Houston Food Bank
Houston, Texas
Houston Food Bank’s evaluation goals for the Core Connections Network (CCN) are to obtain results that will be used to inform program staff on strategies for recruiting partners and participants, improve the retention of participants, increase the capacity of partners to implement the program and improve the delivery of education and food access. The goal of having a program evaluation performed on CCN is to gain knowledge in the most effective ways to expand CCN and build capacity for more distribution partners to implement this program.
Funded Program
Core Connections Network (CCN) is the Houston Food Bank’s eight-week chronic disease self-management curriculum, which pairs health and wellness classes with healthy food distributions throughout the program. CCN is part of a suite of health-related food interventions at Houston Food Bank. CCN began with the intention to equip Houston Food Bank’s distribution partners with a method to serve their community members’ health needs beyond food distribution, and co-locate wellness programming and food access. Since 2018, the implementation of CCN has expanded to include community organizations that are not food distribution partners. It has been implemented in Harris, Fort Bend, and Brazoria counties, and is being offered both in-person and virtually as it has adapted to clients’ needs during the pandemic. In 2021, CCN was implemented at Houston Food Bank’s new Community Resource Center, which offers programs to households who participate in the Backpack Buddy program at a school within 10 miles of the Resource Center.
CCN’s target population is adults and kids with a chronic condition. CCN has intentionally wide inclusion criteria to increase their reach and enable their partners to serve more diverse community members, who could all benefit from learning about stress management, nutrition, staying active and creating action plans. CCN has been implemented in English and Spanish, in both rural and urban settings and in-person and virtual groups.
CCN operates through a train-the-trainer model, providing coach training, curriculum and program materials to partners. Partners provide staff or volunteers to facilitate the classes to their community members.
Q&A with Houston Food Bank’s Health Promotion Specialist Margarita Avila:
What about the Core Connections Network program excites you most?
I am mostly excited to know that other individuals in our area share the common passion of helping our community take control of their health! During our trainings, lots of personal experiences, tips and resources are shared between the coaches, making the network even more valuable.
What will data collection entail over the next few months?
Coaches from partner organizations will begin to lead CCN cohorts, therefore, baseline data about nutrition, physical activity and stress management will be collected. After eight weeks, we hope to see an improvement in these areas as individuals will be well-equipped with knowledge on how to manage their chronic conditions.
How has the Gretchen Swanson Center’s evaluation expertise and technical assistance benefited your organization so far?
I have greatly appreciated the reliable support and assistance provided by the Gretchen Swanson Center! It’s very helpful to know that I have this connection just an email away for any hiccups along the way.
What are you hoping to learn from the evaluation? How do you plan to use the results?
I am hoping to learn if CCN could benefit from some changes to help improve the efficacy of the program. My team and I hope to expand the reach of CCN later this year to include other Houston Food Bank partners like schools and community centers so, having this information would help us be inclusive of these diverse settings.
About Houston Food Bank
Houston Food Bank’s mission is to provide food for better lives. In the last fiscal year, which includes COVID-19 response, we provided access to 159 million nutritious meals in 18 counties in southeast Texas through our 1,500 community partners of food pantries, soup kitchens, social service providers and schools. Filling gaps on plates, we have a strong focus on healthy foods and fresh produce. In collaboration with our community, we advocate for policy change and racial equity, and promote dialogue on ways to increase access to food and to improve the lives of those in our communities, including services and connections to programs that address the root causes of hunger and are aimed at helping families achieve long-term stability: nutrition education, job training, health management and help with securing state-funded assistance. We are a resource for individuals and families in times of hardship. Houston Food Bank works alongside our partner food banks in Montgomery County, Galveston Country and Brazos Valley. Houston Food Bank is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. More information can be found at houstonfoodbank.org.
Mission: Food for Better Lives