Students from Jordan High School are working to make a meaningful impact across the Greater Houston area through a student-led initiative focused on raising awareness about childhood undernutrition and food insecurity.
The students are members of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and part of a community awareness group known as C.U.R.E. — Children’s Undernutrition Relief Education. Their mission is to help families and community members better understand the challenges of undernutrition among children in Houston while encouraging local action and support.
Their efforts have already earned recognition, with the team placing second at the Area-level HOSA competition, advancing to the State Leadership Conference scheduled to take place in Corpus Christi this March.
Over the past six months, the group has presented educational programs to schools, nonprofits, youth organizations, and community groups, reaching hundreds of children, families, and students. Through interactive workshops, the students taught Jordan High School athletes and young children at Little Scholars Daycare about healthy eating habits and the importance of balanced nutrition.
Service initiatives have played a major role in the project’s impact. The team organized fundraising and food-drive events, including a neighborhood bake sale that raised more than $400 and food drives that collected enough donations to provide approximately 145 meals. Students also conducted door-to-door outreach to spread awareness and encourage community participation.
The group partnered with organizations including Thrive4Youth, UNICEF and Ballard House Hospice to deliver nutrition education and volunteer service. While volunteering at Ballard House, which provides housing and support for hospice patients and their families, students prepared and served breakfast to residents and staff, highlighting the importance of nutritious meals during difficult times.
Hands-on educational programming has been central to their outreach efforts, featuring mock grocery markets, nutrition workshops, youth sports outreach, and post-event learning assessments designed to measure engagement and understanding.
The students continue expanding their impact through ongoing initiatives, including a community basketball tournament and a recently completed educational nutrition workshop for children at Shafer Elementary School, where they provided interactive learning activities focused on healthy eating and nutrition awareness.
Their work comes at a critical time. In Houston, approximately two in five households experience food insecurity, and as of 2023, the child food insecurity rate in Harris County was about 25 percent, affecting more than 306,000 children. Through education and community engagement, the students hope to increase awareness and inspire solutions to this growing issue.
To further broaden their reach, the group launched a digital awareness campaign through Instagram, TikTok, a dedicated website, and a yearbook feature, generating more than 17,000 views and reaching over 3,000 readers.
Through C.U.R.E., the Jordan High School students aim to continue empowering the community with knowledge and resources while advocating for healthier futures for children throughout the Houston area.
More information about the initiative can be found on the group’s website.
