Interview with Dr. Lopez: Tackling Food Insecurity at the Local Hospital
Food insecurity is a critical issue that affects many families in our community, and our local hospital is making strides to provide support for those in need. I recently had the chance to interview Dr. Lopez, a professional at the hospital whose work centers on food insecurity and addressing social drivers of health (SDOH). Here’s our conversation:
Q: How did you get started with your work on food insecurity?
A: I had an interest in public health and social drivers of health (SDoH) that I found quite interesting, so I decided to get my master’s in public health, leading me to where I am today.
Q: What is your role on food insecurity at the hospital?
A: I work on the food insecurity and SDoH research at the hospital.
Q: What projects are you working on right now/what projects have you completed?
A: One project is enrolling patients and their families in programs to help with their food insecurity after screening for it. Another thing I have worked on is providing relief to families staying at the hospital experiencing food insecurity by providing them with free meal trays.
Q: What programs do you guys at the hospital support?
A: We support the caregiver tray program, which gives complimentary meals to parents in our hospital who are facing food insecurity while staying in the hospital with their children. Another program we support is with a Houston Food Bank navigator who helps families enroll in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits (also known as food stamps) while they are staying at the hospital. One last example would be to help families enroll in the KIDS Meals program, which aims to deliver lunches to young children who are not yet in school and cannot get the free lunch meals through school.
Reflecting on the Interview
Talking with Dr. Lopez really opened my eyes to how powerful direct support and community programs can be in addressing food insecurity. What surprised me the most was how the hospital’s programs go beyond the usual health care by tackling the social and financial struggles many families face. Ensuring that parents and children have access to nutritious meals shows that health care can be about so much more than just treating physical symptoms—it’s about supporting whole families and promoting well-being in every sense.
Reflecting on what Dr. Lopez shared, I can see how her work connects with what I’m trying to do in my own projects. Her approach reminds me that if we want to make a real impact, it’s essential to collaborate with others and think outside the box. Dr. Lopez’s dedication, and the hospital’s commitment to helping families beyond traditional health care, are both inspiring examples of how we can all play a part in improving our communities and supporting people when they need it most.