Health District Celebrates Food Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 21, 2011
LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District and its partners will celebrate the first ever Food Day on Oct. 24, 2011, with a range of events designed to spark community conversations that lead to changing the way people think about, produce, and consume food in America.
Scheduled events include:
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011
Las Vegas Farmers Market®
4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
The Gardens Park in Summerlin
10401 Gardens Park Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89135
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011
Las Vegas Farmers Market®
4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Bruce Trent Park
1600 N. Rampart Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89102
The health district, in conjunction with the Las Vegas Farmers Market, will promote Food Day with farm fresh samplings prepared by a local chef, a Food Day game and giveaways. The Las Vegas Farmers Market is co-sponsored by the City of Las Vegas and The Summerlin Council. The Las Vegas Farmers Market will debut their wireless electronic benefits transfer (EBT) program at the events. EBT cards work much like a debit card and will allow program participants increased access to fresh and healthy products offered at the markets. SNAP outreach information will be available at the events to assist potential clients in the application process. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal nutrition program that helps people stretch their food budget and buy healthy food. SNAP benefits are provided each month using EBT cards.
Oct. 22, 2011 at 5 p.m. until Oct. 23, 2011 at 8.a.m.
Tonopah Community Garden Camp Out
715 N. Tonopah Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89106
The Tonopah Community Garden is inviting participants to bring their sleeping bags for a night under the stars learning about where food comes from and how to contribute to sustaining the planet by growing local food, whole diets, and recycling and composting efforts. Activities for kids and adults will include a painting class, healthy cooking demonstrations, campfire eco talks, yoga and more! The main goal of the event is to start a citywide composting movement to divert waste from landfills and help grow the Tonopah Community Garden. Attendees will help make 100 compost bins to be delivered to local participating businesses the next morning.
Clark County School District – Food Service Department
The Food Service Department of the Clark County School District increased students’ access to fruits and vegetables. Through a partnership with the health district, the school district procured new equipment to package fruit cups and provide an extra serving of fruit to elementary school breakfasts and middle and high school grab-and-go lunch options. In addition, the school district offers a free optional serving of fresh fruit with elementary, middle and high school breakfasts and lunch. The school district is providing a variety of fresh seasonal, regionally grown fruit through this effort.
State of Nevada
The State of Nevada is hosting an “It’s Chili Outside – Let’s Make Winter Hunger Free” chili drive in conjunction with food banks in the state. Visit www.foodday.org to find a drop off location in your neighborhood.
Southern Nevada Health District
The health district is working in conjunction with its vending machine supplier, Sky Top Vending, to feature special reduced prices for fresh fruit sold in its vending machines during the week of Oct. 24 in celebration of Food Day. The health district recently adopted a vending machine policy that aims to create a healthier work environment for employees and to provide healthy snack options for clients. The policy adopts nutrition standards for health district vending machines and will require 80 percent of all food and beverages offered meet set nutritional standards that take into consideration the percentage of calories from fat, sodium content and percentage of sugar by weight. The standards are being phased in with a goal of reaching 80 percent by early 2012.
Food Day is founded and sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The ultimate goal of Food Day is to start a movement to “Eat Real” in communities across the country. “Eat Real” is a simple concept to promote sustainable, humane, healthy and accessible food. This includes:
- Promoting safe, healthy foods to reduce obesity and diet-related diseases.
- Supporting sustainable, family farms.
- Expanding access to food and alleviating hunger.
- Protecting the environment and animals by reforming factory farming methods.
- Promoting children’s health by reducing junk food marketing aimed at kids.
- Supporting fair conditions for all food and farm workers.
For additional information, contact the Southern Nevada Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease & Health Promotion, (702) 759-1270 or visit www.SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict.org or www.GetHealthyClarkCounty.org. Updated information about the Southern Nevada Health District can be found on Facebook www.facebook.com/SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict, on YouTube www.youtube.com/SNHealthDistrict or Twitter www.twitter.com/SNHDinfo.
Visit the Media Contacts webpage for media related inquiries.
The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.