shares how, through the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, she promotes fruits and veggies to her students via bulletin boards and student-developed commercials.

 
Louise Hartley of Penn State Cooperative Extension passionately shares her techniques to promote fruits and vegetables in schools and to seniors. One of her favorite tools is songs about fruits and vegetables.
Workshop participants show off their knowledge of fruits and vegetables using a beach ball.
Amy Holtan presents the new campaign Fruits and Veggies--More Matters (TM), which is being phased in over the next two years to replace 5ADay. Ann Bachrach shares compelling evidence on the connection between food stamps and health in the 2007 Farm Bill workshop. Frank Maisano is honored for his years of leadership, service, and dedication to the WIC program in Pennsylvania.

Keynoter, Dr. Maureen Black discuss the relationship between food insecurity and positive child development.

 
Karima Rose and Paula Shipman take the opportunity to network and catch-up while at the conference.
Featured speaker, Ellyn Satter, addresses the audience on the principles of eating competence.

A panel shares the nuts and bolts to using gardens as a tool to improve food security and to conduct nutrition education.

 
Lynn Parker energizes particpants to get involved in nutrition policy.
Ellyn discusses resolving the weight dilemma.
 
Conference participants gather with colleagues for good food and great programming at the 7th Annual Stregthening the Food Resource Safety Net Conference.   Julie Haines (current PA NEN Conference Committee Chair), Shirely Sword (past Chair), and Julie Masteller (PA NEN Events Coordinator) would like to thank all that attended this year's conference. We hope to see you next year for another great program!