Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds: First Annual K-12 Food Conference at Harvard University

June 4, 2015 - PRLog -- In a time where many school children get more than half their daily calories from school food programs, we are launching an annual one-day conference to bring together all the school food stakeholders.  National experts and activists join local parents and school nutrition professionals for a spirited one-day conference on school food. The goal is to educate across common concerns and create a set of action steps that can mobilize all the stakeholders equally.

Speakers and attendees come from the worlds of school food professionals, parents, policy and wellness advocates, and officials and academicians in the fields of law, nutrition, public health and education.

“Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds: Serving Change in Public School Food,” held on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, will enable participants to understand the current state of childhood nutrition, the nuances of the federal law, the economic, logistical and technical constraints faced by foodservice providers, and creative solutions for improving offerings.

The program, held at Harvard University’s Cambridge campus, will lead off with a keynote address by Ann Cooper, internationally recognized author, chef, educator, public speaker, and advocate of healthy food for all children. More than 25 presenters and panelists will share their perspectives on topics ranging from why school food matters to channels for improvement, such as procurement strategies, marketing, staff training, and engaging with your school. Speakers include:

·Emily Broad Leib, Deputy Director, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation and Director, Food Law and Policy Clinic and Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School

·Scott Richardson, Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives, Project Bread

·Eric Rimm, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition and Professor of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School

·Kristen Saenz Tobey, Founder and Chief Impact Officer, Revolution Foods

·Curt Ellis, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, FoodCorps

·Catherine D'Amato, Executive Director, Greater Boston Food Bank

·S. Paul Reville, Francis Keppel Professor of Practice of Educational Policy and Administration, Harvard Graduate School of Education; former Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

·Kathleen Millett, Executive Director, Massachusetts State Office of Nutrition and Health

The registration fee of $35, augmented by a number of scholarships, ensures that participation is financially accessible to any member of the community. Registration is accepted at: https://healthyfoodhungryminds.eventbrite.com.

“Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds” is the product of a partnership between Let's Talk About Food, the Massachusetts State Office of Nutrition and Health, the Greater Boston Food Bank, Project Bread and numerous Harvard collaborators, including the Food Law & Policy Clinic, the School of Education and Dining Services' Food Literacy Project. In is generously supported through grants and sponsorships from Eos Foundation, Trimark United East, Northcoast Seafood, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cargill and the Kendall Foundation, as well as numerous in-kind sponsors including Revolution Foods.