Neighborhood Nutrition Centers began collecting neighbor fresh produce in August and delivering to Ravenswood Community Services.

In the following 8 weeks, we are proud to announce we have supplied RCS’ neighbors with over 400 pounds of produce grown by our affiliate organizations: Waters Elementary School Community Gardens (202 lbs), Northside College Prep High School (129 lbs), and local neighbors through the One Square Foot program (73 lbs).

Last year RCS volunteers hosted more than 18,000 food pantry visits and served almost 6,500 meals to hungry people in our community. This year has not gotten better with hunger being the 400 pound gorilla in the room.

Don’t have a garden? You can support the work of RCS by attending their benefit “Hunger Rock 5″ on October 22.

Grow Local * Eat Local * Feed Your Neighbor

Emily Sulita leads Neighborhood Nutrition Centers’ Fall Canning Workshop at the Luther Memorial Church.

A dozen participants followed Emily’s instructions as she prepared and canned tomatoes and a wonderful strawberry jam.

Participants learned about some of the tools, and the time-saving immersion blender.

NNC’s workshop series will continue, stay tuned. If you have a topic or workshop discussion you would like to see addressed, please send an e-mail to info@NNCenters.org.

Thanks Emily!

A big shout out to Patrick Boylan and the Welles Park Bulldog for listing our Fall Canning Workshop on the front page of their website, check it out.

http://www.wellesparkbulldog.com/other-local-news/canning-workshop

See you Thursday, 9/27 @ 6:30pm.
Register now by e-mailing info@NNCenters.org.

BUILDING A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM SERIES – FALL CANNING WORKSHOP
Grow Local * Eat Local * Feed Your Neighbor

CHICAGO – - Neighborhood Nutrition Centers (NNC) is proud to announce it is hosting a Fall Canning Workshop scheduled for Thursday, September 29, 2011, 6:30pm at Luther Memorial Church located at 2500 West Wilson Avenue. The workshop will be led by Emily Sulita with a $5 suggested donation to cover materials.

Space is limited – reservations are recommended by e-mailing Les@NNCenters.org, or cal 773-339-5925. Further information about the workshop may be found a www.NNCenters.org/canning.

NNC is dedicated to Building a Local Food System using community partnerships to grow and deliver food for those who need nutritional assistance, and serving as an educational resource for local growers.

“One of our best ways to access nutritious food throughout the season,” said Executive Director, Les Kniskern, “is to learn best practices for canning and preserving.”

Once a week, Neighborhood Nutrition Centers delivers food to Ravenswood Community Services which offers a weekly food pantry and a hot meal every Tuesday evening at All Saints’ Episcopal Church at 1757 W. Wilson Avenue. The pantry is open between 5:30 and 7:30 pm, and the meal is served at 6:30. Since its inaugural delivery on August 23, 2011, Neighborhood Nutrition Centers has delivered 335 lbs of neighbor fresh produce.

Neighborhood Nutrition Centers works under the fiscal agency of Center for Economic Policy Analysis, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, and may be found online at: www.NNCenters.org.

Neighbors participate in Building a Local Food System monthly meetings

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Thursday, September 15 @ 6:30pm
Red Lion, 4760 North Rockwell

NNC through community partnerships is dedicated to providing our neighbors with assistance obtaining fresh nutritious food.

Our current project model “Building A Local Food System” accomplishes this with a coalition of community, backyard, local elementary and high school gardeners growing food.

To date our partner, Ravenswood Community Services food pantry and kitchen has received over 200 lbs of NNC’s neighbor fresh produce.

Help us celebrate and support NNC’s mission
Grow Local * Eat Local * Feed Your Neighbor

Beer, Wine,
beautiful appetizers by Chef Susan,
auction, wine shuffle, and a fiddler

$25.00 in advance
Purchase now at www.NNCenters.org/Benefit

$30.00 at the door

Last Tuesday evening, Neighborhood Nutrition Centers brought over 62 lbs of neighbor-fresh produce to be shared with 100 of the nearly 400 neighbors who showed up for bagged groceries at Ravenswood Community Services.

Produce comes from Waters Elementary School Gardens, North Side College Prep High School, Lincoln Square Community Gardens, and neighbors growing in their back yards, side yards and front yards.

Help grow our initiative by visiting our Benefit page and join us at the Red Lion on Thursday, September 15, 2011. Festivus starts at 6:30pm.

This has been a wonderful week for Neighborhood Nutrition Centers. Having announced a new partnership with Ravenswood Community Services, we were able to collect neighbor-fresh produce and donate it to the RCS food pantry. 126 neighbors enjoyed a beautiful salad with their meal prepared by the RCS kitchen staff. Since we were able to collect over 95 lbs of produce, each of the 370 grocery bag recipients were also able to take fresh vegetable items to augment their food bags.

Fresh vegetables and some cooking herbs came from the gardens of our One Square Foot gardening program, Waters Elementary School Community Gardens, thanks to Pete Leki, and North Side College Prep High School thanks to Mike Repkin and Urban Habitat Chicago.

Save the date, Thursday September 15, for our Benefit Night. Stop by the Red Lion, Lincoln Square at 4749 N Rockwell St (between Leland Ave & Lawrence Ave) @ 6:30pm. Join us for the Rose Marie Live Auction, Silent Auction and the $20 Wine Shuffle.

We continue to work on new partnerships and development – watch us grow!

Click Here to check out our press release on the new partnership with Ravenswood Community Services.

THURSDAY, August 25 @ 6:30pm
Beans & Bagels, 2601 West Leland (at Rockwell)

Les Kniskern will be leading the second in a monthly series of meetings to discuss Building a Local Food System. We will cover next steps in distributing food to people who need nutritional assistance, and tackle questions, comments, trials and success with starting fall crop seedlings.

We will also be talking about our new partnerships and the successes we’ve had in the past month in Building a Local Food System.

You are welcome to stop by, meeting lasts approximately one hour.

Grow Local * Eat Local * Feed Your Neighbor