Researchers created and tested a series of community workshops designed to help mothers and children who struggle to afford enough food. The workshops covered important topics like nutrition, child development, safety, and responsive parenting. When 87 adults and 39 children attended these 17 pilot workshops, participants significantly increased their knowledge about caring for their families. About 95% of attendees said they would use what they learned. While the program faced some challenges like getting the word out and helping people attend, the workshops proved to be a promising way to support families in underserved communities who face food insecurity.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether community-run workshops can help mothers and children who don’t have reliable access to enough food by teaching them about nutrition, child development, safety, and parenting skills.
  • Who participated: 87 adults and 39 children from underserved communities who were at risk for food insecurity. These were real community members who attended 17 different workshops held in their neighborhoods.
  • Key finding: Participants showed significant increases in their knowledge about caring for their families after attending the workshops, with 95% saying they would likely use what they learned in their daily lives.
  • What it means for you: If you’re struggling to feed your family or want to learn better parenting and nutrition skills, community workshops like these may help you gain practical knowledge and connect with resources. However, this was a small pilot program, so more testing is needed to confirm these benefits work widely.

The Research Details

This study had two main phases. In Phase One, community members worked together with researchers to design workshop topics based on five important areas: health, nutrition, early learning, safety, and responsive caregiving. These topics were chosen because they help families stay healthy and secure. In Phase Two, the researchers actually created and ran 17 workshops in the community, trained the people who would lead them, and spread the word to get people to attend.

The researchers used two different methods to understand what happened. They gave surveys to participants to measure things like whether people’s knowledge increased and whether they faced barriers to attending. They also interviewed the people who hosted the workshops to understand what worked well and what was difficult about running the program.

This approach is important because it combines what community members actually need with what researchers know works. By letting community members help design the workshops, the content became more relevant and culturally appropriate for the people it was meant to help. This makes it more likely that people will actually attend and use what they learn.

This was a pilot study, which means it was a small test run to see if the idea works before doing a bigger study. The sample size was modest (87 adults), so the results may not apply to everyone. The researchers used both surveys and interviews, which gives a more complete picture than using just one method. However, because this was a pilot with no comparison group, we can’t be completely certain the workshops alone caused the knowledge increases—other factors could have played a role.

What the Results Show

The research team successfully created eight different workshop topics covering all five important areas of family care. They ran 17 workshops total that reached 87 adults and 39 children. About 46% of the adults who attended reported being at risk for food insecurity, meaning they sometimes struggle to afford enough food for their families.

The most important finding was that participants’ knowledge increased significantly after attending the workshops. When asked to rate their own knowledge before and after, people reported learning more about the topics covered. Even more encouraging, 95% of participants said they would likely use what they learned at home with their families.

The workshops also provided practical benefits beyond just learning. They offered childcare on-site, which helped parents attend. They provided culturally appropriate information that made sense for the communities they served. Participants appreciated having a safe space to learn and connect with others facing similar challenges.

The research identified what made the workshops successful and what got in the way. Successful factors included having content that matched the community’s culture and values, providing childcare so parents could attend, and having the workshops run by organizations that already cared about helping families. Barriers included difficulty reaching people to tell them about the workshops, challenges with attendance (like transportation or work schedules), and the fact that workshops alone couldn’t solve bigger problems like lack of access to actual food or services.

This research builds on earlier work showing that community-based education programs can help improve health and nutrition knowledge. What makes this study unique is that it involved community members in designing the workshops from the start, rather than researchers creating everything. This participatory approach appears to be more effective because it ensures the content matches what people actually need and value.

This was a small pilot study, so the results may not apply to all communities. There was no comparison group (like a group that didn’t attend workshops), so we can’t be completely sure the workshops caused the knowledge increases. The study relied on people’s self-reports of knowledge, which might be different from actual behavior change. The workshops were only tracked for a short time, so we don’t know if people kept using what they learned months or years later. Finally, the study didn’t measure whether the workshops actually helped reduce food insecurity—only whether people learned more.

The Bottom Line

Community workshops appear to be a promising way to help families learn about nutrition, child development, and parenting (moderate confidence level). If your community offers similar workshops, attending could help you gain practical knowledge. However, workshops alone won’t solve food insecurity—they work best when combined with access to actual food assistance programs and other community resources. Talk to your local health department or community center about what programs are available in your area.

This research is most relevant for families struggling with food insecurity, community health workers, and organizations that serve low-income families. It’s also important for policymakers deciding how to support maternal and child health in underserved communities. If you’re a parent wanting to improve your nutrition knowledge or parenting skills, these types of workshops could be helpful. However, if you’re in crisis and need immediate food assistance, you should also connect with emergency food programs.

Based on this study, participants showed knowledge increases after attending individual workshops, which typically lasted a few hours. However, the research didn’t track whether people maintained these changes over time. Realistically, you might see immediate knowledge gains, but lasting behavior change usually takes weeks to months of practice and reinforcement.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track workshop attendance and topics covered. After each workshop, rate your confidence in applying what you learned on a scale of 1-10. Also note specific skills or information you plan to use (for example: ‘Will try new recipe from nutrition workshop’ or ‘Will use bedtime routine tips from parenting workshop’).
  • Use the app to set reminders to practice one skill from each workshop you attend. For example, if you learned about healthy snacks, set a weekly reminder to try one new healthy snack option. Share your progress with family members or friends who also attended the workshops.
  • Create a ‘Workshop Learning Log’ in the app where you record: (1) which workshop you attended, (2) the main topic, (3) one thing you learned, and (4) how you used it in the past week. Review this log monthly to see patterns in what you’re learning and applying. This helps you stay accountable and see your progress over time.

This research describes a pilot program and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, nutritional, or mental health advice. If you or your family are experiencing food insecurity, please contact your local food bank, SNAP office, or community health center for immediate assistance. Workshop attendance may increase knowledge, but individual results vary. Always consult with healthcare providers about specific health or nutrition concerns for you or your children. This study was small and preliminary; larger research is needed to confirm these findings apply broadly.