When students head off to college, parents hope they will study hard and remember to eat well. But research shows that nearly 38 percent of students in two-year colleges and 29 percent of students at four-year colleges reported experiencing food insecurity.* North Texas Healthy Communities (NTHC), an outreach arm of Texas Health, is working to change that.

Since its inception in 2019, serving primarily elementary and middle schools and community centers, NTHC has provided nearly 420,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables through its Good For You Pantry program with 15 locations. Thanks to a recent American Rescue Plan Act grant, the program continues to expand with five more pantries in 2023, including one at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth.

Because food insecurity is a significant issue within North Texas, NTHC is focused on making healthy foods more affordable and accessible. “Access to healthy foods is a critical social determinant that can greatly affect long-term physical and mental health outcomes, especially in children,” said Matt Dufrene, North Texas Healthy Communities vice president. “Traditional pantries are often not able to provide a lot of fresh produce and other healthy items, and our efforts are focused on filling that gap.”

These efforts, along with many others, are guided by Texas Health Resources’ Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which identifies health disparities and targets specific ZIP codes most in need of interventions. Texas Health continues to seek community partners interested in helping to expand these efforts by providing funding or other support on a neighborhood level.

NTHC also continues to partner with the Texas Health Resources Foundation to secure funding for further expansion of many projects, such as the Good For You Pantries. To learn more or get involved with the Foundation, visit our website.

Source:

*https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/food-insecurity-college-campuses-invisible-epidemic