Next HEAT meeting is May 18

The next regular HEAT meeting will take place Tuesday, May 18, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Our host this month is Dr. Melvena Wilson of Thagard Student Health Center at Florida State University. We will meet in room 249/250 of the Askew Student Life Center (SLC) on FSU’s campus. The SLC is located on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Traditions Way. Parking is available in the lot across the street. Please see the map for directions. Light dinner and refreshments will be provided.

Please join us!

New report: Increasing access to healthy foods

One goal that has emerged from HEAT is to improve health by improving the local food environment. Three HEAT partners—the Leon County Health Department, Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council, and the University of Florida—are collaborating on research funded by the Blue Foundation to understand how the food environment constrains healthy food choices in Tallahassee. A related group has initiated a local Food Council, which aims to improve access to healthy and sustainable foods in Leon County.

So many people and organizations will be interested in a new report just released by the Prevention Institute, “Recipes for Change: Healthy Food in Every Community.” As the Prevention Institute explains, “The paper outlines organizational practices and public policies to expand access to healthy foods in support of healthy eating and better overall health.” The report provides recommendations for creating healthy food retail environments, increasing access to healthy foods in schools and other public institutions, reforming federal food and nutrition assistance programs, and supporting regional food systems and agriculture. The overarching goal is to build a healthier food system in the United States, with a focus on increasing access to healthy foods in low-income communities and communities of color.

See the Prevention Institute website for more.