SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] — October 8, 2014 — The Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP), a non-profit whose mission is to teach Americans about the health and nutritional benefits of seafood, is launching two pilot public health education campaigns this week in Memphis, TN andIndianapolis, IN.
SNP will partner with a coalition of local stakeholders including chefs, community leaders, public officials and health professionals in each city to teach citizens about the health benefits of seafood.
The programs feature cooking demonstrations, free health fairs and screenings for Omega-3 Index levels, distribution of health education literature and recipes, and encourage citizens of both cities to take the Healthy Heart Pledge to eat at least two servings of seafood each week as recommended by the USDA Dietary Guidelines.
“These pilot programs allow us to be on the ground to build awareness and educate the citizens of Memphis and Indianapolis about the health benefits of a diet rich in seafood and help Americans gain the skills to select, order, prepare and eat seafood as part of a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet,” said Linda Cornish, Executive Director of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.
U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9-CD) and City of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. will kick off the
Memphis pilot program today at The Church Health Center. “It’s important to have a healthy Memphis, and I’m very glad to partner with the Seafood Nutrition Partnership in this campaign,” said Mayor Wharton. “Seafood just twice a week will help combat things like heart disease and diabetes, which are prevalent silent killers in our community. I hope all Memphis citizens will take part in this effort. If we do, it could really change lives.”
The First Lady of Indianapolis, Winnie Ballard, will host a kick-off at the Indianapolis City Market on Friday, October 10th at 10:00AM to launch the pilot program in Indianapolis. She will be joined by SNP Board Members: NBA star and former Indiana Pacers Detlef Schrempf; renowned omega-3 scientist and Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee member Dr. Tom Brenna from Cornell University; and Linda Cornish.
In addition to cooking demonstrations and free health screenings, the Indianapolis effort will partner with the Indianapolis Restaurant and Lodging Association on Friday, October 17th for a “Fish is the Dish” event with many of the city’s restaurants featuring and highlighting seafood specials.
This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.