General Information Packet
Keeping Our Communities Healthy Conference
Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel
May 17-19, 2017
Houston, Texas
The national 2017 Keeping Our Communities Healthy Conference (TKOCH) is the largest healthy
communities conference in Texas and Southwest U.S. The annual event is an effort to increase
awareness of food, nutrition, agriculture and wellness initiatives in an effort to build a healthier
community.
Experts, leaders, advocates and stakeholders from the food, nutrition, agriculture, health & wellness
industry come together to talk about best practices, solutions, innovative models, network and share the
latest news and research on what is happening in Texas and across the nation.
Email: [email protected]
To Register or More Info:
http://www.hungerfreetexans.org/annual-conference.html
1|P age
General Info:
2016 Conference Overview:
2016 Conference Dates Announced & Save The Date
3-Day Agenda Road Map Available & Call for Presentations Open
Keynotes Announced & Early Bird Registration Opens $250
Early Bird Registration $250 Ends Dec 31st.
General Registration $350 Opens
Breakouts Announced
Power Points Due, 75% Refund
Hotel Group Rate Closes, Deadline for listing in Conference Program, 50% Refund
Conference May 17-19th in Houston, No Refunds Starting May 1st.
September:
October:
November:
December:
January:
February:
March:
April:
May:
2017 Annual Conference Tracks:
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Healthy Schools (includes coordinated school health & wellness, school nutrition, farm to
school and other school agricultural initiatives)
Farmers Market University (includes farmers markets and other community agricultural
initiatives which promote agriculture awareness, education and access)
Food & Nutrition (includes food education & healthy eating, food safety, food insecurity, food
waste, food access and general community nutrition)
Healthy Communities (includes the built environment; wellness, parks & recreation, after
school programs, community transformation and revitalization)
Registration Rates:
Early Bird Registration $250 (through Dec 31st.)
General Registration $350
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Lite breakfast, plated lunch on both Wednesday, May 17th & Thursday, May 18th.
 Networking pool side reception included on Wednesday, May 17th.
2|P age
General Info:
Info on the conference:
The national 2017 Keeping Our Communities Healthy Conference (TKOCH) is the largest healthy
communities conference in Texas and Southwest U.S. The annual event is an effort to increase
awareness of food, nutrition, agriculture and wellness initiatives in an effort to build a healthier
community.
Experts, leaders, advocates and stakeholders from the food, nutrition, agriculture, health & wellness
industry come together to talk about best practices, solutions, innovative models, network and share
the latest news and research on what is happening in Texas and across the nation.
Who is attending and what should I prepare for?
Registered attendees, seeking to learn, come from a diverse sector of public and private organizations.
This includes health systems, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, federally qualified
healthcare centers, dental organizations, disaster preparedness & safety officials, schools and
universities, food insecurity, food access and faith based organizations, city, county, state, and federal
agencies, preventative health associations, public policy and advocacy groups, food councils, food
planning associations, food companies, food distributors, food equipment vendors, farmers markets,
community, school and urban gardens, agriculture extensions, growers, grocers, parks and recreation,
urban planning officials, community transformation groups, built environment groups, healthy living
organizations, exercise & physical fitness groups, affordable housing, public safety and homeland
security professionals, banks and financial literacy organizations, senior and veteran organizations,
native Indian tribes, child and family service organizations, general nonprofits, elected officials, funders,
media, banks, business and private citizens seeking to learn more about healthy living and healthy
communities.
Conference Areas:
The 2017 annual conference will consist of 2 main areas:
 Plenary/General Sessions. May 17th-19th (Ballroom)
 Breakouts. May 17th-19th (Meeting rooms 1st & 2nd floor of hotel)
Note: Sponsors will have vendor tables available in the ballroom foyer area.
Plenary Sessions:
The plenary/general sessions will convene all attendees in the main ballroom with statewide and
national speakers who are experts and leaders in the food, nutrition, agriculture, wellness and healthy
communities industry.
Breakout Sessions:
This conference will have 12 series of breakout sessions over the 3-day conference which start on
Wednesday, May 17th.
3|P age
Who are some of our previous conference supporters?
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United Healthcare
Texas Beef Council
H-E-B
Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas
Community Health Choice
KIND Bars
Harris County Community Services & Transportation
Maximus
Juice Plus
HealthCorps
Amerigroup
Spring Branch Community Health
MD Anderson
TORC-University of Houston, Texas Obesity Research Center
Davita
Lactation Foundation UT WIC
ABOUT US:
ABOUT US:
Hunger Free Texans (HFT) is the largest educator of food, food access and food insecurity information in Texas. HFT also
works as a leader and change agent at the macro level to address systemic issues in these sectors to include community
nutrition and healthy communities.
HFT educates over 1400 diverse public and private sector organizations each year. Our education focuses on the
connection between food, food access, a healthier diet and health outcomes. We bring in the topic experts, create the
agendas, and convene organizations that serve the public good. Our core education is provided through free regional
conferences held across the state each year. HFT also convenes, connects and educates individuals and organizations that
serve the public on the latest news, information, best practices and research from across the state and nationally. As
Texas’s premier leader in Healthy Communities, HFT hosts (TKOCH) the largest Healthy Communities conference in Texas
and Southwest U.S. and Farmers Market University (FMU) a program presented by HFT and the Texas Department of
Agriculture’s GO Texan Program. FMU provides farmers market education, technical assistance and research to farmer’s
market managers seeking to start, enhance or sustain their markets. FMU also provides supplemental education on
community gardens, urban gardens and school gardens.
Hunger Free Texan's statewide strategy is a holistic strategy of cross sector convening, collaboration and education. The
result of HFT’s strategy statewide and locally is cross sector collaboration and positive relationships, meaningful
communication and information sharing, better coordination of services for the public and effective partnerships between
organizations with similar goals. This cross-sector collaboration creates positive synergy and helps to design a better
roadmap for holistic services, builds healthier communities and ultimately creates a healthier Texas.
4|P age
Conference Location, Hotel & Transportation:
Conference Location:
Our 2017 conference is located at the Hilton Houston Post Oak in the Uptown Galleria Area. The
Houston Galleria is world renowned for its shopping, dining and entertainment. The conference is
pleased to offer attendees a discounted group rate.
Hotel Rates & Reservations
Conference Group Rate: $147.00 (based on availability)
HILTON HOUSTON POST OAK
t: +1 713 968 1342 I f: +1 713 961 1557
2001 Post Oak Boulevard I Houston, TX 77056 I USA
hilton.com I houstonpostoak.hilton.com I facebook.com/hiltonhoustonpostoak I twitter.com/hiltonpostoak
Group Reservations Link: http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/I/IAHWSHH-KOCH20170513/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
Group Name:
Keeping Our Communities Healthy Conference 2017
Group Code:
None
Check-in:
13-MAY-2016
Check-out:
23-MAY-2016
Hotel Name:
Hilton Houston Post Oak
Hotel Address:
2001 Post Oak Blvd.
Houston, Texas
77056-4401
Phone Number:
713-968-1342
Call In Reservations: 1-800-245-7299
5|P age
Airport Transportation:
We highly recommend flying into William P. Hobby Airport which is only 30 minutes to the Hilton
Houston Post Oak Hotel. Hobby is a hub for Southwest Airlines and other airlines also fly into that
airport. Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport are Houston’s two airports. Bush is
the larger airport and hub for United Airlines. Bush is 45-60 minutes from the Hotel and Hobby is 30
minutes to the Hotel.
Hotel Garage Parking:
The Hilton Houston Post Oak does offer self-service garage parking at a daily rate each day. Valet
service is available.
6|P age