On behalf of the Mission Hill Health Movement, Mission Hill Main Streets, Sociedad Latina and the Tobin Community Center, I want to thank all those who participated in the Second Annual Mission Hill Healthy Food Festival.
Many thanks to the restaurants who rose to the challenge of offering healthy menu items: Green T Coffee Shop, Lilly’s Pasta, Mama’s Place, Mission Bar & Grill, Penguin Pizza and Wok N Talk. And additional thanks to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Dietary Department (and Kathy MacManus in particular), who reviewed the ingredients and recipes. We are very happy to report that all recipes were deemed healthy as submitted—with the only possible improvement being that some portions should be a bit smaller.
There was great representation by organizations and institutions promoting healthy eating and nutrition: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center nutritionists (a special thanks to Sandy Allonen), Boston Children’s Hospital, Mass. College of Pharmacy (over 40 blood pressures taken!), Whittier Street Health Center with diabetes information and healthy snacks, the Boston Collaborative for Food & Fitness, the Boston Vegetarian Society, and Cooking Matters all offered great information. And the Parker Hill library held a book sale. (I now have another book to read.)
The biggest splash of color, with direct access to healthy, local produce, was Gary’s Too Farmstand, reminding all of us that the Mission Hill Farmers Market continues every Thursday until the end of October at Brigham Circle. (Apples! Squash! Mums!)
Sociedad Latina arranged for wonderful face-painting by Star and took charge of music for the day; and without the support of MCPHS, who came with 25 volunteers, so that the day run smoothly and efficiently, and Northeastern University, who provided, delivered and picked up folding tables and chairs, the Festival could not have succeeded.
I also want to personally thank all the volunteers from the sponsoring organizations who gave their time to help make the event a success.
Maggie Cohn
Executive Director
Mission Hill Health Movement