Webinar Series: Improving Lives through the Congregate Nutrition Program

This March, ACL is hosting a four-part series of webinars on how the Congregate Nutrition Program can improve the lives of older adults. The series will focus on small steps necessary to carry out the goals of the Older Americans Act Senior Nutrition Program and how you can make your mark every day on people's lives and in our communities. Make Your Mark: Enhance Socialization and Nutrition Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 3:30-5:00 PM ET Register Learn how congregate meal programs can help to decrease social isolation. Attendees will hear from older adults from the Carter Burden Center in New York City and learn about a recent study, “Beyond the Meal: The Value of Socialization in Older Americans Act Congregate Nutrition Programs.” The event will also address congregate program challenges and opportunities identified at the Future of Congregate Convening last year. Make Your Mark: Enhance Hospitality Tuesday, March 10, 2020 3:30-4:30 PM ET Register Chef Matthew Campbell will suggest ways to enhance the dining experience and our panel of seniors will offer their perspectives on what makes a vibrant congregate program. Learn how to create a physically inviting atmosphere (e.g. tablecloths, centerpieces, reusable vs. disposable ware) and how to use theme meals to increase participation. Identify ways to enhance your menu while focusing on delivering nutrition and participant engagement.   Make Your Mark: Offer More Choices Thursday, March 19, 2020 3:30-4:30 PM ET Register Learn techniques to prepare healthy meals that taste as good as they look. Learn how to save time with speed scratch cooking so you can offer your patrons more choices and ultimately increase patron satisfaction. Ways to measure patron satisfaction will also be discussed.   Make Your Mark: Food Insecurity Wednesday, March 25, 2020 3:30-4:30 PM ET Register Understanding food insecurity is the first step to addressing it. Participate in this session and learn how to identify food insecurity. Discover ways to partner and collaborate with community partners and identify other sources of funding (e.g.,  CACFP, Feeding America, FRAC) to make your mark on combating food insecurity. Learn more about Nutrition Services at ACL.gov