National Commitments to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities

Is it possible for 10-year-olds to become ambassadors for healthy eating in their communities? The Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson, MS, and Merced County, CA, think so. With new programs piloting in these two cities that are strikingly similar, yet worlds apart, kids are getting the chance to learn cooking skills using healthy recipes.

As part of the White House commitment to Hunger, Nutrition and Health, UTHealth Houston and Brighter Bites non-profit organization, are partnering together to implement and evaluate the impact of a comprehensive produce prescription strategy consisting of access to fresh produce plus nutrition education for implementation among food-insecure children and their families through school-based health centers. There are more than 3,200 school-based health centers across 48 U.S. states with over 7 million children receiving primary care at these clinics. The initiative will start in Texas with partners such as Legacy Community Health, the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in Texas. With the national footprint of Brighter Bites, the produce prescription approach will be scaled so that it is available for implementation across school-based health centers nationwide.