Participation Type
Poster
Session Title
Poster
Presentation #1 Title
Putting Healthy Food on the Table
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
“Putting Healthy Food on the Table” addresses food insecurity by conducting healthy eating and gardening classes, creating a community garden, establishing container gardens, sponsoring outreach efforts at farmers’ markets and farm stands, and teaching skills to preserve fruits and vegetables through canning and freezing. “Putting Healthy Food on the Table” is a collaborative effort of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Appalachia Community Cancer Network, Vinton County Extension and local stakeholders. This project encourages healthy eating through programming, thereby increasing access to healthy fruits and vegetables among residents. This effort translates cancer prevention research findings about fruits and vegetables to the community, and gathers effective engagement strategies about rural food deserts to assist in future research efforts in Appalachia. Vinton County is designated as a “distressed" county, with escalating unemployment, increasing poverty rates, decreasing access to food, and geographic isolation; putting these residents at risk for poorer food choices and less varied diets. This county was already classified as a “food desert" even before the only full service grocery store closed in 2013. With no public transportation and farther travel distance, it’s now even more difficult for residents to get to a grocery store for fruit, vegetables and other healthy food options.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Deanna Tribe, independent scholar and consultant, is a retired community development specialist, Ohio State University Extension. An ASA member for many years, she served as program chair for the 2009 conference at Shawnee State University. Deanna is secretary of the OSU Extension, Vinton County's advisory committee and is a part of the "Putting Healthy Food on the Table" project.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Kate Homonai has been the Family & Consumer Sciences Program Coordinator for OSU Extension- Vinton County since July 2013. With an educational background is in the field of dietetics, her professional career has primarily focused on community nutrition education --frequently covering such topics as preparing healthy meals, food preservation, and food safety.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Ms. Fickle is Program Director for the Appalachia Community Cancer Network (ACCN) at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Since 2005, she has managed the ACCN program funded by the National Cancer Institute, addressing cancer health disparities in Appalachia Ohio. She has twenty years of experience collaborating with cancer control organizations to plan, implement and evaluate health programs.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4
Travis West has worked at OSU Extension in Vinton County for 8 years serving as the County Extension Director and 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator. Prior to his job in Vinton County, he served 6 years as the Cooperative Development Center Program Manager at OSU South Centers covering Ohio and West Virginia working with rural residents and landowners.
Putting Healthy Food on the Table
“Putting Healthy Food on the Table” addresses food insecurity by conducting healthy eating and gardening classes, creating a community garden, establishing container gardens, sponsoring outreach efforts at farmers’ markets and farm stands, and teaching skills to preserve fruits and vegetables through canning and freezing. “Putting Healthy Food on the Table” is a collaborative effort of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Appalachia Community Cancer Network, Vinton County Extension and local stakeholders. This project encourages healthy eating through programming, thereby increasing access to healthy fruits and vegetables among residents. This effort translates cancer prevention research findings about fruits and vegetables to the community, and gathers effective engagement strategies about rural food deserts to assist in future research efforts in Appalachia. Vinton County is designated as a “distressed" county, with escalating unemployment, increasing poverty rates, decreasing access to food, and geographic isolation; putting these residents at risk for poorer food choices and less varied diets. This county was already classified as a “food desert" even before the only full service grocery store closed in 2013. With no public transportation and farther travel distance, it’s now even more difficult for residents to get to a grocery store for fruit, vegetables and other healthy food options.
