Speakers Series presents "Closing the Food Gap"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series and Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center presents “Closing the Food Gap” featuring author Mark Winne.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 5 p.m.

WHERE: Student Life Building (SLB) Gymnasium, located on the east side of the UIS legacy campus.

DETAILS: Winne is the author of Closing the Food Gap, which tells the story of how we get our food: from poor people at food pantries or bodegas and convenience stores to the more comfortable classes, who increasingly seek out organic and local products. Winne’s exploration starts in the 1960s, when domestic poverty was “rediscovered,” and shows how communities since that time have responded to malnutrition with a slew of strategies and methods. Winne also has a new book titled Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart Cookin' Mamas, which will be available for purchase at the event.

Winne was the Executive Director of the Hartford Food System, a private non-profit agency that works on food and hunger issues in the Hartford, Connecticut area from 1997 to 2003. He is a co-founder of a number of food and agriculture policy groups including the National Community Food Security Coalition. He currently writes, speaks, and consults extensively on community food system topics including hunger and food insecurity, local and regional agriculture, community food assessment and food policy.

For more information contact Kelly Thompson, director of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at 217/206-8448 or email kthom03s@uis.edu.