Researcher presents at Food Insecurity Task Force Summit and Community Planning Session
Researcher presents at Food Insecurity Task Force Summit and Community Planning Session Heading link
Ravneet Kaur, DrPH, MBA, a research assistant professor in the Division of Health Research and Evaluation within the Department of Family and Community Medicine, served as an expert panelist and speaker at the Food Insecurity Task Force Summit and Community Planning Session. This event was held Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in partnership with the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE).
The summit aimed to assess the community’s needs regarding food insecurity in the Rockford area and to develop an action plan for a sustainable solution to hunger. Dr. Kaur led various listening sessions in the city for the taskforce and presented findings from this effort. The presentation included results from the Rockford area survey, and an explanation of food insecurity, nutritional insecurity, food deserts and food swamps. She highlighted the perceptions about food insecurity in Rockford residents and the importance of understanding the difference between a food desert, in which an area has poor access to nutritious food sources, and a food swamp, in which an area has few grocery stores but several fast-food or corner store options with mostly unhealthy options.
Hunger often goes unnoticed; however, it significantly impacts our community. The insights gathered at this summit, along with the ongoing efforts of the committee, will contribute to making a meaningful difference in our community.