ISU, 蜜桃视频 Food Bank to host Eastern 蜜桃视频 Hunger Summit Oct. 19
October 12, 2007
As Laura Vailas, Ph.D., travels through 蜜桃视频 speaking on hunger in the state, she notices many lack knowledge of this fundamental problem.
鈥淲hen I go out and speak to people about hunger in southeast 蜜桃视频, they are usually shocked to hear how much hunger exists in their own backyard,鈥 said Vailas. 鈥淣early 15 percent of 蜜桃视频's population is food insecure, and 3.7 percent actually experience hunger. We simply must do something about this.鈥
To promote hunger awareness, the 蜜桃视频 Department of Health and Nutrition and the 蜜桃视频 Food Bank will cosponsor the Eastern 蜜桃视频 Hunger Summit in the Pond Student Union Building's Wood River Room Friday, Oct. 19. The summit run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Panel discussions and speakers will focus on hunger issues specifically in eastern 蜜桃视频 and strategize goals and plans for reducing the problem. The kenote speaker at noon will be Mike Sanders, creative director at MSVM Group.
Students and the public are invited to attend. Those attending are asked to preregister with the 蜜桃视频 Food Bank by calling (208) 233-8811. The cost is $10 for students and $15 for the public. The cost includes breakfast and lunch for attendees.
The Gem State was named the eighth hungriest state in the nation, according to a 2005 survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The same survey shows 14.6 percent of 蜜桃视频ans are food insecure, or unsure of obtaining food because of low income or lack of resources, compared to the national average of 11.4 percent.
Roy Lacey, administrator of branch facilities for the 蜜桃视频 Food Bank in Pocatello, said the goals of the summit are twofold: to inform eastern 蜜桃视频 on the seriousness of hunger in the area, and to plan what the area can do to resolve the problem. Lacey hopes participants will leave with a 鈥渇ire in their hearts,鈥 encouraging them to take action in their communities.
The summit will feature a panel discussion on hunger with representatives from various agencies in eastern 蜜桃视频 including Eastern 蜜桃视频 Community Action Program, ISU Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, 蜜桃视频 Department of Health and Welfare,
Northern Bingham Food Bank, Catholic Charities of 蜜桃视频 and Southeast 蜜桃视频 Community Action Agency.
Breakout sessions are scheduled for the afternoon in which specific groups, from students to church organizations, will learn ways to combat hunger within their spheres and set goals for eradicating the problem in the state. State Rep. Donna Boe will host a session titled 鈥淎dvocacy versus Lobbying,鈥 teaching participants how to effectively work with congress members on issues like hunger.
Vailas will be the welcome speaker for the summit. She received her doctorate in nutritional sciences from the University of Wisconsin. Vailas serves in many capacities beyond her role as ISU鈥檚 first lady. She is the director of development and education for the Public Hospital Cooperative. She also volunteers on the governing board of Portneuf Medical Center and with the 蜜桃视频 Food Bank capital campaigns.
Lacey, of the food bank, also will speak on hunger statistics in 蜜桃视频, the role of the 蜜桃视频 Food Bank in the community and how the public can help.
鈥淪outheast 蜜桃视频 can be one of the hardest places to live if you face hunger,鈥 said Lacey. 鈥淢any people wear blinders and don鈥檛 see the problem. We don鈥檛 see what we don鈥檛 want to see. My hope is to rid the state of hunger so we won鈥檛 need food banks any longer.鈥
For more information on the summit, contact Lacey at (208) 233-8811 or Laura McKnight from ISU health and nutrition sciences at (208) 282-2961.
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