Igama lami ngingu-Abby Zarate, futhi ngiyi-University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) intern dietetic intern. Ngize eGalveston Country Food Bank ukuze ngijikelezise umphakathi. Ukujikeleza kwami ​​kwakungamasonto amane ngoMashi no-April. Ngesikhathi sami ngihamba ngiyosebenza ezinhlelweni ezehlukene zemfundo kanye nezengeza. Ngisebenzise ikharikhulamu esekelwe ebufakazini njenge-Color Me Healthy, Organwise Guys, kanye ne-MyPlate My Family kumaphrojekthi we-SNAP-ED, i-Farmers Market kanye ne-Corner Store. Enye iphrojekthi engisebenze kuyo i-Homebound Nutritional Outreach Programme eyasekelwa i-Senior Hunger Grant Initiative. I-Colour Me Healthy yayisetshenziselwa izingane ezineminyaka engu-4 kuya kweyesi-5. Uhlelo lwezifundo olusekelwe ebufakazini lugxile ekufundiseni izingane ngezithelo, imifino, kanye nokuvivinya umzimba ngombala, umculo, nezinzwa ezi-5. I-MyPlate Yomndeni Wami yayisetshenziselwa ukupheka imibukiso yabantu abadala kanye nezingane zesikole esiphakathi. Isifundo ngasinye saboniswa ngeresiphi ehambisanayo.

Ngenkathi sisebenza kuphrojekthi yesitolo esekhoneni, sathola ukusebenzisana nesitolo e-Galveston Island ukuze sithuthukise izinketho ezinempilo esitolo sabo. Umphathi wesitolo ukujabulele ukuthi size sizosiza ekuhlinzekeni ngezinketho ezinempilo futhi simfundise. Ukuze ngisize ngokumfundisa yena nabanye abanikazi bezitolo, ngenze umhlahlandlela wokubafundisa ukuthi yini okufanele bayibheke ekudleni okunempilo, indlela yokukhulisa ukuhlelwa kwezitolo zabo, nokuthi yiziphi izinhlelo zenhlangano abangazamukela ngezindinganiso ezithile.

Kula maviki amane, ngifunde okuningi mayelana nendlela i-GCFB exhumana ngayo nemiphakathi ezungezile kanye nenani lomzamo owenziwe ukuhlinzeka ngezinketho ezinempilo kanye nemfundo yokudla okunomsoco.

Phakathi namasonto ami okuqala ambalwa, ngangibheka futhi ngisize ngemfundo yezokudla kanye namakilasi okupheka. Ngingakha amakhadi eresiphi, amalebula amaqiniso omsoco, futhi ngakhe imisebenzi yamakilasi. Kamuva ekujikelezeni kwami, ngasiza ekudaleni amavidiyo eresiphi. Futhi, ngizihlelele isiteshi se-YouTube se-GCFB. Phakathi naso sonke isikhathi sami, ngenza ama-handouts ngezinjongo zokufundisa.

Lapho ngisebenza kuHlelo Olukhulu Lwendlala, ngahlola amabhokisi enziwe ngokwezokwelapha nge-Ale Nutrition Educator, MS. Lokhu kwakuthakazelisa ukubona indlela ababewakha ngayo amabhokisi ngokusekelwe ekudleni okuvamile kanye nokudla oku-odwe ngokukhethekile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, siqhathanise amanani okudla okunempilo anconyelwe isimo sesifo somsoco.

Ngesonto lami lesithathu, ngathola ukuklama umsebenzi wabazali ekilasini lethu lakusihlwa. Ngidale igeyimu ye-MyPlate-themed Scattergories. Kuleli sonto ngiphinde ngathola ukuya eGalveston's Own Farmers Market nebhange lokudla. Sibonise izindlela zokuphepha kokudla kanye namakhono ommese. Iresiphi yeviki 'yemfunzi kagalikhi inyakazisa gazinga.' Imifino eminingi eyasetshenziswa esitsheni yayivela emakethe yomlimi ngalolo suku. Sibe nomhlangano no-Seeding Galveston futhi sabona umbono wabo ngekusasa nokuthi bafuna ukuzibandakanya kanjani nomphakathi. Uhlelo lwabo lunikeza imifino nezitshalo ezimangalisayo abantu abangazithenga masonto onke. Mina nabanye abafunda e-UTMB sakwazi ukuya ekilasini lokupheka laseKorea. Lo mcimbi wawumangalisa futhi wavula amehlo ami e-Korean cuisine namasiko.

Ngesonto lami lokugcina, ngathola ukuhola ikilasi esikoleni samabanga aphansi. Ukuze ngifundise ikilasi ngasebenzisa ikharikhulamu esekelwe ebufakazini ethi Organwise Guys. I-Organwise Guys igxile ezinganeni ezifunda amabanga aphansi futhi izifundise ukudla okunempilo, ukuphuza amanzi nokuzivocavoca. Lolu hlelo lukhombisa ukuthi zonke izitho emizimbeni yethu zisisiza kanjani ukuthi sihlale sinempilo futhi sisebenza, nokuthi singazigcina kanjani ziphilile. Ngifundise esontweni lokuqala, kuleli sonto ngigxile ekufundeni ngesitho ngasinye nokuthi sinomthelela kanjani emzimbeni. Umsebenzi engiwudalile ukuthi izingane zikhethe isitho ezithandayo kubafana be-Organwise. Lapho sebekhethe isitho abasithandayo, kwadingeka babhale iqiniso elithakazelisayo nento entsha abayifunda ngesitho. Okulandelayo, kufanele babelane nekilasi ulwazi lwabo lwe-Organwise Guy futhi baluyise ekhaya ukuze batshele abazali babo.

Sekukonke, abasebenzi bokudla okunempilo basebenza kanzima ukwenza ukuphila okunempilo kujabulise futhi kujabulise ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Kube yintokozo nenjabulo ukusebenza neqembu elimangalisayo elinakekela umphakathi waseGalveston County.