|
|
|
|
Winter is a time for planning!
 Apologies for yet another snowy picture, but we thought this one was particularly beautiful, taken by 6th grader Priya Wunjo, who goes to JFK Middle School in Northampton.
Winter is for shoveling snow, and speaking of that: Northampton's Mayor Narkewicz has suggested changes to the snow removal policy that would allow the Police and DPW to issue citations to residents who don't promptly shovel the sidewalk in front of their house [subscription may be required]. A clear sidewalk versus a snowy one could mean a huge difference for an elderly neighbor that relies on his own two feet to get to the corner store for mid-week groceries. Or a student who walks to school from her neighborhood. We applaud the Mayor for looking into this matter, and we encourage everyone to shovel their sidewalks early and often.
To come in the Spring....
Healthy Hampshire is busy working on several projects across the region. In Belchertown we've received a small grant from the Mass Councils on Aging to engage older adults in a pedestrian planning process to envision a more walkable, bikeable and wheelchair accessible corridor down Route 202/State St. We've finished a photo documentation and data report exploring opportunities and challenges for improving access to food, transportation and community services for a neighborhood in Amherst. We've launched a Healthy Retail Survey, in collaboration with Amherst, Belchertown and Northampton Health Departments, to understand the barriers that small stores and markets face in stocking and promoting healthier products. Finally, we're working hard to secure funding for a regional SNAP incentive program in Amherst and Northampton that would decrease barriers to accessing farmers' markets for low-income residents. |
|
|
|
|
Harvest New England Ag Marketing Conference and Trade Show
When: Feb. 25-26, 2015
Where: Sturbridge Host Hotel, Sturbridge, MA
What: one of New England’s largest agricultural marketing conferences. Workshops and speakers on food service contracts, farm to institution, food hubs, distribution systems, managing farmers markets and more.
Community Branding and Way-Finding Workshop
When: Feb. 24, 8:30am-3:30pm
Where: Boston, MA
What: What is community branding & wayfinding, and how can they revitalize your Downtown?
Open Sesame: The Story of Seeds
When: February 25th, 6:30 PM
Where: First Congregational Church at 43 Silver Street, Greenfield
What: One of the world’s most precious resources is at risk. This film will help us learn what is at stake and what can be done to protect the source of nearly all our food: SEEDS.
Webinar: Moving from Programs to Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change
When: Feb. 26, 1:00-2:30pm
Where: Webinar
What: Transition from programs to policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change for lasting improvements in your community. This webinar will explore the what, why, and how of PSEs through local examples from across the state of Massachusetts.
Organic Gardening for Everyone with Naturalist and Landscaper John Root
When: March 5 at 6:30 PM
Where: New England Small Farm Institute, 275 Jackson St., Belchertown
What: Learn natural and effective techniques for the cultivation of a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. Free admission.
Growing Our Trail Network: Friends of the Northampton Trails and Greenways
When: March 10, 7:00 pm
Where: Northampton Friends Meetinghouse, 43 Center Street
What: Wayne Feiden, Director of the City's Office of Planning and Sustainability, will be talking about "Growing Multi-Use Trail Network - The projects, the plans, and the region." The event is free and open to the public.
Food Justice: Past, Present and Future
When: March 11, 4:00-6:00pm
Where: Holyoke Senior Center
What: Who can buy healthy fresh vegetables in our region and who can't? Why and why not? How has institutional racism shaped access to healthy food in our region and beyond? What is needed to build a resilient food system that provides for all?
Building Age-Friendly Communities: The Summit
When: March 18, 2015, 1:00-6:00pm
Where: The Westin Waltham, Waltham, MA
What: Building age-friendly communities is essential for our society to respond to the needs of a rapidly aging population. Thought leaders will discuss how using the World Health Organization's standards for age-friendly cities can make a difference to community health, housing, transportation and the sundry needs facing people today.
Health Equity in Action
When: March 25, 2015, 9:00am-3:30pm
Where: Greenfield, MA, JWO Transit Center
What: What does health equity mean on the ground? What does it look like to work together toward more equitable communities and how do we do it? This interactive training will prepare coalition leaders and members to answer these and other questions.
Walking Evolution and Revolution Conference
When: March 26, 8:00am-5:00pm
Where: Boston Society of Architects, Boston, MA
What: Join us at the first-ever conference in the Boston area focused on walkability: the Walking Evolution and Revolution Conference!
Undoing Racism
When: March 27-29, 2015
Where: Franklin County, location TBD
What: The goal of this workshop is to strengthen the anti-racist analysis and foster local work groups that will continue the conversation and work toward institutional change.
Just Food? Forum on Justice in the Food System
When: March 28–29th, 2015
Where: Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
What: A conference exploring intersections between social, economic and environmental justice and the food system
Ounce of Prevention, Working Together for Healthy Communities Conference
When: April 7, 2015
Where: DCU Center, Worcester, MA
What: A statewide conference designed to bring together a wide range of stakeholders in support of healthier and more equitable communities in Massachusetts.
Farm to Institution Summit
When: April 7-9, 2015
Where: UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA
What: The 2015 Farm to Institution Summit will bring together leaders from the region who are working to increase use of regionally grown food by schools, colleges and health care facilities.
LAND: the foundation of a healthy food system (PVGrows spring forum)
When: April 15, 9:00am - 1:30pm
Where: Open Square - Mill 1, Holyoke, MA
What: To learn about the important role that secure access to land plays in our food system - and how we can all work to strengthen this foundation.
Note: The forum will be followed by a MA Food Plan Listening Session from 2:00 - 4:00pm
|
|
|
|
|
Australia puts Coca-Cola in the Corner
The best Coca-Cola ad we’ve ever seen.
Mark Bittman: “Let’s Address the State of Food”
What a pithy summary of how far we have come and what challenges continue to vex us.
Statewide survey on access to healthy food! Massachusetts is developing a statewide Food Plan, and have released a survey to understand the challenges and solutions that organizations and/or their clients or constituents see with respect to obtaining healthy food and/or food that is produced locally (within Massachusetts or New England).
MPHA announces policy agenda for 2015-2016
City of Northampton receives help from AIA to kickoff their Climate Adaption Plan: Mayor David J. Narkewicz announced that the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has awarded Northampton a Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT), to help the city kickoff a Climate Change Adaptation Plan, which will become part of the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan.
Research shows easy-to-walk communities can blunt cognitive decline
Research brief on physical activity and academic performance
Radical Farmers Use Food to Fight the New Jim Crow
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has released a report on the first phase of a regional bike share study.
Cooley Dickinson Health Care has released a report on improving access to care for patients. The study and report was completed by PVPC.
The Massachusetts Public Health Association is looking for a Coalition and Field Organizer-- what a great opportunity to join such a dynamic group of changemakers.
Speaking of changemakers, CISA is also hiring for three positions.
|
|
Importance of Complete Streets: The one image that says it all.
If you’re wondering what 2,000 calories looks like in picture form, check these pictures out from the NY Times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
