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American Heart Association steers nutrition security plan for Miami-Dade to improve food landscape
Leaders across Miami-Dade make headway on community-driven, health-equity action plan to address nutrition security both comprehensively and sustainably. Recent research by the American Heart Association finds inequities in Miami-Dade related to nutrition security to be too prevalent over the past four years.
The initiative’s main goal is to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition in Miami Dade County. Specific objectives include:
- increasing access to healthy and nutritious food,
- improving the quality of available food, and
- promoting healthy eating habits.
The plan also seeks to support local food systems, reduce food waste, and enhance food distribution networks.
“The American Heart Association works to improve access to nutritious food and create sustainable impact,” said Robert Hill, the American Heart Association’s vice president of community impact. “In South Florida, over 6,000 school buses can be filled with all the food insecure residents. This is unacceptable, and this community of professionals is dedicated to making sure every member of our community has an equal opportunity to a healthy life.”
Nutrition security is a critical aspect of public health, and addressing it effectively requires collaborative efforts. Led by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava and her office, many individuals, representing over one-hundred organizations, with core leadership from American Heart Association, Urban Health Partnerships & Common Threads, gathered for an expert panel at the Amara at Paraiso in mid-March to discuss the need, identify challenges and build on a plan to act.
“My administration was proud to join partners from both the public and private sector as they work to end hunger and food insecurity in our county,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Thanks to the Miami-Dade Food & Nutrition for All Collaborative, we can bring more nutritious options to every dinner table and work to ensure that no one in our community goes to bed hungry.”
Poor diet and food insecurity each contribute to disparities in chronic disease outcomes. Food insecurity is higher than average in households with children, those headed by a single person or non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic people, and those with income below the poverty level.
Nutrition security is a pressing issue in Miami Dade County, with a significant portion of our community struggling to access adequate and nutritious food. This group of organizations is collaborative, evidence-based, and prioritizes the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.
Brenden Reyes, lifelong Miami-Dade resident, spoke at the event. Brenden is one of the American Heart Association’s Hispanic-Serving Institution Scholars. HSI Scholars is an initiative to develop a pipeline of diverse researchers and healthcare professionals, by providing scholars with academic and career-enriching resources, including scholarships and mentoring.
Brenden is currently an undergraduate student at Florida International University, pursuing a career in environmental science with a concentration in agricultural sciences.
“The passion, drive, and love for changing the narrative of food insecurity and nutritional values in Miami-Dade County was palpable,” said Reyes. “Nutrition is not only nourishment, but a way of life and we have lost our way. Exciting times are ahead where Miami propagates longevity, peace and a strong sense of community.”
Through the creation of our subcommittee structure, which rolls up to a steering committee, the goal of the collaborative is to establish a permanent leadership structure and support network, so that Miami-Dade County residents can live longer, healthier lives. Foundational to all this work will be a focus on Access, Education, Advocacy, & Engagement.
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