COLLEGE STATION – A program battling the ill effects of living in a “food desert” along the Texas-Mexico border has received a 2014 Superior Service Award from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in the team category.
Superior Service Awards recognize AgriLife Extension faculty and staff members who provide outstanding performance in AgriLife Extension education or other outstanding service to the organization and to Texans. The award was presented Jan. 6 during the Texas A&M AgriLife Conference in College Station.
A large portion of Starr County, near the southern tip of Texas, has been defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a “food desert,” an official designation of an area of low income without ready access to fresh, healthy and affordable food.
The award nomination reads, “Starr County is a community saturated with fast-food and convenience stores with a limited selection of healthy food options. As a result, Starr County citizens suffer from rampant chronic health issues, including obesity and severe forms of diabetes.”
To reverse the trend, a strong, countywide interdisciplinary team was created to transform the county’s health and community environment. Their program, called Community Transformation: Working on Wellness Starr County, began the task of combating rising chronic disease risk factors to improve the future health outlook for generations to come, the nomination reads. Funding came from the Centers for Disease Control via the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The team consists of AgriLife Extension health specialists, nutrition specialists, parks and recreation experts, AgriLife Extension employees in Starr County, and an external University of Texas-Austin evaluation team. Combined, this experienced group committed to working together to promote a lifetime of health through the power of prevention by supporting community transformation in this high-need county, the nomination said.
Project goals focused on sustainable environmental change to increase opportunities for physical activities and access to fresh produce.
“The positive outcomes of their efforts now serve as a model for other counties who share some of the same challenges and characteristics of Starr County,” the nomination reads.
AgriLife Extension team members were: Yolanda Morado, family and consumer sciences agent, Starr County; Omar Montemayor, agriculture and natural resources agent, Starr County; Vit Kaspar, assistant, Starr County; Dr. Jenna Anding, nutrition specialist and associate head, department of nutrition and food sciences, College Station; Alice Kirk, child health program specialist, College Station; Dr. Michael Lopez, health specialist, College Station; Dr. Carol Rice, health specialist and Regents Fellow, College Station.
Also, Dr. Jamie Rae Walker, assistant professor, AgriLife Extension specialist, recreation, park and tourism sciences, Dallas; and Dr. Catherine Cubbin, associate professor, School of Social Work, University of Texas, Austin.
The project began with acomprehensive evidence-based model of Starr County that determined, among other factors, that only 2 percent of the county’s residents had access to recreational facilities.
In the first year, seven sites were identified as areas to install school or community gardens and five sites for walking trail paths and/or recreational parks.
As word of their work spread, volunteers from throughout the community responded to offer their assistance and/or expertise, including Master Gardeners, former migrant farm workers, hospital board members, community college students and local businesses, the award nomination states.
The team also began working with a local grower to construct and deploy a mobile farmers market that travels throughout rural areas to sell fresh produce to residents.
Project results to date include;
— Almost 80,000 pounds of produce sold to nearly 17,000 residents.
— 14 school/community gardens produced over 7,000 pounds of produce for distribution to schools, parents, volunteers and area food pantries.
— Seven recreational facilities were created or improved.
— Two greenhouses were erected to produce seedlings for gardens.
— Over 7,000 volunteer hours were documented in the garden and recreational areas of the project.
— Over $200,000 was donated to sustain the project.
In a letter of support, State Rep. Ryan Guillen, Rio Grande City, wrote, “From students to teachers to parent volunteers, this project has manifested much community involvement and has exceeded expectations, having helped so many take an active role in maintaining their health. I am confident that more South Texas communities and schools can benefit from initiating similar programs from a grassroots level to assist in addressing our very serious and chronic health issues.”