Growing Healthy Military Families

Photo By Senior Airman Elise Stout | Tech. Sgt. Mary Kimberly and Senior Airman Jake Levenberger, both members of the 561st Network Operations Squadron, Detachment 3, talk with Elizabeth Merkel, a member of Community Helpings out of St. Louis, as she explains the variety of services offered by Community Helpings, at a Growing Healthy Military Families event sponsored by Operation Homefront in Shiloh, Ill., April 27, 2015. The campaign includes military families from active duty, the reserves, and the Illinois National Guard and teaches eating healthy on a budget and growing gardens. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Elise Stout)  

SHILOH, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES

04.27.2015

Story by Senior Airman Elise Stout 

126th Air Refueling Wing

SHILOH, Ill.- Members of the Illinois Air and Army National Guard, Air Force, and Air Force Reserves came together Monday, April 27, 2015 at the Mid-America Readiness Center outside of Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to learn healthy eating habits from Operation Homefront.

This is the first time that Operation Homefront has partnered with Walmart to try and teach healthy living to military families according to Darcy Clardy, the organizer of Growing Healthy Military Families.

Clardy wrote the grant that provided the funding to try and show families how to be healthy while living on a budget.

“We are trying to make our programs more education based to help the families for a longer period of time,” said Clardy. “We are providing the information and the resources to help the families make better choices.”

The most recent event at the National Guard armory included different stations for attendees that are looking to shop on a budget as well as how to grow their own vegetables. The county health department was present trying to involve families in newer, healthy habits. Members from the Health and Wellness Center on Scott Air Force Base, including the flight chief and the dietician were also present.

Many military members, spouses, and children enjoyed the recent event.

“I want to go home and plant something now,” said Heather Jordan, a spouse to a member that lives on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

The main goal of this event is to teach families how to avoid food assistance and to influence more healthy eating habits said Clardy.

Those that attended were given about 40 pounds of healthy fruits and vegetables, a Home Depot gift card to shop for seeds for a garden, a healthy eating cook book, and cloth grocery bags. Any children that were at the event were also supplied with their very own gardening tools to help in the garden.

• Date Taken: 04.27.2015
• Date Posted: 04.28.2015 16:09
• Story ID: 161570
• Location: SHILOH, ILLINOIS, US