Project leader Pat Bebo of the University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program led an interactive session with representatives of local health and human service agencies in Fall River and New Bedford on April 12, 2011 in the classroom at Stanley Street Treatment and Resources (SSTAR). The purpose of the session was to help participants think more critically about the purpose of serving food at agency events for both children and adults. "We tend to think of food separately from the performance of the meeting," states Bebo who made a number of suggestions about how to "change the paradigm" by using these events to introduce people to more nutritious foods rather than serving what's simply expected. Fall River School wellness coordinator Marcia Picard began the meeting with a warm-up exercise to illustrate that food needn't be the only way to get people to have fun and interact.  Click here for a complete video of the hour-long meeting. For more information, contact project leader Pat Bebo at 508-675-7315

(Top row, left) University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program project leader Pat Bebo leads the discussion about food at agency events and meetings. (Top row, right) Brenda Viveiros of BMC Health Net listens as Wendy-Garf Lipp of United Neighbors of Fall River make a point about her agency's policy to serve healthier food at all events. (Middle row, left and right) Katje Fuson of SMILES Mentoring, Melissa Fallon of Family Service Association and Lisa Alves of the WIC Program listen as Paula Harrison of the HealthFirst Family Care Center talks about her experiences in offering healthier food choices to the children and parents who attend their events. (Bottom row) Ray Gordon of SSTAR, Anna Rae LeClair representing the New Bedford Women's Center, Paula Harrison, Ann Wentzel of St. Vincent's Home and Jade Nieuwenhuizen of SMILES Mentoring team up as they work on an interactive exercise while Fall River School wellness coordinator Marcia Picard keeps time.