An inspirational speaker, author and founder of the national Quality Foods for Everyone Program, Chet Sisk is coming to The University of Memphis to raise "food consciousness" in Tennessee.
Sisk will speak in the University Center Fountain View Room on Friday, Feb. 18.
His speech, "Food Fight: How to Bridge the Food Divide Before Things Get Really Ugly," will address the problem of the many urban areas considered "food deserts," places lacking access to fresh food. Memphis has several, he said.
Sisk said the Quality Foods for Everyone program aims to bring an oasis to food deserts around the country by partnering with Whole Foods Market to provide fresh, healthy food to homeless shelters nationwide.
"When people donate food to shelters, it's the worst food you can think of — food in cans, macaroni and cheese in a box, " he said. "People were donating the food and saying, ‘If I don't eat it, somebody will.'"
People with poor immune systems are being fed bad food, which can worsen health complications such as diabetes and heart disease, Sick said..
"So I went to Whole Foods and said, ‘Help us do better,'" he said. "This is social entrepreneurship. It's an organization dedicated to getting info out."
Sisk's latest book, "Think This, Not That," focuses on conventional wisdom, food and food deserts.
He said for every book sold, $2 goes to homeless shelters around the country. As the food for the shelters is bought wholesale, even $2 goes a long way, he said.
"I want to increase food consciousness and get people to stop and say, ‘What am I putting in my mouth, and how is this going to affect the quality of my life?," Sisk said.
Kenneth Reardon, professor and director of the city and regional planning department, said Memphis has a serious problem with food access and security and that he is very excited about Sisk's ideas.
"The state of Tennessee is the 46th healthiest in the nation, and Memphis is one of the major reasons the state's overall health profile is so bad," he said. "Look at the problems we face in South Memphis. In some parts of that area, there is not a full-service food store within two square miles, which presents a problem for families trying to gain access to fresh, affordable food items."
Last summer, The University partnered with St. Andrew African Methodist Episcopal Church to create the South Memphis Revitalization Action Plan. Dozens of local organizations are now joined in the effort to complete community renewal, Reardon said.
"The program has a major health and wellness component, including access to healthy food," he said. "Last summer, The University assisted St. Andrew (in starting the) South Memphis Farmer's Market, which attracted 200 shoppers per week when it opened. It was the first real access people (in the South Memphis area) had to fresh fruits and vegetables in more than two decades."
Tom Mendina, assistant to the dean of University Libraries, helped coordinate Sisk's visit and said he hopes the program enhances students' awareness of the city that surrounds them.
"Food is pretty basic," he said. "I think that students, in their line of inquiry and concern and hopefully involvement in social issues, would be concerned."
