2015 IN-RESIDENCE: NUTRITIONIST MARJORIE SAWICKI

Laumeier’s 2015  In-Residence: Nutritionist Marjorie Sawicki is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition & Dietetics at the Doisy College of Health Sciences at St. Louis University. She has many years of experience working in academia, in hospitals and with the City’s Health Department on a project called Brown Bag Lunch and Kitchen Conservatory. Her most current project is working with the International Institute on a “cultural competency” course through food and gardening.

As a community dietitian, Sawicki's interest lies in enhancing public health by teaching children and adults healthy eating habits through hands-on cooking demonstrations, education about sustainable food systems and a variety of other fresh-food initiatives. She teaches in both the Nutrition and Dietetics departments in the School of Public Health, so she is dedicated to the crossover and meaningful implementation of her ideas.

Laumeier has developed a host of programs in partnership with Sawicki, including a planting within Kim Yasuda's Hunt + Gather, 2012, garden with ingredients to inspire and guide her work with both children and adults. Go For Green: The Incredible, Edible, Art-able Outdoors is a special one-week program for ages 8 to 12 featuring activities to promote healthy food habits and preparation. Powerful Plants is an Art + Nature Workshop designed to inform participants about the many uses and preparations of common area plants. During Cocktails + Conversation: Food as Community, Sawicki will discuss the components of a sustainable food system and its social, environmental and economic impacts. Using demonstrations and other activities, Sawicki will promote sustainable food systems, nutritional awareness and community at the Harvest Festival held at Laumeier in October.

Finally, Sawicki will participate in our partnership with the Northside Workshop and their new 13th Street Grocery Store. The Northside Workshop focuses on teaching students the importance of bees to our health through beekeeping, growing food, cooking fresh ingredients and the arts. The 13th Street Grocery Store will provide healthy, affordable foods while teaching entrepreneurial skills to the community through creative workshops and programs that incorporate nutrition education, hands-on cooking instruction, mentoring for neighborhood youth and job training in urban agriculture and the culinary arts. Sawicki will conduct a workshop for kids and healthy cooking demonstrations during the Northside's neighborhood Farmers Markets.