Interdisciplinary Grant to Examine Root Causes of Hunger in Paso del Norte Region
January 25, 2023
By Darlene Muguiro
³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ College of Health Sciences
Rising inflation and the continued negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are driving more El Pasoans to seek the services of local food pantries. , the city’s only food bank and distribution center for over 132 partner agencies across the borderland region, now serves over 200,000 individuals with food insecurity, or one in every three children and one in every four adults.
The ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ College of Health Sciences is partnering with El Pasoans Fighting Hunger and other community agencies to determine and address the root causes of poverty and hunger in the community. Gregory Schober, Ph.D. assistant professor of rehabilitation sciences, and Eva Moya, Ph.D., associate professor and interim chair for the Department of Social Work, are ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ’s co-PIs on a $250,000 multi-agency planning grant funded by Feeding America’s Food Security Equity Impact Fund. The fund was established by to support communities that are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic, and aims to “center people with lived experiences of hunger in creating a more equitable food system.”
Over a six-month period, Schober and Moya will conduct a needs assessment within the community, utilizing a mixed-methods design incorporating both a survey and focus groups of individuals with lived experiences of hunger. The results of the study will be used to apply for future funding to revolutionize the way food is distributed to those in need of services.
Schober, who will lead the survey design, spoke about the longer-term impact of the planning grant: “Our team will strengthen community partnerships, collect data on food insecurity rates and other community needs, and design interventions to address the root causes of poverty,” he said. “This grant is an excellent opportunity to learn from community members what will improve food security in our region.”
Moya will engage a team of students in the Master of Social Work and Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Ph.D. programs in conducting the focus groups and looking at the qualitative data pulled from the discussions. Participants will be recruited from partnering agencies including the Kelly Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul, and the Opportunity Center for the Homeless.
“The initiative represents a wonderful opportunity to engage community members, leaders, students, and faculty in meaningful assessments to understand and address the root causes of hunger and poverty,” she said. “The grant will support graduate students and prepare them to do community assessments in a culturally and linguistic responsive way. Findings from this valuable initiative will inform policy and services for our border region and strengthen our partnership with partners to increase access to nutritious food and life opportunities.”
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Go Miners!
For more information about El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, please visit: Photo courtesy of Getty Images Pro
