Western Illinois University is continuing the discussion about how we eat. The WIU-Quad Cities Third Annual Food Insecurity Conference will be held at the Moline Campus on Friday, March 22nd.
Conference Organizer Dan Dankert says the conference is taking a new approach this year.
"We wanted to provide a different experience," said Dankert. "Last year we talked a lot about the practical, about how to run a food pantry. But this year we want to bring the focus on how you handle students who have mental health issues that are a result of food insecurity."
The official theme of the conference is: "The Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health. Experts in the field will come from University of Illinois, University of Iowa, and West Virginia University to speak. All of the speakers will share their research and experience with food insecurity and mental health. Among them are a Professor of Human Nutrition and Foods, a Clinical Mental Health Coordinator, and a PhD candidate in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies.
Last year's Food Insecurity Conference focused on food insecurity on college campuses.