Veggie Rx (3).pdf

1 VeggieRx Grant Proposal for Collins Elementary School in Houston, TX Abigail Mamukuyomi 2/26/2023 .

2 Statement of Need With the current increase in grocery prices and lack of natural resources, there has been an increase in food insecurity in the United States (Food Accessibility, Insecurity, and Health Outcomes, 2023). Over 330 million people face food insecurity (Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, 2023) . With this becoming a major issue regarding children’s health, something needs to be done. Food insecurity can lead to constant hospitalization and a lack of concentration in school. Some health concerns from lack of food security are diabetes, obesity, health disease, and mental health issue (Food Accessibility, Insecurity and Health Outcomes, 2023). Children who come from food insecure backgrounds have shown high levels of behavioral issues and emotional problems from pre-school through adolescence (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2023). In Harris County, Texas, there are 724,750 individuals who face food insecurity and among that population, the percentage of children that face food insecurity is 23.6% (Houston State of Health, 2023). In the city of Houston, there is an estimate that 19.6% of the population live below the poverty level. With the continuous increase in the poverty rate there needs to be programs that help implement ways to help prevent food insecurity (Correa, n.d.) A school that is in desperate need of the VeggieRx Program is Collins Elementary. With a high population of immigrants and refugee students. Collins Elementary has a high percentage of children who come from a food insecure background. This elementary school is located between Parkrow and Gessner Road which is an area of town known for having a high poverty rate. Out of the 817 students who attend Collins Elementary 713 of them are war-stricken immigrants who qualify for free or reduced lunch (National Center for

3 Education Statistics, 2023) A source for the impact of food security in this area would have to be the lack of funding the communities receive. When it comes to food options, not a lot is given to the children who live in this area. Most students’ only meal is the one they get from school. The two highest race/ethnicity that attends this school are those from a black and Hispanic background (Houston Public Health Data Portal, n.d.). Collins Elementary is a school that would benefit greatly from the VeggieRx Program. Not only will the decrease the rate of food insecurity in the school but it would always help by providing resources on where to find healthy food options for families in the community. With such a high rate of food insecurity in this area the children in the school are suffering from malnutrition and it’s very important for them to have some sort of access to better food options (Houston Public Health Data Portal, n.d.).

4 Objectives and Program Outcomes Changes in Knowledge: Long-Term Outcome By June 2024, rates of food insecurity in Houston, Texas will be reduced by 25% in the Harris County area (Alief School District). Knowledge Change (Program Impact) By April 2024, 50% of students at Collins Elementary School will be able to identify at least 75 fruits and vegetables. Activity/Task (Process) By August 2023, the VeggieRx Health Educator proposes a grant to fund the program's resources, materials, and staff. Changes in Behavior: Long-Term Outcome By June 2024, rates of food insecurity in Houston, Texas will be reduced by 15% in the Harris County area (Alief School District). Behavior Change (Program Impact) By April 2024, 80% of Collins Elementary students will show changes in their concentration and more students will portray a positive change in behavior Activity/Task (Process) By December 2023, 85% of Collins Elementary students will be enrolled in the free fruit and vegetable prescription program. Narrative Outcome Statement To reduce food insecurity at Collins Elementary School, we will implement the VeggieRx Program and implement activities that will help increase food security in the school. With the help of the VeggieRx Program, we hope to see a positive change in the children’s behaviors and a change in their health. An increase in the knowledge of nutritional wellness will also be one of the outcomes of the program. By building a community garden, giving out dinner kits, and having cooking classes we know these goals can be accomplished. The program will also provide access to resources such as recipes and meal plans tailored to meet the community's specific needs. Finally, the program will provide access to nutrition experts who can advise on making healthier food choices. With this proposal, food insecurity rates will be reduced by 15% in one calendar year by June 2024.

5 Program Narrative The VeggieRx Program is a canned vegetable prescription program designed to address food insecurity and increase the intake of fresh produce. The whole purpose of the Veggie Rx Program is to help children and families from food-insecure backgrounds have better access to the fruits and vegetables they need. The program offers prescription vouchers, cooking demos, and cooking classes. Based on the demographics at Collins Elementary, the appropriate produce boxes would contain, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, corn, apples, lettuce, and garlic. An activity that can be done to help with food security would be by building a school/community garden. Children can take a resume of the produce they don’t have at home and pick some of it in the garden. Dinner meal kits can also be provided for students before they go home for Thanksgiving and Winter break.

6 Program Timeline Task Month May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Hire Staff Educate Students on Importance of Proper Nutrition Start Survey to see which students need money for produce Start Construction of Garden Distribute Dinner Kits Look at Stats to see if there has been any improvement Wellness Check Start Cooking Classes

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help