Niagara County Department of Health and Partners to Host FREE Nutrition Literacy and Community Resource Workshop
The Niagara County Department of Health (NCDOH) in collaboration with Daphany's Fabulous Objective Weekly Workshops (DFOWW Incorporated) and the Niagara Falls School District will host a Nutrition Literacy and Community Resource Workshop on Thursday July 25, 2024 from 10am – 3pm at the Niagara Falls High School (4455 Porter Rd., Niagara Falls, NY 14305). This event is FREE, open to the public and includes a healthy, catered lunch from Carrabba’s Italian Grill. Other co-sponsors include: Bob Evans Restaurant, DiCamillo Bakery, Home Depot, Nike, Papa John’s Pizza, Tim Hortons, and Tops Friendly Markets.
“Nutrition literacy, or food literacy, is important because it helps people make informed decisions about their food choices and eating habits that can improve their health and well-being,” said Daniel J. Stapleton, Public Health Director for Niagara County. Almost 10% of individuals aged 18 years and older in Niagara County have diabetes; 74% of these individuals have Type 2 Diabetes. “Following a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help control diabetes,” added Stapleton.
It is also very important to connect individuals and families with children to available food and nutrition community resources which can be essential in helping people access assistance and expand their range of outlets of support to meet their needs. In Niagara County, approximately 10% of residents experience food insecurity, which means they don’t have enough to eat or don’t know where their next meal will come from. Food insecurity is even higher in some demographic groups including Black individuals (21%), Latino/Hispanic (20%) and individuals less than 18 years of age (13%). Approximately 15.0 % of households receive SNAP (food stamps) benefits. Additionally, 49 % of students enrolled in public schools during 2021-2022 were eligible to receive free or reduced price lunches. “The presence of food insecurity is very high among students and families within our district,” commented Mark Laurrie, Superintendent for Niagara Falls City School District. “We are excited to partner with the NCDOH and DFOWW to present this much needed information.”
The workshop will feature presentations on food literacy, healthy meal preparation, meal budgeting, label reading, diabetes information and much more. There will be a variety of vendors attending and presenting from nonprofit organizations, local entrepreneurs, and community leaders, providing information along with free resources for those in need. Additionally, the event will feature blood pressure screening, fun activities for children, and free giveaways.
Registration is required for participation and may be completed by visiting: https://dfoww.org/nutrition-literacy-and-community-resource-workshop-registration-form/, scanning the QR code on the flyer, or contacting DFOWW at (678) 977-9703.