Houston Food Bank Hosts First Community Health Summit

Event highlighted life-changing results because of Houston Food Bank community collaboration

In honor of National Nutrition Month, a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored each March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Houston Food Bank held its first ever Community Health Summit on March 20. The theme of the event was Moving to Nutrition Security, and Houston Food Bank (HFB) partners and industry experts shared their roles in advancing HFB’s Health Equity Strategy, highlighted community partnerships, brought awareness about HFB programs and resources, and promoted ways to make impactful and sustainable changes in health.

The Houston Food’s Health Equity Strategy is aimed at creating diverse health partnerships to address root causes and downstream effects of food insecurity. The strategy is specific to our neighbors’ needs and sheds light on the critical link between nutrition, food security and overall health. Initiatives under this strategy include, among others, food insecurity training for HFB partner organizations and their staff to better understand the critical link between food insecurity and overall health; how to navigate HFB programs; and the different ways community- and health-serving organizations can implement to address their own challenges within patient-centered care.

Food Rx, one of the free Houston Food Bank programs featured at the Summit, provides “food prescriptions” redeemable for fruits and vegetables at participating food pantries twice per month, reports the following data among participants:

• Lowered cholesterol levels amongst participants
• Average of about 1 point decrease of A1C levels
• Increase fruit and vegetable consumption after participation in program

The Community Health team also hosted panel discussions, a cooking demonstration, and partner highlights included community champions and data to showcase HFB’s health partnerships to engage with stakeholders to bring awareness and promote sustainable changes in health mobility.

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