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VERY IMPORTANT! PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 4th, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be coming to the Bronx at Hostos Community College as part of her listening sessions for the upcoming ” Food and Farm Bill ”. This is an extremely important event for Bronxites in particular since we have the dubious distinction of being the poorest and unhealthiest and atrocious access to healthy and nutritious produce and vegetables that other areas in the state take for granted.

Please do share and if you can’t make it, send a friend, neighbor or relative in your place. I cannot begin to stress the importance of being there. I do have my reservation with the poor selection of time of day that the event will be held, which is 11am thus limiting the number of Bronxites who can attend. Maybe we can convince Senator Gillibrand to hold another session in the evening when it is more convenient for the working families in the Bronx?

**Spread the word!**

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be coming to the Bronx on January 4th to hear community members’ concerns about the food system and seek input on how she can improve access to healthy, affordable through changes in the “Food and Farm Bill”.

We can have a say in how to make affordable healthy food more accessible in grocery stores, farmers markets, CSAs, and new market opportunities. Come out and let your voice be heard this Wednesday! See below for more detailed information.

United States Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand (NY) cordially extends this invitation to attend her upcoming Farm Bill Listening Session in New York City.

As Congress begins debating the next Farm Bill, Senator Gillibrand will continue her statewide agricultural listening sessions to gather input from local farmers and advocates.

As the first New Yorker to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 40 years, Senator Gillibrand plans to focus on a broad range of food policy and agricultural issues that are important to New York in the next Farm Bill, including nutrition, access to affordable healthy food, farmers markets, CSAs, organics, new market opportunities, assistance for dairy farms and specialty crops, and investments in renewable energy.

EVENT: Farm Bill Listening Session DATE: January 4, 2012 TIME: 11am PLACE: Hostos Community College, D Building 149th Street and Walton Avenue, Bronx Savoy Multipurpose Room on the 2nd Floor

Please RSVP to FarmBillNYC@Gillibrand.Senate.Gov

**Save The Date – Bronx Food and Sustainability Coalition meeting – February 2012 **

With an alarmingly high percentage of obese and overweight residents in the South Bronx, The South Bronx Food Co-op is a beacon in Melrose to the rest of the surrounding neighborhoods. Located at 3103 Third Avenue @ East 158th Street in Melrose, the Co-op offers a variety of fresh organic produce, whole grains, hormone-free meats and dairy products as well as eco-friendly household and person products.

Although you do not have to join the South Bronx Food Co-op to benefit from what they offer, if you join you get a discount on all prices in the store. All products are labeled with two prices, one for members and another for non members which is considerably lower. Membership fees are also very reasonable for all economic situations. Senior Citizens and those on certain types of public assistance can join for $40.00; Students for $60.00; Families of 2 or more $80.00 and $120.00 for just regular folks. Note: you must provide ID to prove you qualify for the discounted membership fees and also know that these fees are ONLY ONE TIME FEES and can be PAID IN $10.00 INSTALLMENTS. This makes it attractive to all residents who desire to make a change within themselves, their families and their communities by affording them the opportunity to pay such a low installment.

As a member of the Co-op you are required to work 3 hours every 4 weeks which really isn’t much considering that time is money after all and by working just 3 HOURS every 4 weeks you are helping keep prices down.

While many of the outer boroughs and their neighborhoods sleep at night, Melrose is abuzz with 24 hour activity. You may wonder, “What is open after midnight into the wee hours of the morning besides bodegas and fried chicken restaurants?” (not that there is anything wrong with the aforementioned establishments but sometimes one might want to eat something that won’t harden your arteries or ruin that figure you’ve worked so hard to achieve. The answer is quite a few.

There’s Lincoln Cafe, directly across from Lincoln Hospital on E 149th Street at the corner of Morris Avenue where you can get your sandwiches made to order and find a selection of healthy potato chip brands like Dirty Potato. On the next block right on E 149th Street between Morris and Courtlandt Avenues you have Dunkin Donuts and La Isla Restaurant specializing in Puerto Rican and Dominican dishes (ok so not necessarily healthy but they’re open if you need to get your fix at 3AM).

As you walk further down 149th Street and you pass a castle of a certain color that is open 24 hours (delicious but as unhealthy as it gets) you get to the Times Square-esque intersection (sans the bright lights, ads and billions of people) of 3rd Avenue/East 149th Street where Melrose Avenue begins as well as Willis Avenue. If you head North on Melrose past PeaceLove Cafe (sorry guys, not open in the wee hours) between E 152nd and E 153rd Street you will find Xochimilco Family Restaurant which is one of the best Mexican eateries in Melrose. Although not open 24 hours, they do get an honorable mention since the kitchen is open until 12AM Sundays – Thursdays and on Fridays and Saturdays they are open until 4AM.

These are just a small sample of what is available to our local night owls whether they live in Melrose or work here. More to come in the near future on 24 hour establishments.