Using a community immersion model, graduate and undergraduate students will work in interdisciplinary teams under the direction of faculty along with community agency personnel. Students will conduct nutrition education programs, provide nutrition and food-related services, conduct assessments, investigate policy issues, raise awareness, test strategies and develop skills within a comprehensive and collaborative outreach model that integrates and enhances a variety of existing University-based outreach programs within our community. Although strengthening the effectiveness and reach of these programs and reducing duplication of services is a priority, we anticipate that as faculty/student/agency teams work in the community, the recognition of new problems will require the development of innovative approaches. This will stimulate new initiatives out of the Partnership to support outreach as well as related applied research and student training.

In addition, the Partnership will serve to provide a framework in which a diversity of students, faculty and agency personnel can receive interdisciplinary, non-academic training central to issues of poverty, policy and food insecurity. This training will further strengthen the nexus of the community with University resources, as training settings and training leadership will be reciprocal (on-campus as well as off-campus; agency partners and University students/faculty providing leadership on appropriate topics). Bringing the community to the URI campuses (Kingston and Providence) will strengthen the community’s sense of connectedness with the State University, while formal training generated through the various community and grass-roots agencies adds to their perceived value of University endeavors related to poverty and food security.