Culture. Cuisine. Community: Savoring a Healthy You.
Buffalo, NY – September 2024 – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) Health & Well-being
Department is proud to announce the 4th Annual Food as Medicine Symposium, “Culture. Cuisine.
Community: Savoring A Healthy You,” which will take place on October 18th and 19th, 2024, at the
University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
This exciting two-day event will bring together renowned national experts alongside local leaders to
discuss the most pressing issues in the food-as-medicine movement. With a mission to improve health
outcomes, reduce disparities, and advance a more equitable food and healthcare system for all, the
symposium promises to inspire meaningful conversations and innovative solutions.
The Food as Medicine Symposium highlights Buffalo’s commitment to fostering health and wellness
through food. Attendees will hear from prominent voices in the field, including keynote speaker
Benjamin Perkins, MA, MDiv, Founder & CEO of Upstream Impact, Solutions Consulting, LLC, who will
deliver a thought-provoking address titled “Love’s Labor Found: A Meditation on Fidelity, Equity, and
Dignity in our Work.”
The symposium will cover a broad range of topics, including:
- Culinary medicine demonstrations
- An urban farm tour featuring “Food is Medicine”
- Culturally responsive food interventions
- The link between nutrition and mental health
- Best practices in culinary medicine
Buffalo’s East Side will be recognized during the opening remarks, and the event will also feature
engaging roundtable discussions on innovation in food and health, fireside chats, and practical working
sessions. “We’re thrilled to continue growing this annual event,” said Beth Machnica. “This year’s theme
reflects our commitment to building a healthier community through culturally relevant and equitable
food and healthcare systems. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, an entrepreneur, or someone
passionate about the intersection of food and health, there will be something for you.”
The full schedule and further details are available at www.BNMC.org.
Date: October 18-19, 2024
Location: University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
You can register here to join the event.
About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force of Buffalo’s
economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has
foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being and sustainability. Today, the
BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our
community, and launching the IC Success (Innovation Community Success) program to support aspiring entrepreneurs from all
backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation
Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines leading the region’s next wave of economic
development and growth. www.bnmc.org