ESU, Meals on Wheels Partnership Addresses Community Need

East Stroudsburg University’s Department of Health Studies has partnered with Monroe County Meals on Wheels to help the organization’s homebound clients with diabetes manage the condition while combating food insecurity.

Under faculty supervision, graduate students in ESU’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program visit Meals on Wheels clients in their homes to provide diabetes self-management and nutrition education to address barriers to healthy food access. Visits started in early October.

The initiative began after Monroe County Meals on Wheels observed an increase in clients reporting diabetes, said professor of health sciences and master of public health (MPH) program coordinator Clare Lenhart, Ph.D. The organization partnered with Dr. Lenhart and a class of her MPH students to complete an assessment that identified multiple needs

“It was discovered that many Meals on Wheels clients face challenges managing their diabetes, including navigating blood sugar management while also experiencing food insecurity and difficulty accessing healthy foods,” Dr. Lenhart said.

Dr. Lenhart secured an $11,655 grant from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education’s Faculty Professional Development Committee to establish the program.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside an important community partner like Meals on Wheels on a project that has the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of community members,” Dr. Lenhart said.

In addition to Dr. Lenhart’s oversight of the partnership, project co-director and instructor of health sciences Hayley Daubert – a registered dietician and licensed nutritionist – will provide nutrition expertise that will guide the programming and education materials.

“In addition to providing education, the project team is working with community partners to address barriers to diabetes management as they are identified, including working with local food pantries to increase opportunities for home delivery of pantry allocations for eligible participants,” Daubert said.

Master of Public Health students Frances Gourdet and Mariah Huertas will assist with the development of the materials and their delivery to Meals on Wheels clients, help clients identify strategies for managing diabetes, and handle outreach, communication, and data collection.

For Gourdet, Huertas, and other MPH students participating in the program, the project provides valuable experience working directly with community members and applying public health concepts outside the classroom.

“The in-home experience will allow students to see firsthand how social determinants of health, including food insecurity, transportation, financial limitations, and access to healthy foods, can affect chronic disease management,” Daubert said.

Both Dr. Lenhart and Daubert said it is rewarding to provide these hands-on learning experiences for ESU students while meeting the needs of the surrounding community.

“This project demonstrates ESU Public Health’s commitment to being an active partner in the community by using faculty expertise and student involvement to address real public health needs,” Dr. Lenhart said.

Learn more about ESU’s Department of Health Studies and the master of public health program.

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