Food Access, Value, and Optimization of Resources

Description

The FAVORes (Food Access, Value, and Optimization of Resources) study at Boston Children’s Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC) aims to help families struggling with healthy food access. Over one in three families with children in Massachusetts face food insecurity. Further, they lack consistent access to nutritious food. Families face challenges such as insufficient knowledge of available resources, financial constraints, time scarcity, and/or language barriers. Social determinants such as food insecurity have adverse consequences on child health outcomes.

The FAVORes workshop is an in-person educational program for caregivers of children at MEHC. It is a 4-session, group coaching workshop led by a Senior Patient Navigator who shares her own experiences with food insecurity and as a health coach. The workshop runs over 4 weeks, 1.5 hours each session, is taught in small groups, and is available in both English and Spanish.

This workshop is designed to empower caregivers of children. It shares simple tips and steps to help with meal planning, having family meals, and eating healthier. The workshop also encourages caregivers to learn from each other in a group setting. Specific topics covered include setting “S.M.A.R.T. goals” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), understanding community food resources, managing time for healthy eating, and connecting food to overall health and mental well-being. The overall hypothesis for the FAVORes study is that the workshop will lead to meaningful and positive changes for families struggling with food insecurity.

Study Aims:

1. To examine the impact of the workshop on household food and nutrition security.
2. To explore changes in caregivers’ knowledge, beliefs, and skills related to healthy food access.