The Food Environment Electronic Database Directory (FEED) is intended to connect food environment researchers to data sources for use in addressing inequities through a focus on communities with limited food access or ongoing food insecurity. FEED was developed and maintained by the Drexel Urban Health Collaborative in partnership with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH), with support from the Mid‐Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center (MAR‐PHTC). 

The Drexel Urban Health Collaborative 

The mission of the Drexel Urban Health Collaborative (UHC) at the Dornsife School of Public Health is to improve health in cities by increasing scientific knowledge and public awareness of urban health challenges and opportunities, and by identifying and promoting actions and policies that improve population health and reduce health inequities. Through three areas of emphasis, research and data, training, and community and policy engagement, the UHC works to advance knowledge, build capacity, and translate knowledge into community and policy actions to improve urban health in Philadelphia and in cities all over the world.

The New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) protects and promotes the health of 8 million New Yorkers, and is one of the nation’s largest, and oldest public health agencies with more than 200 years of leadership in the field. Researchers from NYCDOHMH have previously partnered with the UHC to offer decision support around food environment measurement, resulting in the preparation and submission of a guide and glossary for planning food environment measurement in public health.

To further disseminate this information, NYCDOHMH partnered with the Drexel UHC to create an online resource to guide the selection of data sources and the operationalization of food environment measures. Sustaining this collaboration, plus building on and refreshing these resources will support surveillance and intervention planning in urban communities. Making this information to local health departments has the potential to support their work addressing inequities through a focus on communities with limited food access or ongoing food insecurity

The Mid‐Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center

The Mid‐Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center (MAR‐PHTC) offers experiential learning opportunities (EXPO) for students of public health focused on eliminating health disparities. The MAR‐PHTC is one of 10 regional public health training centers supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The mission of the MAR‐PHTC is to “increase the number of the individuals in the public health workforce, enhance the quality of the public health workforce, and improve the ability of the public health workforce to meet national, state, and local health care needs.”

Funding

This project is supported by the National Institute of Aging (grant R56AG049970), the Urban Health Collaborative at Drexel University, and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 1UB6HP31689‐01‐00 “Public Health Training Centers” for $3,699,596. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.