Title
Recognizing March 2021 as National Nutrition Month to educate Philadelphians on how to make informed food choices, and develop healthy eating and physical activity habits, while raising awareness of the need for accessible, nutritious food.
Body
WHEREAS, People with poor nutrition are at an increased risk of chronic diseases. In fact, 6 out of every 10 adults have a chronic disease and 4 out of every 10 adults have multiple chronic diseases. As a result of uninformed food choices, risk factors of chronic diseases have been identified at even younger ages; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that "Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States;" and
WHEREAS, Good nutrition not only reduces the risk of disease, but also improves well-being and health, promotes safer pregnancies and birth, strengthens immune systems, and lengthens lifespans; and
WHEREAS, Philabundance is a Philadelphia-based food relief organization that distributes more than 24 million pounds of nutritious food each year to those in need. The organization runs free food distributions and produce markets through food pantries, churches, shelters, and emergency kitchens that serve over 90,000 low-income people every week. Philabundance joined the Pennsylvania Healthy Pantry Initiative (HPI) in 2018 to help provide nutrition information and educational resources. They work to increase access to nutritious foods in food pantries, as well as the selection and use of these foods. By providing healthy food options and recipes using common ingredients, Philabundance works to decrease the risk of chronic disease in residents who experience food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, The Black Women's Health Alliance was created as an effort to uplift the voices of African American women in the Philadelphia health community. The organization provides women of color with health education and support ...
Click here for full text