Lake County youth come to the table on food insecurity
Grayslake, Ill.- Local solutions to food access, food security, and food justice will be developed by youth leaders and industry experts at the Illinois 4-H Food Action Summit. The virtual conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 15.
University of Illinois researchers, non-profit professionals, food advocates, and civic leaders will lead workshops designed to empower young people to strengthen their leadership and work to create food security in their communities.
"It is our hopes that youth will use the Food Action Summit as an opportunity to increase their knowledge of the worlds food systems and how to advocate for equitable food access and security especially in underserved communities." says Dr. Michelle Cox, University of Illinois Extension 4-H Youth Development Educator. "The summit will provide direction for youth to promote effective change related to food injustices in their communities."
"Youth voice and action is essential to tackling challenges in our food system," says Sarah Farley, Local Food Systems and Small Farms Extension Educator serving Lake and McHenry Counties. "We hope teens and caring adults will leave the conference inspired, equipped with tools to make a difference in their local community."
The conference is open to any Illinois youth age 13 and older. Register online at go.illinois.edu/FoodAction2021. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, contact Carla Blue, event coordinator, at blue1@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
COMPEER Financial provides financial support for this event through the Illinois 4-H Foundation.
Sources:
Dr. Michelle Cox, University of Illinois Extension, 4-H Youth Development Educator, mcx@illinois.edu
Sarah Farley, University of Illinois Extension, Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator, sfarley@illinois.edu
About 4-H: Illinois 4-H helps youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H impacts the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.
About Extension: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.