Kent State Interns

      Low income people are at higher risk for nutrition related illnesses such as diabetes, cardio vascular disease, obesity and hypertension. Many aspects of these diseases are preventable with the right nutrition and the proper health care. Community food pantries are a regular source of nutritious foods for many living with low income, but getting proper medical care can be more difficult.      The barriers to seeking medical care for those with low income include financial issues, finding time off of work and trust issues. Therefore, many health issues are neglected until it’s too late. One solution being developed is linking food pantries to local clinic healthcare. The local community food pantry is considered a safe, friendly place to get help. The next logical step is bring the clinic to the food pantry on distribution days.      Of course there are a number of logistical issues that need to be worked ou...

       One question asked when providing free or low cost food to the communities in low socio-economic areas is what are they actually doing with the food?  More than 30 million low-income people in the United States rely on 26,000 community pantries each year for obtaining part of their household’s food, and the availability of fresh produce been increasing steadily (http://www. feedingamerica.org). Unfortunately, much of this is distributed in a haphazard way, and many don’t know what they are getting or what to do with it.      One current solution to this problem is a software program called Quick! Help for Meals.  As community members get their bag of pantry food, they are asked a few simple food questions. These questions are entered into the program and out pops a small colored recipe booklet tailored to them and the food they are getting.      What is important here is that the food ...

     The Green Ghetto is an offspring of the Growing Power movement initiated in 1995 in Milwaukee, WI. The Green Ghetto is the nick name of the RID-ALL Green Partnership and is a bit more entrepreneurial than the original Growing Power farm in Milwaukee. Nevertheless, it still is a community focused endeavor endorsed by Will Allen, the founder of Growing Power.      The facility is located just east of downtown Cleveland, OH. As with the Growing Power effort, the Green ghetto offers opportunities for agriculture training. It does help local houth groups, but for the individual there is a fee schedule dependimng on how often/duration you want to participate in the program.      Concerning produce and fish grown at the facility, this is also approached in a unique way. To get access to the harvest, community members become a shareholder in the crop. They invest a certain amount of money at the beginning of the year and ge...