2008 Programs Conference:

Keeping Food on the Table

On Sept. 16, 2008, Connecticut Food Bank hosted 173 people during its biennial Programs Conference. The conference provided a forum to share information, raise awareness, educate member programs and reflect on current conditions and effective practices that affect the effort of alleviating hunger in Connecticut.

The daylong event featured Marlene B. Schwartz, PhD, Deputy Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. Schwartz discussed how the environment of an individual’s home, neighborhood and school shapes eating attitudes and behaviors.

During the conference, the Food Bank also aired for the first time a videotaped segment of Nancy L. Carrington, Executive Director of Connecticut Food Bank, and U.S. Representative Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, discussing the importance of the federal Farm Bill and food safety at the national level. The nearly half-hour video will automatically play below:

The conference offered a dozen workshops covering such topics as food safety and food recalls, advocacy, legislation and communication, deciphering the food labeling codes, best practices, food procurement, diet and nutrition, sorting salvage, food stamp outreach, grant writing and diversity stewardship.