By Cheril Lee
Omaha, NE – UNO's College of Public Affairs and Community Service Collaborating Commons is the site of a forum on Wednesday focused on the lack of affordable health foods.
Tarik Abdel-Monem is a Research Specialist at the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. He says the forum panel includes community activists and experts, including representatives from The Big Garden Project and the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition. Abdel-Monem says the forum has three goals, "First thing we want to do is educate the community about food deserts. There's not a whole lot of understanding about what food deserts are, what are their causes, and how can they be best addressed. Secondly, what we are trying to do is really recognize and also inform and spark further collaboration in this area. And finally, really initiate a discussion to identify local and state policy challenges and options related to the topic of food deserts."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, a food desert is an area that lacks access to affordable healthy foods that make up a nutritious diet. The forum takes place Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and is offered at no charge. Details are available online at ppc.nebraska.edu.