BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//sebbo.net//ical-generator//EN
NAME:Somerset County Library System of New Jersey
X-WR-CALNAME:Somerset County Library System of New Jersey
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:ac3becde-86b9-43bb-b1c4-48b582b83101
SEQUENCE:0
DTSTAMP:20261115T005836Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270128T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270128T190000
SUMMARY:Food Security in Somerset County
LOCATION:Hillsborough branch\nHillsborough branch
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Hillsborough branch;X-APPL
 E-RADIUS=10;X-TITLE=Hillsborough branch:geo:40.506034,-74.673879
GEO:40.506034;-74.673879
DESCRIPTION:Join three local leaders for a conversation about the many con
 nections that make up our food system—from the farms to the organiz
 ations and partnerships that help strengthen food access and security..\nh
 ttps://sclsnj.libnet.info/event/17735620
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:<p>Food security is about more than whether s
 omeone has enough food today. It is about whether our community has built 
 a system where everyone can reliably access nutritious\, culturally releva
 nt food &mdash\; today\, tomorrow\, and in times of crisis.</p>\n<p>Somers
 et County has more than 11\,000 residents receiving SNAP benefits\, but th
 at number tells only part of the story. It does not capture people experie
 ncing food insecurity who have not enrolled in SNAP\, or those who may not
  qualify for assistance but are still struggling to make ends meet.</p>\n<
 p>Our food pantry providers are seeing year-over-year increases in visits\
 , including a significant number of working families who are finding it in
 creasingly difficult to keep up with the rising costs of housing\, utiliti
 es\, medication\, transportation\, and groceries.</p>\n<p><strong>Panelist
 s:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Debbie Norz</strong>\, farmer and owner
  of Norz Hill Farm in Hillsborough\, will discuss how we grow\, produce\, 
 and sustain the food that feeds our community\, including the role of SNAP
  and farmers markets in increasing access to locally grown food.</li>\n<li
 ><strong>Steve Katz</strong>\, Executive Director of the Food Bank Network
  of Somerset County will share what happens when families cannot reliably 
 afford enough food and what food banks and pantries are seeing on the grou
 nd\, including the experiences of working families seeking assistance.</li
 >\n<li><strong>Kate Russo</strong>\, Somerset County Department of Human S
 ervices\, Planning Administration and Food Coalition\, will discuss how co
 mmunity collaboration can strengthen our local food system and connect res
 idents to resources\, including school meals\, Human Services Navigators\,
  food access mapping\, and other community-based supports.</li>\n</ul>\n<p
 ><strong>Moderator:</strong></p>\n<p><strong>Shailja Mathur</strong>\, Sen
 ior Program Coordinator of Family and Community Health Services at Rutgers
  Cooperative Extension.</p>\n<p>Applying her expertise in Chronic Disease 
 Prevention\, Shailja plays a vital role in the facilitation of prevention 
 programs which help improve the health of New Jersey&rsquo\;s South Asian 
 communities. Some of her efforts include her work with the farmers markets
 \, schools\, and senior centers.</p>\n<p><img src="https://static.libnet.i
 nfo/frontend-images/editor/sclsnj/County_logo.png" width="136" height="95"
  alt="" /><img src="https://static.libnet.info/frontend-images/editor/scls
 nj/FBNSC_Logo.png" width="225" height="97" alt="" /><img src="https://stat
 ic.libnet.info/frontend-images/editor/sclsnj/Rutgers_logo.png" width="121"
  height="121" alt="" /></p>\nhttps://sclsnj.libnet.info/event/17735620
URL;VALUE=URI:https://sclsnj.libnet.info/event/17735620
ATTACH:https://static.libnet.info/images/events/sclsnj/food_security.jpg
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