In This Newsletter:

• Our new partnership with Helping Hands Ending Hunger
• Our new core research project
• NOURISH 2025 Conference

Helping Hands Ending Hunger (HHEH) is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation established in 2016 with a vision to alleviate childhood food insecurity, reduce school food waste, encourage better educational outcomes, and shape a healthier world. HHEH has developed a unique, school-based program with a focused mission of fostering food security to encourage better health and educational outcomes for children. Now with over 150 K-12 schools across the state enrolled for programming and adding more chapters monthly, HHEH has put 3.75 million meals on the tables of struggling families since 2016, while reducing carbon footprints by over 1.75 million pounds. In 2021, HHEH was recognized by the Georgia Senate as "one of the most dynamic and committed social organizations in Georgia" due to its broad community outreach. Participating schools are diverse, covering many geographic regions within the state. While all participating students and families are lower income by nature of the program, the surrounding communities are varied with respect to socioeconomic status and economic conditions, neighborhood environment, racial/ethnic composition, school community connectedness, and level of rurality.

https://www.helpinghandsendinghunger.org/

Our New Core Research Project

Upon receiving funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevention Research Centers (PRC) Program in fall 2024, the Emory Prevention Research Center (EPRC) partnered with HHEH on a research project called NOURISH: Nurturing Opportunities & Resources in School Pantries for Health. The EPRC and HHEH seek to engage schools and their partners to improve the nutritional quality and health impact of food provided through school-based food rescue and food pantry programs. In this first year we’ve focused on learning about how the program is implemented in schools across Georgia through school site visits and round table discussions with coordinators at the first ever NOURISH conference (more on this below). This formative work will inform the direction of our research for the next few years.

On September 18, 2025, the EPRC and HHEH hosted staff and administrators from participating HHEH school chapters at the inaugural NOURISH 2025 Conference. The conference offered opportunities to share ideas, learn from their peers, and network to grow their programs. Morning conference sessions included two panels featuring school staff (one for elementary schools and one for middle and high schools) and a third panel featuring community partner agencies including Atrium Floyd Health, American Heart Association, and the Northwest Georgia Cancer Coalition. We kicked off the afternoon with a special lunchtime keynote presentation by Richard Woods, the Georgia Schools Superintendent. After that, the EPRC hosted round table discussions with HHEH coordinators and volunteers to learn about how they are implementing the program in their schools and to identify ways to strengthen the program in the future. The conference closed on a high note with a keynote from Audre Allen, principal of Chatsworth Elementary in northwest Georgia, titled “Motivating Your Mission.” Attendees received breakfast and lunch, goodies, and raffle prizes. A good time was had by all!

Brent Sutherland, STEM Coordinator at Dimon Magnet Academy, presented on his school’s HHEH program

We thank the CDC for the funding that supported this event.

Richard Woods, Georgia State Schools superintendent (center), poses with Carla Harward, HHEH CEO (right) and Gwinnett County school staff.

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