Strengthening the Food Resource Safety Net
6th Annual Conference

On May 22 and 23, the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network and the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center hosted their 6th annual conference, Strengthening the Food Resource Safety Net, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The event was a great success with attendance peaking at 128 participants, a number unequaled in previous years. The event also brought in more than thirty speakers weighing in on topics ranging from nutrition education methods and programs to political agendas to childhood hunger. The conference provided an excellent opportunity for professionals to learn and be challenged, to network and share ideas, and to renew their commitment to bringing both nutrition education and food security to low-income Pennsylvanians.

Five speakers were invited to present to the entire conference assembly. These sessions included:

  • An opening session by United States Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) marking the first visit by a member of Congress to the annual conference. During his brief speech, Santorum explained how he has used his position in the United States Senate to reduce hunger and improve food security and nutrition. He placed particular emphasis on his work with the Senate Agriculture Committee to prevent cuts to the Food Stamp Program.
  • An inspiring and motivational dinner session featuring Dr. Gloria Wilder Brathwaite, a nationally recognized advocate for underserved children and a pediatrician for a mobile health unit in Washington, D.C. Once a child of poverty herself, she is now an advocate for justice. She believes health care is a basic and fundamental right of every citizen and is disappointed with the current state of inequality in our country. As she stated to the clearly moved audience, “Charity without justice is cruel, but charity with justice is beautiful.”
  • An energizing breakfast session featuring Dayle Hayes, the award-winning author, speaker and nutrition therapist from Billings, Montana. A leader in the field of nutrition, Dayle discussed myths and truths about becoming healthy as well as barriers to making change within the stresses of life.  
  • A lunch session featuring the views of State Treasurer Robert Casey Jr., as presented by Mark Single, the former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania under Robert Casey Sr. Robert Casey Jr. is Senator Santorum’s political opponent in the upcoming race for a seat in the United States Senate. Donna Cooper, Pennsylvania’s secretary of policy and planning, was also on hand to recognize the progress made by Governor Ed Rendell in the areas of nutrition and food security.

In addition to the five general session speakers, conference participants were able to attend four of eleven different workshops. These workshops included presentations on topics ranging from the 2007 Farm Bill to the nutritional quality in our nation’s food banks as well as interactive discussions centered on the current trends in the food marketing industry and the evaluation of nutrition education programs.

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

 

View the conference photo album