Description:

Please join us for the launch of a new food literacy program called SC Read Eat Grow (REG) brought to you by the South Carolina State Library. Many communities across the state struggle with food insecurity, access to healthy foods, and wellness information for living healthier lives. This initiative will provide training and resources through public libraries and their partners with the goal of increasing information and access to resources from the areas of health, wellness, safety, family literacy, reading, exercise, cooking, and community outreach among other informational topics.

This Read Eat Grow kickoff event will feature a series of presentations from librarians, programmers, community partners, and experts. Attendees will be able to hear from individuals and panels of practitioners on the issue of food deserts, food insecurity, and community food banks; food culture across the state; health and safety concerns for food programmers; how to implement food programming in libraries; state and local partners in food literacy programming and cooking demonstrations with the Charlie Cart™, which libraries can request for programming in their libraries.

The event will also feature Keynote Speaker Chef Edward Lee talking about his cultural journey through food as well as children’s author Lizzy Rockwell on incorporating food-themed literacy materials into library programs for youth. 

Edward Lee is the chef/owner of 610 Magnolia, MilkWood, and Whiskey Dry in Louisville, KY and the Culinary Director for Succotash in National Harbor, Maryland, and Penn Quarter, DC. Chef Lee was the recipient of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award for Writing for his book Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting Pot Cuisine. Lee has also been a six-time finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast. In 2018, Food & Wine Magazine named 610 Magnolia one of the country’s most important restaurants of the past 40 years. The Michelin Guide DC awarded Succotash a Bib Gourmand in 2019. For more information about Chef Edward Lee, please visit chefedwardlee.com.

Lizzy Rockwell is an illustrator whose artwork can be seen in picture books, magazines, games and on walls. She studied art and art history at Connecticut College and drawing and illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Lizzy is the illustrator of over 25 children's books by a variety of authors including her mother, Anne Rockwell. She is the author/illustrator of Plants Feed Me, Good Enough to Eat: A Kid's Guide to Food and Nutrition, Hello Baby! and The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness. For more information about Lizzy Rockwell, please visit lizzyrockwell.com.

Audience:

South Carolina public library staff, school media specialists, and other literacy-related organizations. Please register on Eventbrite.

Location:

Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln St., Columbia, SC

Cost:

Free; lunch is included

Accessibility:

FM Auditory Assistance, large print materials, and other accessibility accommodations are available by request. If you need a reasonable accommodation in order to participate, please contact the program organizer at least two weeks in advance. 

Questions about the workshop?  Contact: 

Library Development team
lds@statelibrary.sc.gov