The Darst Center to Tackle Food Insecurity through New Overnight Immersion Retreat

CHICAGO - April 24, 2018 - PRLog -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as "lack of access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life." It's a harsh reality for nearly 17.9 million households in the United States - with its long-term effects extending beyond hunger to everything from emotional distress to chronic illness.

In an effort to combat this growing issue, the Br. David Darst Center is hosting its first ever Urban Immersion Retreat for adults which will explore the root causes of food insecurity, social justice and leadership. Called DIG DEEP!, the event is designed to empower individuals to advocate for change through their own stories, the stories of others, and issues of oppression and privilege.

Participants of the retreat, which will be held over two weekends in May, will stay at the organization's historic Southside facility in the Bridgeport neighborhood. In addition to preparing meals together, they will also take part in both direct service and in-depth reflection activities that will challenge the way they look at hunger in America.

For the Darst Center, which has established itself over the past 15 years as a lauded social justice resource for young adults, the chance to create a program geared towards adults was an opportunity too good to miss.

"We've been looking for the right opportunity to expand our adult offerings for years" recalls Jennifer Jackson-Outlaw, Director of Development & Communications for the Br. David Darst Center. "As food deserts continue to be an area of concern for the city of Chicago and beyond, we felt it would be a perfect topic to explore with community leaders who were as passionate about this burning issue as we are."

Tickets for the retreats are currently available at https://digdeep.brownpapertickets.com for $60, and includes all meals, overnight lodging and related materials for activities. Space for each weekends (May 4 & 5 and May 11 & 12) will be limited to 15 participants each.