On Monday, April 15th,the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance hosted Kevin Concannon, United States Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, for an afternoon and evening of nutrition education events. The Under Secretary participated in a Cooking Matters at the Store grocery tour conducted by Faith Anaya of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in conjunction with the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System’s Health Promotion Disease Prevention Program. The Under Secretary joined Arkansas veterans as they learned important information about how to shop for healthy food and make smart purchasing decisions. Later in the evening, Under Secretary Concannon was joined by Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Butch Calhoun for a Cooking Matters signature class where underserved individuals and families learn the skills they need to shop for and prepare nutritious meals on a budget.
“Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and their partners are working hard to ensure a brighter future for all Arkansans through access to healthy, affordable food and quality nutrition education,” said Concannon. “During my visit to Arkansas, I was able to witness firsthand the Alliance’s efforts to arm families with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health through grocery store tours, cooking classes and other nutrition education initiatives. I applaud the Alliance for their continued efforts to reach underserved children and families in Arkansas.”
The Alliance is lead partner in Arkansas for the No Kid Hungry campaign, that seeks to increase participation in USDA funded nutrition programs as well as teach underserved Arkansas children and families the skills they need to make healthy food choices and prepare low-cost, nutritious meals at home. We value our partnerships with USDA and other organizations like The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, who recruit participants and conduct Cooking Matters courses across the state. Through their work with other public and private organizations, they are helping in the mission of empowering low-income Arkansans to make good nutrition choices for themselves and their families.
We were pleased to have the opportunity to show Under Secretary Concannon the tremendous value of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry nutrition education programs and how they are making a difference in the lives of many Arkansans.