Food insecurity is a complex challenge requiring collaboration across multiple sectors to develop sustainable solutions. The Interprofessional Internship Program is doing just that through the Hometown Food Security Project (HFSP)—a multi-agency initiative uniting the University of Minnesota, Mower County, Mayo Clinic Health System, and Hormel Corporation. This groundbreaking partnership exemplifies how health systems, public agencies, and private industry can work together toward a common goal: ensuring food security for Mower County residents.

A Multi-Faceted Approach to Food Insecurity

Unlike traditional internship projects, HFSP does not focus solely on one community partner. Instead, stakeholders from different sectors—public health, health care, and private industry—have joined forces to assess and address food insecurity in the region.

Initially, the intern team worked closely with Mayo Clinic Health System to examine how health care providers identify food-insecure patients and connect them with resources using a digital platform. The second phase transitioned to Hormel Corporation, where student interns conducted a community needs assessment to evaluate gaps in food accessibility.

“It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, both personally and professionally to be part of the interprofessional internship program. The interns brought exceptional talent, fresh perspectives and a strong desire to connect with issues that affect our patients and community. Their dedication and passion reflected the value of collaborative learning and service. Personally, it was inspirational to work with the interns, absorb their enthusiasm and support their journey as they take the next step in their careers,” said Sara Lee, MPA, community relations manager at Mayo Clinic.

Impact Through Interprofessional Collaboration

Interns Martha DeMeules, a medical student, and Jasmine Zaidi, a pharmacy student, played a crucial role in expanding HFSP’s reach. Their efforts led to an impactful partnership with Packer Pantry at Austin High School, where they collaborated on improving food sourcing, implementing an online ordering system, and developing student programming. This hands-on experience highlighted the importance of leveraging community resources, as many passionate individuals are already working to combat food insecurity in Mower County.

Reflecting on their experience, DeMeules and Zaidi emphasized how the internship reinforced their commitment to community-based work and interprofessional collaboration. 

"This program has inspired us to become more involved with community-based projects in our future careers," they shared. "It has also solidified our commitment to interprofessional work. We feel lucky to have had the opportunity as two peers in different training programs to work together on a common project."

They anticipate applying these skills in their future careers, recognizing the value of working across disciplines to address social determinants of health. 

"Looking towards the future, we anticipate this experience will benefit our interprofessional experiences within a medical care team. It has been fun and enlightening to learn from each other while making meaningful contributions to a project as impactful as the HFSP," they added.

A Model for System-Wide Change

One of the project’s key takeaways is the power of working across systems to achieve a shared goal. Friedrich highlighted how partnerships like these demonstrate the impact that can be made when agencies break out of their silos and coordinate efforts. For the interns, it was an opportunity to learn directly from community leaders and make meaningful contributions to a well-established initiative.

“Working with Martha and Jasmine has shown me the incredible impact interns can have in advancing our mission in striving towards a food secure hometown. Their curiosity, dedication and innovative contributions have been a pivotal driving factor that reinforces the importance of interprofessional collaboration,” said Gema Alvarado-Guerrero, MSW, LGSW, CFSW, workforce wellness facilitator at Hormel.

Looking ahead, HFSP plans to continue integrating interprofessional student teams to expand its impact. Future directions may include further assessing barriers to food shelf accessibility, exploring additional locations for food distribution, and incorporating family perspectives through direct engagement.

The Hometown Food Security Project serves as a model for interprofessional and inter-agency collaboration. By bridging health care, public health, and private industry, it is making strides in addressing food insecurity in Mower County. As the initiative continues, it reinforces a powerful message: when organizations align their efforts, they can drive meaningful and sustainable change in the communities they serve.