Whole Child Health
Food Security:
Addressing a Top Community Need
Learn how we’re helping to address the goals of the White House Conference on Nutrition, Hunger & Health.
Quick Facts
Swipe through the facts and learn more about food security:
In 2020, 10.5% of households were food insecure for at least some time during the year (USDA).
According to the CDC fewer than 1 in 10 adolescents and adults eat enough fruits or vegetables.
Through 54,000 social determinants of health screenings, we identified food security as one of the top 3 needs in communities where we deliver care.
20% of young people and 42% of adults have obesity.
Four-Part Commitment to End Hunger & Improve Nutrition
More than 50 years after the last conference on hunger and nutrition, we are helping to address the goals outlined during the 2022 White House Conference on Nutrition, Hunger & Health. We made a four-part comprehensive commitment across our multi-state operations that identifies how we will help children and families access healthy food and learn about nutrition and physical activity, as well as how we will disseminate tools and resources to other health systems. Follow our progress.
Publish an SDoH Implementation Guide
to help other health systems detect and address social determinants of health (SDOH), such as food insecurity, and utilize SDOH data to enhance primary prevention efforts and policy work.
Scale the existing Nemours Children’s SDoH screening tool
to new Nemours specialty care practices in Delaware and to additional Nemours primary care practices in Florida.
Leverage Nemours® KidsHealth.org
the #1 source of pediatric content in the U.S., to develop and publish at least 10 new articles and share 10 videos, in English and Spanish, with health and nutrition-related content.
Expand Nemours Cares Closets
to more Nemours Children’s primary care locations to provide food and other items to families in need, and work with community partners to expand their backpack program, getting children access to nutritious meals outside of school hours.
10 Free Videos on Health & Nutrition
One part of our commitment has already been fulfilled. In 2023, we developed a video series to include useful information on nutrition, healthy eating tips, and general health and wellness in both English and Spanish.
Healthy kids make healthy learners at school, so it’s important we ensure children and families have access to nutritious foods.
Spreading Promising Practices
Hundreds of nationwide partners gathered during a two-day virtual convening hosted by Nemours Children’s Health in June 2023. Participants learned more about nutrition and physical activity topics and interventions. National and state partners also shared strategies and learnings.
Accelerating Progress on Nutrition Security
Our own Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, Vice President, Chief Policy & Prevention Officer, spoke at the USDA’s Nutrition Security and Healthcare Summit which convened healthcare organizations to discuss how to accelerate progress on nutrition security goals that emerged from the White House Conference. We shared our national early care and education systems change work including: