Food insecurity is a significant public health problem. Family members in food insecure households are more likely to report poorer health and depressive symptoms and have higher risks for chronic diseases like obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Food insecure patients managing chronic diseases like diabetes are also more likely to lack the knowledge of or the access to healthy foods (e.g. elevated HbA1c levels), potentially leading to poorer health outcomes.

For more information, visit: https://hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/understand-food-insecurity/hunger-health-101/

The ETFB Partners in Health Program is an innovative partnership between the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) and local healthcare providers. ETFB has developed the program in collaboration with St. Paul Children’s Medical Clinic and UT Health East Texas, and draws on the research and guidance from Feeding America, Feeding Texas as well as the experience and best practices of the North Texas Food Bank, which developed a similar program.

The goal of the program is to impact food-insecure individuals at their place of healthcare by providing healthy foods paired with nutrition education. The desired outcomes of the program include: reducing health disparities, reducing hunger, preventing chronic disease, and increasing the likelihood of making healthy food choices on a budget.

Is your clinic interested in finding out more information about this project? Contact us