July Newsletter: Nutritional Poverty Trimester ends!

a. Recap: Nutritional Poverty Trimester

b. Hunger Stories: What is Hunger?
c. Drugs & Alcohol Trimester focus: The Council on Alcohol and Drugs - Houston
d. Welcome Public Policy Specialist, Justin Gillenwater!

 

 

As we wrap up our Nutritional Poverty Trimester, we take a look back as to what we have accomplished over the summer, and what awaits for our upcoming trimester - focusing on Drugs & Alcohol prevention amongst youth in Houston. 
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a. RECAP: NUTRITIONAL POVERTY TRIMESTER

 

The Nutritional Poverty Trimester began in May, when on Saturday, May 18, Vox Culture went to support the Houston Food Bank's 9th Annual Empty Bowls event at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort by artists and craftspeople in cities and towns across the country to feed the hungry in their communities. Empty Bowls Houston was presented by Whole Foods Market and implemented locally by Houston-area ceramists and artists working in various media, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and Houston Food Bank. The Vox team enjoyed a free bowl of soup and purchased a number of bowls (with some buying 5 bowls for $25 each!) and got to enjoy a day having good food and seeing some great artwork, while supporting a important cause.

On Saturday, June 15, Vox took part in the Houston Food Bank's Disaster Drill! The Vox team was responsible for running the sector in charge of sorting and inspecting donated retail product. In all, the team sorted about 26,000 pounds of goods (equivalent to about 60 palates) over a period of 4 hours! The goods/products went on to benefit people within the Houston community! Altogether, over 1,000 people from all over Houston took part in this drill!

Our grand and final event for the trimester, Hunger Stories: What is Hunger?, took place on Saturday, July 27, at the Vox Culture Warehouse. The event was in collaboration with, and included the leaders/representatives of Houston Food Bank, Urban Harvest, SEARCH Homeless Services and Malawians in Texas Organization. More details of this successful event can be found in the following section. However, we wanted to give a special thanks to 1836 Grill Food Truck who helped sponsor this event and graciously provided food for our audience for free!

 

b. HUNGER STORIES: WHAT IS HUNGER?

 

On Saturday, July 27, Vox Culture presented its latest event, Hunger Stories: What is Hunger? The event provided a space for additional and deeper discussion on hunger; an issue, as we know, is not only a international but a local problem as well.

Vox had the immense pleasure of hosting the leaders/representatives of four outstanding organizations - Houston Food Bank, Urban Harvest, SEARCH Homeless Services and Malawians in Texas Organization - who graciously donated their time to speak about and share their perspectives on the issue of hunger. Speakers included:

• Brian Greene, President/CEO - Houston Food Bank
• Scott Howard, President of the Board - Urban Harvest
• Charity Dominguez, Community Outreach Team Lead - SEARCH Homeless Services
• Maurina McClean, Chairwoman - Malawians in Texas Organization

The event also featured the premier of Vox's short-film, What is Hunger?, and also featured poetry reading by Laurie Chandler, who wrote and performed, Hungry. The discussion ranged from hunger on the international scene, to the local scene, how individuals are affected by the issue, and how certain solutions such as urban gardening can play a role in fighting hunger.

Special thanks again to Whole Foods Market for their in-kind donation towards snacks, and 1836 Grill Food Truck for sponsoring and providing free dinner for the audience!

c. DRUGS & ALCOHOL TRIMESTER FOCUS: THE COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS - HOUSTON

As we prepare to shift to our next trimester (beginning in September), addressing Drugs & Alcohol, we will be focusing on the local activities of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs - Houston.

Stay tuned in the coming month and keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for the events that we will have. The events will raise awareness about the work The Council on Alcohol and Drugs - Houston does in the city, as well as creative ways that can be implemented to improve drug and alcohol prevention amongst youth.

 

Until next time!