Missouri River Communities Network supports community building by identifying resources, organizing, and providing technical assistance with a focus on food security and sustainable development in and around the Missouri River Valley. Most recently we have pursued our mission by starting the "Missouri Healthy Food Education Program." This year the program is providing 10 AmeriCorps service members
to several non-profit organizations in Missouri, who are all working to provide nutrition education and reduce the epidemic of childhood obesity in our state. Our AmeriCorps members are educating students about growing, harvesting, and eating healthy food, as well as increasing production and access to healthy locally grown food. The program objective is to create, expand and enhance outdoor garden classrooms and teach students nutrition education to encourage them to eat healthy fruits and vegetables to help them start a lifelong habit of healthy eating: thus reducing the chronic health risks resulting from childhood obesity (cancer, heart disease and diabetes).
