In celebration of Community Action Month and Older Americans Month, Pierce County Human Services will host two free events this May, featuring resource fairs and public screenings of the award-winning documentary, “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code.”
The events aim to spark community dialogue around poverty, racial disparities, and disaster preparedness. Both gatherings will feature a robust lineup of local service providers and organizations offering information and resources on disaster preparedness, education, employment, behavioral health, energy assistance, senior care, and more. The screenings are followed by a panel discussion featuring Cooked filmmaker, Judith Helfand, and leaders from Metropolitan Development Council, Tacoma Community House, and United Way of Pierce County.
“This documentary is a wake-up call—reminding us that disasters don’t affect all communities equally,” said Carol Mensah, Community Action Programs division manager. “Here in Pierce County, we must confront the reality that poverty and racial disparities leave some of our neighbors more vulnerable than others. These events are an opportunity for us to come together, learn, and take action.”
Participants will enjoy lunch, an award-winning film, and engage in community conversations at the following events:
- Evergreen State College – Tacoma
1210 6th Avenue, Tacoma
Friday, May 9
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. - Pacific Lutheran University – Anderson University Center, Regence Room
12180 Park Avenue S., Tacoma
Friday, May 30
3 – 6 p.m.
These events are free and open to the public, but online registration is required to attend the film screenings, which will begin one hour after the event begins. If you need support reserving your ticket, please call the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 253-798-4600.
“Aging and Disability Resources is proud to collaborate on these important events in honor of Older Americans Month,” said Aaron Van Valkenburg, Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources manager. “We are committed to serving our disabled and aging residents by providing them with vital health and safety information, so they have the resources they need, especially during times of extreme weather or other disaster events.”
“Cooked: Survival by Zip Code,” explores the intersection of poverty, race, and climate disasters through the lens of the deadly 1995 Chicago heatwave. For more information about the events, and to learn more about Community Action and Older Americans Month, visit www.piercecountywa.gov/cooked.
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