Improving Food Access in Prince George’s ‘Food Desert’

Through education and community involvement

Group 1: Ayla Cash, Heba Elnaiem, Eliza Mette, Dexter Thomas

Group 2: Maddie Epping, Johnetta Saygbe, Brian Smith, Alec Walker

http://bit.ly/1fAx5s3

Introduction:Food Deserts

• Hard to find nutritious,

affordable food

• Poverty and poor health

reinforce one another

• USDA identified 10 food deserts

in prince George’s County,

including Capitol Heights

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Capitol Heights, MD

http://wapo.st/1ikGZ6L

Community Contact

• Met with Town Hall administrators

• Led to potential projects:

1. Community education initiative at Capitol

Heights ES

2. “Got Hope” & food distribution

• Wrap-up with community block party

Group 1:Garden-Grown Food Redistribution

• Made contact with Got Hope

• Began to assess specific needs:

– Food storage problem

• Have consistent food supply, but

going to waste without anywhere

to store it

– Unable to afford 501(c)(3) fee

Group 2:Community Education Initiative

• PTA and teacher contact at Capitol

Heights ES

• “Healthy Eating and Urban Farming”

curriculum

• Lack of response or interest from

school

• Shift in educational outreach efforts

to seniors

http://bit.ly/1mI8K8O

Project Evolution & Merge

• Concern about long-term impact

• Decision to merge and delegate tasks to

individuals and smaller sub-groups

• Working in direct response to community vs.

our initial objectives

Results

Result 1:Healthy Living Booklet

"What information would encourage individuals to buy healthier foods? Is it recipes with prices, information on how to get to the grocery store, or information on the benefits of eating healthy?“

All of these things would be helpful. Basically, a guide with clear-cut info on how to make eating healthy easy is what the goal should be, and this info would greatly

contribute to that. – Ms. Payne, Got Hope

Result 2:Senior Healthful Eating Workshop

• Affordability of Healthy Food (5 min

presentation)

• Small group activities

– Sugar savvy, disease risk, nutrition

needs

• Food preparation in small groups

– Everlasting Life samples

• Wrap-up, followed by Q&A

Result 3:Fundraising Event

Result 4:Unity in the Community

• Booklet distributed alongside

Got Hope food baskets

• 60+ bags of groceries

distributed

• Education

– Booklets

– PCRM materials

– Networking

Summary of Results

1. Healthy Living Booklet

2. Fundraiser & 501(c)(3)

3. Healthy Living Workshop

4. Unity in the Community

Conclusions

• Importance of working with community

• Being aware of limitations and time restraints

• Experience was positive and enriching

• Planted seeds for long-term impact

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• Reschedule Healthful Eating Workshop

• Table at 1st Annual Capitol Heights Day

• Got Hope

– 501(c)(3) status

– Bank account

– Networking

http://bit.ly/1mI9HxD