Council calls for awareness of hunger and food insecurity

 

Community organizations to host Conference on Hunger March 7

 

Recognizing the urgent need for food assistance, Delaware County Council will pass a Hunger Awareness and Prevention resolution and recognize various county agencies that are convening a countywide Conference on Hunger on March 7. The theme for this year’s conference is “The New Face of Hunger,” recognizing that all ages, from children to senior citizens, face hunger issues.

At the Feb. 19 meeting, Council will call for awareness of hunger, and support of anti-hunger organizations such as the Delco Interfaith Food Assistance Network (DIFAN), a Family and Community Service agency that has 12 member food centers.

“Hunger and food insecurity is an unfortunate reality for some of our residents and we want to do everything we can to prevent any individual or family from wondering where their next meal is coming from,” said Councilman Dave White, Council’s liaison to the County Department of Human Services.

Councilman White said that several county agencies, including the Office of Behavioral Health and the Department of Intercommunity Health, are partnering with community groups to hold the sixth annual Delaware County Conference on Hunger, 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 7, at Widener University. Delaware County Senior Medical Advisor Dr. George Avetian is one of the participants.

Conference organizer Fran Alloway, the nutrition and food safety educator for the Penn State Cooperative Extension, said the mission of the conference is to “make people aware of food resources in the community and to give people the skills to advoc
ate for these resources.”

Conference topics include finding hunger resources, eating healthy on a budget, understanding the SNAP program, new food stores in Delaware County, health literacy and growing your own food.
Ms. Alloway said that the conference is open to the public, but there is a special student registration and professional credits will be given to social workers, dieticians and nurses.

For information or to register for the Hunger Conference call 610-690-2655 or visit http://delaware.extension.psu.edu


Photo caption: Shown at the Feb. 19 Council meeting are Hunger Conference planners, front from left, Dr. George Avetian, Delaware County Senior Medical Advisor; Helen McGoohan, assistant director of Intercommunity Health; Chuck Kiefer, pastor of the Foundry Church and Giving Garden; Ruby Benson, director of the Ralph Moses House, Family and Community Service; Fran Alloway, conference organizer and nutrition and food safety educator for the Penn State Extension; Chairman Tom McGarrigle; Jean Falk, nutrition services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; Jackie Reardon, Delaware County Intermediate Unit Head Start, Amanda Aucoin, Aetna Better Health consultant, and Jessica Fink, county homeless services coordinator; and back row, Council members John McBlain, Dave White, Vice Chairman Mario J. Civera Jr. and Colleen Morrone.