Neighborhood Nutrition Centers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released a report indicating that a “Majority of Americans not Meeting Recommendations for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption.”
From the press release: “The Healthy People 2010 objectives aim for at least 75 percent of Americans to eat the recommended two or more daily servings of fruit, and for at [...]

Work continued at Englewood and S. Normal this Saturday, although a smaller crowd this week. A group of university students were scheduled to show up, but didn’t.
Still, there was a solid crew of about eight or nine working with Ellen and John. Dip’s farmers market was closed up today – since he had [...]

on David Letterman, 9/22/09
“That’s the problem with agriculture. There’s no networking. When I was there a couple of years ago they had a bumper crop everywhere from the Capital south and west. Every year from the Capital south and east seems like there’s a famine in the Horn of Africa. They have plenty of food [...]

Neighborhood Nutrition Centers attended the Francis Parker Community Action Fair: Faces and Voices of Democratic Power. It was an extraordinary opportunity to practice the “elevator speech” and tell kids why neighborhood nutrition centers are important – and also, to see if there is any interest to come be an intern as we develop. [...]

A group of volunteers met one Saturday morning at the corner of Englewood (just north of 63rd) and South Normal .  A few gathered quietly on the empty lot, next to the outdoor tables and tent with farmer’s market food, some coolers, t-shirts, chips and stuff.  Neighbors stopped by to ask if Mr. Dip had [...]

According to the Illinois Local Food and Organic Food and Farm Task Force “(t)he shortage of well-stocked grocery stores has led many urban and rural communities to be recognized as ‘food deserts.’ …Studies show that food deserts residents suffer greater rates of diet-related health maladies, including diabetes, cancer, obesity, heart disease, and premature death [...]

by Les Kniskern
July 9, 2009
The farmers fear
the terminator gene
suicide seed
genetically altered
to die
after one crop
so future seed
must be
bought
from the giant
corporation
and fertilized
The farmers fear
genetically altered seed
that will only
germinate
and grow
with single-corporate spray
The farmers fear
they’ve lost control
and can only grow
corporate sanctioned
seed
The child answers
questions
about what
he ate
how much
and when
The interviewer
feels sad
about the
young teen
head low,
soft voice,
confidence gone
or never here
Young growing teen
you need [...]

for Margie
by Les Kniskern
June 5, 2009
He dreamed
he sat and dreamed
as he put up
on the wooden footstool
the outside ball of the foot
throbbed, slightly
reaction, ow
pulling out the lath board
and nail from the tennis -shoed foot
ow
throbbing, slightly
The moment came
days or day earlier
when he felt his brain
split in two
assertive and shy
beaten down, not encouraged
throb, throb, throb
he dreamed, slightly
what would [...]