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McGovern Mini Market wins Heart of Nutrition Award

By Roman Petrowski, McGovern Communications
Members of various student food pantries across Texas receive the Heart of Nutrition Awards from the American Heart Association

Student food pantries at McGovern Medical School and UTHealth Houston School of Public Health earned the Heart of Nutrition Award.

Caitlin McAfee, senior program manager in the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs at McGovern Medical School and assistant director of wellbeing programs at UTHealth Houston, was awarded the Heart of Nutrition Award for her work with the American Heart Association’s College Pantry Collective.

The College Pantry Collective connects higher education institutions, community partners, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen access to nutritious foods and address food insecurity among students at higher education institutions.

“Receiving the Heart of Nutrition Award is incredibly meaningful because it reflects the power of collaboration across higher education and community partners,” McAfee said. “Through the College Pantry Collective, institutions are intentionally supporting one another, sharing knowledge, problem-solving, and strengthening our individual campus efforts so we can better serve our students.”

In January, McAfee helped open The Mini Market, a student food pantry that offers a variety of nonperishable food items and hygiene products at no cost to medical students. The market was established after the Organization of Student Representatives and the McGovern Student Senate identified food insecurity as a growing concern among medical students and proposed the creation of an on-campus pantry. Their advocacy led to the launch of the student-run initiative, designed to ensure that all McGovern Medical School students have access to essential items.

Gretchen Walton, JD, MPH, associate professor, and Sara Grace Chan, graduate teaching assistant — both in the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health — also won the Heart of Nutrition Award for their work with The Cupboard at the School of Public Health.

“At UTHealth Houston and McGovern Medical School, this work is deeply connected to our commitment to student health and wellness,” McAfee said. “I’m especially proud to contribute to a shared vision that recognizes food security as foundational to academic success and long-term well-being.”