Start Date: November 2019

ID #: CAS056

Organization: Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition

Project Lead: Amy Yaroch, PhD

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The overarching goal of this project is to conduct a mixed-methods formative evaluation to explore food insecurity in low-income center-based ECE settings at both the macro-and micro-levels in order to accomplish the following objectives: 1) Determine the relevance of food insecurity as a priority area within the context of ECE settings and among ECE professionals (i.e., national stakeholders, owners, directors, teachers) and the current policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) practices (if any) that are being recommended and utilized to address food insecurity among low-income families and children; 2) Extrapolate experiences of ECE providers (e.g., directors, teachers) serving children and families experiencing food insecurity/hunger and the perceived effects of food insecurity on promoting nutrition/feeding policies and practices in the ECE setting; and 3) Identify potential new PSE practices that can be utilized in ECE centers across the US to address food insecurity and support children and families that are experiencing food insecurity.

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