Food is Hope, Food is Health: Building a Collaborative for Lasting Change in Community Health

The science of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) reveals that the vulnerability for chronic and other diseases are “programmed” into human biology earlier than we thought. This programming is a result of nutritional and social stressors experienced by the mother prior to conception, through the first thousand days of a child’s life. While the mother is the environment of the developing fetus, the community is the environment of the mother and as recent research points out, our zip code – or community - may be the most important factor in determining our health. This has tremendous implications and steers our target for change on the community environment that emphasizes innovative community-based programming and changes in public policy that support increased access to nutrition and a decrease in stress risk factors. Using food systems as an organizing framework and powerful convener, our collaborative seeks systems level levers that work towards reducing disease-causing “toxic” stress related to financial deprivation, lack of opportunity, and disadvantaged position in society while asking collaborative members to think beyond their primary methods of delivery to generate the human and social capital of our communities. Through building and expanding current efforts and accelerating future opportunities, benefits are shared amongst partners through increased project partnerships, opportunities, and alignment; shared expertise to encourage comprehensive, multi-sector planning and advocacy; deeper analysis of what works through identified and shared metrics; access to evaluation services; and outreach and education to translate the science, making information accessible to communities most impacted.