Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116301

James Hazen¹, Chandra Kring², Barrett Ebright², Anita Fonte, PhD¹, and Varga Garland, PhD³. (1) Community Food Security Center, Community Food Bank, P.O. Box 26727, Tucson, AZ 85726-6727, 5206220525, jhazen@communityfoodbank.com, (2) Congressional Hunger Center, 229 1/2 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20003, (3) Food Security Center, Community Food Bank, P.O. Box 26727, Tucson, AZ 85726

In response to a Hunger Summit held in Tucson, Arizona in September 2004, community members identified children and schools as their primary target to increase health and nutrition education in an effort to eliminate hunger. A large number of schools in the area participate in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program, where qualification rates range from 30% to 98%. Schools with high rates were identified and a research team of Tucson Community Food Bank staff and Emerson Congressional Hunger Fellows was established to carry out a qualitative study of elementary children, parents, and school faculty to address the issues of children's health and access to food. Through a series of interviews and focus group discussions, the study provided information on the current status of families in the Tucson area and implications for additional research and development of the Pima County Food Policy Task Force, a subsidiary of the evolving Arizona Food Policy Coalition.

Assuming that the majority of low income children, established through high qualification rates for free and reduced lunch, are accessing food and nutrition education through school, the study revealed that parent participation, interest, and effort in the nutrition of children is much higher than predicted. The research provides support for community involvement and collaboration of various organizations (i.e. schools, service agencies, parent associations, etc.) and individuals (educators, parents, parent involvement assistants, community leaders, etc.) to ensure security and access to food by children and their families throughout the region.

Learning Objectives:

• Provide a research framework for local efforts in assessing food practices among children and families
• Evaluate the role of individuals and organizations in supporting children’s access to healthy food
• Identify possible areas where local efforts, community collaboration, and family based initiatives can be constructed to support self sufficiency
• Describe areas of interest regarding food practices that local food policy councils can support and assist in to advocate change

Keywords: Food and Nutrition, Assessments

Related Web page: www.communityfoodbank.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.