Nutrition Advisory Committee

The Nutrition Advisory Committee (NAC) of Dutchess County is a forum for developing strategies for the more effective delivery of food, nutrition education and wellness services by each of the represented organizations, and by nutrition education and food organizations as a collaborative whole, in Dutchess County. NAC provides an opportunity for discussion of food, nutrition, and wellness related weaknesses in our community through the Eat Well Play Hard coalition. Through NAC, community food security issues are discussed and changes in the food, nutrition and wellness environment is initiated. Farming, feeding programs, emergency food programs, nutrition education programs, wellness programs, private business and local governments all have an important role and the Nutrition Advisory Committee seeks to bring them together for the good of the community.

If you or your organization would like to participate in NAC please call (845) 677-8223 ext. 110 for more information.

Goals:

• To facilitate the implementation of environments and policies that support healthy lifestyles for adults, youth, children and seniors including strategies outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Eat Well Play Hard Program wherever possible
• To identify gaps in food and nutrition education services and develop supports to remove those gaps
• To help determine steps that may need to be taken within the county to break down barriers in obtaining food and/or nutrition education, particularly those affecting limited resource residents
• To develop linkages between businesses and programs that serve youth, adults, seniors and families with limited resources
• To identify overlaps in services that may be removed (in favor of referral) to make more effective use of funding for each individual program or to be redirected to fill in where gaps in services exist
• To assist agencies in identifying grants and other funding opportunities that address food, nutrition education, and health issues, and to provide a forum for collaborations on such proposals, if desired
• To add food security, nutrition and health perspectives to the agricultural initiatives within the county promoting Community Food Security wherever possible
• Facilitation of discussions, assessments, planning and implementation of community food security projects to established and newly identified
• Facilitate community assessments in areas of community food security and food insecurity (hunger)

Last updated June 29, 2015