Addressing Disparities in Food Access Among Young Children in Louisiana: A Farm to ECE Approach

The goal of this pilot project is to increase access to healthy food, improve diets, and reduce food insecurity and, in turn, reduce health disparities among low-income, minority children under the age of five attending early childcare centers. Specific aims are to: 1) examine the feasibility of a six-month Farm to ECE intervention and 2) collect preliminary data to evaluate the efficacy of the program to 2.1) improve the ECE nutrition environment from baseline to follow-up; 2.2) increase access to local fruits and vegetables among children at ECEs from baseline to follow-up; and 2.3) increase parent knowledge and use of community food resources. The investigators will use this preliminary data to develop a larger scale project to test intervention efficacy.

Center Eligibility: Four centers will participate in the pilot. Inclusion criteria are ECEs: 1) within New Orleans, Louisiana, 2) include programming for ages 0 to 5, 3) have a student population that is at least 80% Black/African American; and 4) have a student population with at least 80% of students qualified for free or reduced lunch.Key informant interviews and center assessments:teacher or director of participating center18 years of age minimumParent/guardian surveys:18 years of age minimumparent or guardian of current student at participating center