In this podcast episode, Wyatt interviewed Benaye Wadkins Chambers, CEO of Crossroads. We talk to Benaye about the history, mission and re-branding of Crossroads, intersection between food insecurity and mental health, impact of COVID-19 and the ways health providers and medical students can help out. 

In this podcast episode, Vi and Jennifer interview Reverend Jay Cole, Executive Director of Crossroads Community Service. We talk to Jay about his work at Crossroads, how COVID-19 has impacted volume at food bank services, and the partnership between Crossroads and UT Southwestern in serving the surrounding community.

In this episode, Jennifer and Jesus interview Dr. Mark Casanova, President of the Dallas County Medical Society, to talk about public health, food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of COVID-19 on the Dallas community. This is the first episode of a series of episodes discussing food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This time on Food For Thought, Alex and Anita interview Dr. Hussain Lalani, MD, MPH, an internal medicine resident at UT Southwestern Medical Center. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, Dr. Lalani is a physician advocate for a variety of issues that affect his patients. The opinions he has shared during this interview are his own. This is the fourth and final part of our policy series.

Editor's note: This episode was originally recorded via Zoom during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas and the United States. The contents of this podcast do not reflect the current state of the pandemic.

This time on Food For Thought, Anita and Alex learn about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at the national level with Dr. Craig Gundersen, a professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois. Dr. Gundersen makes a compelling case about the benefits of SNAP, using data that includes his own research and expertise on the topic. This is the third part of our food policy series.

This time on Food For Thought, Alex and Anita interview Dr. Sandi Pruitt from the Department of Clinical Sciences at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center about her research in the realm of food insecurity and institutional policy.

This time on Food For Thought, Anita and Alex learn about food policy with Dr. Valerie Hawthorne, the Government Relations Officer at the North Texas Food Bank. Dr. Hawthorne offers insight about food policy and food insecurity at the national, state, and local levels. This is the first part of our food policy series.

To stay up to date on food policy issues, Dr. Hawthorne recommends you sign up for Morning Agriculture from Politico. She also recommends her own weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to by e-mailing [email protected].

Childhood food insecurity is a huge problem in Dallas County, Texas, affecting 1 in 5 kids. In fact, there are schools within Dallas Independent School District in which 80%-100% of the kids qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. Food insecurity in children is linked to physical and behavioral consequences, which can impact their health for the rest of their lives. Hunger Busters is an organization that was formed to "take a bite out of hunger." For more information about getting involved with Hunger Busters, please visit: hungerbusters.com/

Seniors are the fastest growing population in the U.S., with unique health needs that physicians must be aware of. In this episode, the members of SAAFI discuss food insecurity as it relates to seniors in the United States. We interview the folks at Meals on Wheels in Dallas, who offer their perspective on solving senior hunger. For more information about getting involved with Meals on Wheels in Dallas, please visit:

Over 40 million Americans are food insecure. In this episode, a group of medical students delve into this issue head on. They speak to local community organizer, Wyonella Henderson-Green, about food insecurity in the Dallas community and how to join the fight.

Websites mentioned in the episode: