Food Choices Committee Meeting
09 June 2008, 5:30 to 6:45pm at Trilety Wade’s house

Attendees: Kathy Townsend, Kristin Czerminger, Darrel Czerminger, Alaina Hickman, Mary Green, Brian Smith, Trilety Wade

Partnering Discussion:

The Resource List (included w/ agenda email and posted on wetpaint site) provides information on local organizations conducting activities similar to/or complimentary to the Food Choices Committee.

Wade – partnering especially important if Food Choices Committee begins a long-term policy project, ie development of a Food Charter to be signed by various groups and submitted to City Council

Smith – need to be careful w/ promoting policy/legislation with 501c3 status

Wade – Green Omaha Coalition has a council specific to Policy – could work with them to facilitate focus

Smith – or promote policy change via networking/education, ie a Food Summit - bring public and organizations together for presentations and networking – invite Nebraska Restaurant Association, City Council, Co-op, NE Sustainable Agriculture Society, etc

Smith – Metro Food Net – local organization gathering excess prepared food and distributing to hungry, also have a nutrition education component

Wade – Omaha Food Bank initiated local Fresh Truck program – taken from model of the ice cream/ding ding man – the Fresh Truck distributes free fruits/veggies to local kids in Omaha. Goal is to reach 100 kids a day for three days a week.

Smith – check w/ Alegent Health/Activate Omaha Kids (Molly O’Dell) conducting a food shed project

* Smith – Work with Omaha Public Library to have one of the Omaha Reads books be a food-focused book, ie “Animal, Vegetable, Mineral” by Kingsolver or “In Defense of Food” by Pollan, etc

Project Discussion

What projects would support the mission of the Food Choices Committee and garner support from volunteers?

Hickman – workshops create interest and would educate

K. Czerminger – hosting workshops would also bring exposure to the group and bring more people to the possible Food Summit

Townsend – with all the interest in local food – what people don’t know how to do is grow their own – or why to grow their own – other groups aren’t addressing this issue

Green – make sure not to conflict with Green Living Workshops of Green Neighborhood Council

Discussion and Concurrence from group that Hosting Food Workshops will support the mission of the Food Choices Committee by providing education, networking, and hands-on workshop opportunities – all of which will encourage the purchase, preparation, and preservation of local food.

Hickman – Potential topics for workshops: buying local, how to start/maintain a community garden, How to preserve/store food ie canning/dehydration/lacto-fermentation, seed starting

Smith – Need to broaden focus to those “not in the know” with regards to food – those people that aren’t yet informed as to the why/how – cater to all audiences

Wade – Local Food 101, ie

K. Czerminger – Workshops need to educate as to the why – not just the how

Various expert presenters, as well as internal experts, will be invited to present at the workshops

Four workshops a year with an end of year/fall Food Summit

The Green Living Workshop – organized by the Food Choices Committee on 26 July 2008 – could be considered introductory workshop

October Food Choices Workshop – Food Storage/Preservation – specifics to be discussed at next Food Choices Meeting

Next Meeting
Monday, 14 July 2008 – at 11:30 am – location TBD – RSVP to Trilety Wade, trilety@hotmail.com