The Community Health Engagement Program (CHEP) of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) received an award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)  for collaborative community engagement research.  The Advancing Community Engagement Supplement (ACES) has two principal aims.  First, it will develop, implement and disseminate a process for engaging communities in all phases of clinical and translational research.  Second, it will develop and disseminate a set of resources or tools that will help existing and future CTSIs to facilitate participatory research with their community partners.  In order to achieve those aims, leveraging existing relationships with a large network of community partners throughout Indiana and involving experts from multiple CTSA programs will be utilized.  Several conference calls have already been held with the consultants and a face to face meeting was held on October 30, 2009 in Indianapolis. 

The 10 institutions involved are: Morehouse University, University of Chicago, University of Colorado, Weill Cornell, University of North Carolina, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis, Duke University, University of Minnesota, University of Michigan and University of California at Davis.   A rich series of discussions were held related to how best to build the infrastructure of resources needed.  The finished toolkit will be available in 2011. 

Carol Boushey and Donna Vandergraff represent Purdue as part of this initiative.

After exploring and learning about the basics and importance of nutrition during the fall semester, the students in FN 30300 Essentials of Nutrition spend a day concentrating on the subject of hunger and poverty in the US and the world.  The highlight of the day is the FN 30300 Food Drive for the Food Finder’s Food Bank.  For the past six years, the students have been asked to contribute canned goods to this cause.  Each fall the class is challenged by Donna Zoss, continuing lecturer, to beat the record from previous years.  With an enrollment of 425 to 460 students each semester, this can add up to a significant amount of food. 

The students in the 2009 fall class broke the record at 1,256 pounds and set a new expectation for future classes.  The past record was 1,018 pounds set in the fall of 2006.  The years of 2007 and 2008 were also close to the 1,000 pound mark.  One student in this fall’s class took her young daughter with a red wagon and canvassed their neighborhood asking for donations.  Multiple students were able to stack their donated cans in pyramids on their desk tops.  The students’ enthusiasm and willingness to participate in this project once again highlights the caring attitude of the students at Purdue University. 

CFS Extension completed a new Food Safety Video that is available through MDC.  The 10 minute video is available in both English and Spanish on the same DVD.  The video invites you to a backyard barbeque with food, fun, family and friends…but did you check to see if the potato salad is fresh?  Were the burgers cooked to the correct temperature?  You don’t want to go home with a stomach ache.

 Millions of people get sick from foodborne illness each year.  Being careful about how you handle and prepare food can help prevent a serious problem.  The DVD demonstrates how to follow the Fight BAC! Safe food handling guidelines:  Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.  The everyday tips will contribute to happy, healthy memories for your next backyard barbeque…and of all your meals. 

The DVD is explicitly used in conjunction with the Nutrition Education Programs Small Steps to Health Curriculum, but could be easily paired with any program centering around food safety education.

Contact Melissa Maulding, mmaulding@purdue.edu for more information.