Neighborhood Nutrition Centers

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. Community asset mapping will be a strong part of our research (see: A Day With Dip).

The two most interesting questions that came out of the fair had to do with price and economics. One young lady asked the question: “isn’t organic food more expensive?” I’d like to answer that by saying real food is more expensive, and we should be paying a better price to get good nutrients, good calcium, good vitamins, from the food we’re eating than from pills, and shots, and medicaments.

The other interesting thought came out of a feedback questionnaire as students were leaving. They were asked to identify two organizations/projects whose work you would like to see Parker students learn more about. What is it about that work that is important to you? The response selected for Neighborhood Nutrition Centers was “…because everyone deserves quality food, but people in low-income communities often can’t get it.”

What is most interesting about this response is it assumes neighborhoods that lack grocery stores are “poor.” Not necessarily the case. Many areas lack grocery stores where there is plenty of affluence. I tried to think if I had ever said throughout the day that I was going in to serve poor areas. I said the areas most needing the nutrition centers would be on the west side or the south side. I mentioned that grocery stores had left the areas, and weren’t returning in these economic times, but I didn’t say that I wanted to go in and serve the poor.

The issue is bigger than being poor. Without access to good quality, healthy food even the more affluent will rely on the fast foods and the convenience store junk. Who wants to walk two miles, or wait for a bus while dragging a cart behind, or spend the money on the gas to get to the grocery store? Many middle income people don’t. It’s just as easy for the affluent to avoid shopping for real food, when real food is not convenient.

Neighborhood Nutrition Centers goes beyond economic factors. There are social factors involved, as well. Central to the core of NNC is gathering people through classes, events, and projects at the center to learn from one another about what’s going on in the community, and what’s the best recipe for this head of cabbage I got from Mr. Dip?

If we don’t have access to healthful food, we run risks to our health. Studies can demonstrate on the west and south sides of Chicago where the grocery challenge is most prevalent there is increase of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity… because the food that is available promotes these types of issues. Food that is high in salt content and sugars and fats.

I enjoyed my morning at Francis W. Parker school, and I learned a great deal about myself. From the kids I learned that it is easy to assume the message is just about helping the poor, while I must craft the message to be about food access – for everyone.

A group of volunteers met one Saturday morning at the corner of Englewood (just north of 63^rd) 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 any of his corned beef sandwiches.  Sure enough, nestled in the blue cooler were the neighborhood favorites.  They wouldn’t be there all day.

A few introductions among the early volunteers, and soon Ellen showed up, in her little blue car jam packed full of garden equipment, rakes and shovels and hoes, and even a wheel barrow tucked up inside the back of the hatchback.  Under the wheel barrow was a neatly stacked pile of 5-gallon buckets for hauling and gathering, and even to be used by the gentleman from the building across the street who asked if he could take some wood chips from the lot to use in his front yard.  To help the garden there, too.  “Of course,” said Ellen, “take what you need.”

What a remarkable thing.  The wood chips had been there in three huge piles on an empty lot for who knows how many days and the neighbor waited until somebody showed up to ask if he could take some wood chips for himself.  Englewood.

Assignments were made.  Little groups formed.  I was shown by John how the wooden wagon worked, the best process for hauling the wood chips.  First you tip up the cart and load it with the pitch forks.  Pitch forks are better than shovels, John explained, as the tines dig into the pile better.  Fill the up-tilted wagon as much as possible, tip it down, and then top it off before hauling to your destination.  Dumping worked better if you removed the wagon gate first before tipping up.  Two latches and a spring piston held it in place, which would generally fall off if you tried to leave the gate in and dump the cart.  After a few times I got the hang of it, and ran the wagon throughout the day.

The empty lot on the corner had been given over to use by the City.  Recently, the Rowen Trees Garden Society was able to get a “Farmer’s Market” designation for Mr. Dip’s stand on the corner.  Dip grows the food in his side yard, and hauls it over to his farmer’s market stand – just three houses away.  How’s that for carbon foot print?

The group work started.  Some were weed pullers.  Some wood chip shovelers.  Some spreaders.  Some haulers.   It takes time to spread a city lot full of wood chips.  Being laid down this year to start their decomposition and preparation of the soil for planting next year.   A new lot to grow food, and feed the neighborhood.

Mid-morning, we all took a break.  Some solo volunteers came through the Chicago Cares network, and a large group from Exelon.  I’ve noticed that Exelon volunteers have been out in force at several volunteer events attended.  During the break, John gave a little introduction to the neighborhood.  He told amazing stories about how the neighborhood started with the boom that was the Chicago Exposition, just a little ways to the west.  His description of why the houses in the neighborhood were built so large was captivating.  Back in the late 1800s, homes here were built large as the husband’s life expectancy was only forty or fifty years.  With husband gone, the widows would need a means to keep themselves solvent, and the homes were built large enough so there would be extra rooms “To Let.”  John explained it didn’t become a border house neighborhood later on – it was built as a community to take in their borders from the beginning.

We also had an interesting discussion of the remediation of the land of its leads and toxins.  The City had taken soil samples, but the results have not been revealed.  It has been learned, however, that the military has developed a marvelous remediation process involving mushrooms.  It seems that the fungi absorb lead and toxins from the soil and by using a centrifuge the toxins can be spun out of harvested mushrooms and disposed of properly, while the drained mushrooms are burned.  At least, that’s how I understood it to be.

