Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Wilmington, N.C. - Feast Down East and its community partners have joined efforts to sponsor FOOD DAY WILMINGTON, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Oct. 24, in the Madeline Suite on the UNCW campus.

The event is open to the public, and workshops about healthy eating, nutrition, hunger awareness and other discussions are planned. For a complete schedule, visit www.feastdowneast.org.

Feast DownEast, also known as the Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Program (SENCFS), was established in early 2007 in order to join public and private agencies together to create a local and regional food system that supports local farmers; increases the sales of local farm products; educates consumers and the public on the importance of buying local; and sustains and expands farm employment, profit and ownership, particularly among limited-resource farmers. UNCW is the lead agent for SENCFS. Feast Down East is a USDA designated Food Hub.

Presenters include Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, and Leslie Hossfeld, director of the public sociology program at UNCW and co-founder of SENCFS.

Take the "FOOD DAY Challenge"

By taking the "FOOD DAY Challenge," to eat one meal consisting solely of local foods, consumers are helping support farmers in the local area, while reaping the benefits of eating food that is healthy and fresh. It's a win-win for everyone! During the event, UNCW Campus Dining will have a locally-sourced lunch available for purchase in Wagoner Hall, which is adjacent to the Madeline Suite.

Media Contacts: Jane Steigerwald, 910.383.1916 or steigerwaldj@uncw.edu. Andrea Weaver, Office of University Relations, 910.962.7631 or weavera@uncw.edu.