Nutrition for Vulnerable Families: Access and Practical Education

The 100 Families Initiative is a community-led initiative to help families move from crisis to stability and onto career using existing community resources. An important tool of this initiative is HopeHub, a collaborative case management software that tracks community-wide data for families.

Over the past 12 months, HopeHub has tracked food stability in Sebastian County and shows that at intake, 18% of families enrolled in the initiative were in crisis. Crisis is defined as someone who does not have income or SNAP benefits and they have at least one child in the home. That number has since dropped to 11% and there has been a 40% increase in food stability in the county.

Despite these improvements, families in Sebastian County continue to face significant barriers to accessing healthy food. To combat this issue, leaders in Sebastian County hosted a community panel discussion on food security and nutrition for vulnerable families.

Melissa Goad, Division of County Operations Sebastian County Program Eligibility Specialist listed some of the most significant barriers to nutritional food: financial constraints, transportation and limited access to grocery stores, lack of time and resources to prepare food, nutritional knowledge gaps, cultural food preferences and norms.

Joan Divine-Newell, WIC Coordinator for NW Public Health Region shared that while WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) plays a crucial role in food security, only 40% of families eligible through Medicaid seek services.

Both WIC and SNAP are actively addressing issues of food security and working to improve their programs. WIC has recently changed policies to include more fruits and vegetables, which is now the most redeemed item in the program and one of the requirements of the program is that participants complete a nutrition education course. SNAP applications are now available online, making access easier for those in need.

Tristin Bolton, SNAP-Ed Curriculum Trainer with the University of Arkansas For Smith is also working diligently to address food challenges by providing direct education to adults and students through hands-on cooking demonstrations and tailored programs that align with available food resources.

Bolton addressed the critical issue of transportation. Beyond not having access to a vehicle, safely walking to grocery stores is often not even an option with busy highways and a lack of sidewalks. Limited transportation options force families to prioritize non-perishable foods over fresh produce due to the unpredictability of grocery trips.

An employee of the Boys and Girls Club who was in attendance at the meeting further noted that food insecurity greatly impacts a child's academic performance. Many students who rely on free breakfast at school often miss it due to transportation challenges and family instability. The very children who need this meal the most frequently arrive too late to eat it. Real life challenges like this point to the need for creative solutions to ensure students are fed rather than being penalized for circumstances beyond their control.

Tristin Bolton made suggestions for policy changes that could help families including working with grocery stores to place nutritious foods at eye level. Food pantries and other food services can also consider label items with green (healthy), yellow (moderate), and red (less healthy) indicators. Bolton shared the importance of introducing students to new foods at school that they may not experience at home. She recounted an experience of visiting a school where she distributed peaches to students, some of whom mentioned they had never eaten a peach before.

Community gardens were mentioned as a great resource for access to healthy foods and nutrition education. Additionally, Isaac Salazar of Antioch Youth and Family talked about the advantage of mobile pantries. They have a program that oversees volunteer deliveries to elderly and mobility-challenged individuals.

Don Simpson, Master of Public Health Program Director at Arkansas Colleges of Education touched on gaps in medical education around nutrition pointing out that doctors often give medical advice on what to eat more or less of without really clarifying how to translate that into practical meals. He spoke of a new program in development that provides medical students with hands-on experience in nutrition counseling for their patients.

Todd Marshell, Senior Executive Director of Transformative Wellness Initiatives at Arkansas Colleges of Education was a middle school administrator of 30+ years. He shared his excitement about a nutrition education program for 5th graders he is overseeing.

"They only know what they are exposed to at home," Marshell said, highlighting the school's responsibility to help them develop better habits at an early age.

Sebastian County has made notable progress in food stability, but challenges remain. Through collaborative efforts, education, policy changes, and improved access to services, the community is working toward a future where all families have the resources they need to thrive. The 100 Families Initiative, WIC, SNAP, community organizations, and educational institutions play vital roles in shaping a healthier future for vulnerable families.

Learn more about applying for WIC.