With the break over, we went back to our own sections of the lot and started again.  This time, some were moved to the garden lot down the block, with an old gazebo – what a great place for an evening concert.  I began moving wood chips from the lot to in front of the fence at the gazebo.

Evident in the lot was a community lifestyle.  Small plastic bottles of sugared colored water, chip wrappers, bottles in bags, a 1” plastic baggie, a Styrofoam plate, you know…trash.

Englewood.  Huge homes.  Neighbors and gardens.  Kids on the street.  Street guys with mowers, looking to make a buck.  Saturday morning hangover.  Like any other block in Chicago.

We got an amazing amount of work done, in a short period of time.  As my back reminded me for several days later.  But what a reward awaited us.  Mr. Dip and his wife had prepared a lunch.  BBQ ribs, spaghetti, deviled eggs, baked beans, chips, bottles of sugared colored water; I went back for seconds… rather quickly, I admit.  The pastrami sandwiches were there, too, and we were encouraged to take some home… which I did, I admit.  Along with two peaches.

Mr. Dip’s backyard patio aligns next to a beautiful, full, peach tree.  Many commented on not seeing a peach tree larger in Chicago.

I spoke to John briefly on my way out, just to ask if he could send me a couple photos he took – the one time I didn’t travel with my camera.  I gave him my card.  I later learned from an e-mail that it was Rev. John Ellis, and we have started an interesting conversation regarding food distribution with the Amish and Mennonites.  But that’s for another post.

I also had a chance over lunch to speak with Ellen Newcomer, who sits on the board of Openlands, and was our spirited team leader.  I’m looking forward to another weekend Saturday with Ellen on the garden lot in Englewood – I hear the food is going to be even better!

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 than residents with regular access to unprocessed foods. These studies also show that food deserts are most likely to exist in low-income communities, where there are also other social determinants of poverty, such as race and ethnicity.”1

In another report on Chicago food deserts, two strategic questions stand out:
• “What is the viability of mobile grocery stores, such as fruit and vegetable trucks and even bicycle carts that sell fresh snacks and produce?
• “Is a ‘food literacy’ education campaign needed? Do we all know how to read recipes and food labels, measure ingredients, size food portions appropriately, cook, and maintain healthy food choices?”2

By introducing Neighborhood Nutrition Centers into these “grocery challenged” communities, these questions are addressed and a connection to local Illinois growers is made. Promoting access to locally grown foods and increasing educational awareness opportunities are key components of the neighborhood nutrition concept.

Neighborhood Nutrition Centers provide communities locally farmed produce through direct partnerships with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farming programs; serve as a pick up/ delivery point for CSA produce; and provide bicycle delivery services to reach those with restricted mobility access and increase greater CSA participation. Neighborhood Nutrition Centers also provides a mechanism for people to use their Illinois Link Cards and, through additional subsidies, CSA produce is made as a viable option to low-income families.

Neighborhood Nutrition Centers house cooking facilities to be used for hands-on classes as well as provide opportunity for community neighbors to share their knowledge and cooking skills. These community training events increase awareness of healthier choices and demonstrate the best use of CSA produce. Nutrition centers also provide educational research and resource areas, and utilize backyard gardens to promote how individuals can successfully manage small urban growing areas. These on-site gardens provide produce and herbs to supplement community training courses, with the surplus produce provided to the community.

Local jobs and neighborhood job training is provided through programming and operation of the centers, while delivery service programs provide employment for neighborhood youth and the under employed.

Through partnerships with schools, access to healthier snack choices as a supplement to lunch and after-school programs is provided, with centers serving as an excellent educational resource.

Neighborhood Nutrition Centers improve Chicago neighborhoods through its concept of “better nutrition for better community.” Support is provided by the Center for Economic Policy Analysis (CEPA), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization who will serve as fiscal agent and will also contribute to developing Neighborhood Nutrition Centers.

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Les Kniskern holds a Master of Arts in Community Development degree from North Park University. He has a legislative and policy analysis background, and recently served two years as Chief of Staff for State Representative John Fritchey. He has extensive background in project management, working for seven years as a production manager with Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, and as a free-lance stage manager.

1. Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy, A Report to the Illinois General Assembly by The Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force, March 2009, p. 9
2. Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago, Mari Gallagher, Research and Consulting, 2006, p. 35

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 more food
than you’re telling

Young teen
single-corporate greed
for soy and corn
has taken produce
from the farm

Real food costs too much now
and dear, young teen
your aunt
can only afford
macaroni and cheese

If you could know
a farm-fresh
turnip or tomato
from the vine

But a dollar twenty-nine
mac and cheese
is all your aunt could buy

with dad gone –

left
or in prison
never to be known

dear, young teen
no one should feel
hunger
as you

the farmer fears

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 it be
to put that dream
on paper?

One step closer to
reality

One step closer to
a dream

One step… just one step
On paper…one step

 
Lestaurant
He’d call it

Herbs and Compost
for a Safer, Healthier Community

Throb.

Sittting in his chair
Foot up
laptop on lap

He opened a page of paper
on the computer screen

and dreamed of a building
3 stories tall

With community goings-on
and programs for kids

‘cause you won’t stop
the violence

With just a vigil
and a prayer

And he stopped on
that thought

And detected the throb
was not there

A greenhouse where the
Kids of the city

Could raise and grow
Herbs for their families

Teas to soothe the
Ailing mother

Peppermints and hyssop
And herbs to enrich the food

To teach them food
the nurturing of life

the living of life

Imagine. Your home.
Your block. Your neighborhood.

As a gun-free zone

He detected again
the throb was not there