A Recipe for Community Health

TYLER – The East Texas Food Bank has announced the launch of their new Partners in Health Program. The program was developed in connection with St. Paul Children’s Medical Clinic and UT Health Northeast. It is designed to address what is called food insecurity, which has been described as a major public health problem in East Texas. Persons in food insecure households are more likely to report poorer health and depressive symptoms and have higher risks for chronic diseases. It also has a negative impact on children’s health and development and increases risks for acute infection, chronic illness, hospitalization and developmental and mental health problems.

The pilot program will start at St. Paul Children’s Medical Clinic on June 7th. Patients who screened positive for food insecurity will participate in the 12-week program. During this time they will stop by the clinic during a scheduled two-hour window, once a week, to pick up a food box, which will contain fresh produce and healthy shelf-stable groceries. The box will also include recipes and educational materials that will instruct participants in how to use the ingredients to cook healthy meals. They will also get nutrition education sessions from an East Texas Food Bank Nutrition Educator.