National Public Health Archives - Sustainable Food Center

Growing Community Leadership Through Houston THK/LCA Graduation

Michelle Segura — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 23:03:43 +0000

Sixteen participants complete third six-week nutrition education cohort in Houston

HOUSTON, TEXAS — Sustainable Food Center (SFC) marked a milestone on August 20 with the graduation of the third Houston cohort of The Happy Kitchen / La Cocina Alegre (THK/LCA), continuing the program’s expansion beyond Central Texas. Sixteen participants completed six weeks of hands-on cooking and nutrition education through virtual classes before gathering in person for their final class and graduation celebration, where they shared a meal, received certificates, and took home cooking kits.

Since launching in Houston in February 2026 as a free, peer-led, bilingual class series, THK/LCA has been led by trained facilitators from Sustainable Food Center’s established Central Texas program. Many of these facilitators are THK/LCA graduates and traveled to Houston to help launch the city’s first cohorts. With three cohorts now complete, a growing number of participants are positioned to become local facilitators, helping expand THK/LCA’s reach across Houston.

Houston’s expansion has been supported by a network of 24 Spanish-speaking, 8 bilingual, and 11 English-speaking THK/LCA facilitators. Organizers plan to train additional graduates as facilitators, further expanding the network and building a sustainable model that will allow THK/LCA to reach more communities across Houston.

The graduates’ experiences illustrate the program’s reach. Dolores, who joined through Cities for Better Health Houston, brought her sister, granddaughters, and friends from her church into the class alongside her.

"We got involved through Cities for Better Health Houston. I invited my sister, my granddaughters, and a couple of people from church to join us, and we've really enjoyed all the classes," Dolores said. "I'm looking forward to using some of the menus, getting my cookbook organized for the holidays, and maybe even growing some plants."

Another graduate, Gloria Jackson, said meeting the program’s facilitators in person for the first time at graduation, after six weeks of virtual classes, added a new dimension to the experience.

"It was one thing to participate in Zoom, but being face-to-face with the people who created the recipes, prepared the food, and showed us the process was amazing," Gloria said. "I'm not someone who usually cooks, but they give you options for making better choices with the food you eat. I've learned that information is power."

A third participant, Chef Nettie, viewed the class through a generational lens, seeing it as an opportunity to help younger children in her community build a healthier relationship with food before habits take hold.

"It's very educational, and I believe it's something we need in our community, especially to teach our children how to eat healthier so they can grow up healthier and stay healthy throughout their lives," Chef Nettie said. "The entire program and educational experience are excellent and very much needed today."

Community partners echoed that sense of urgency. Dr. Maricela Cáceres, Program Manager for Cities for Better Health Houston, described THK/LCA as a unique and much-needed resource in the local nutrition education landscape.

"We're incredibly excited about this program! "Its comprehensive 6 weeks adult education model fills a unique gap that standard nutrition programs don't address", Dr. Cáceres said. "The Cities for Better Health Houston Faith Health Leadership cohort found a very valuable resource in The Happy Kitchen / La Cocina Alegre, and we're grateful to the Seventh-day Adventist Church for connecting us with Sustainable Food Center. We look forward to continuing to promote the program and helping expand its reach across Houston”

That community-led approach gives the program its lasting impact, building a growing network of facilitators and community advocates who can carry THK/LCA forward in their own neighborhoods while expanding access to nutrition education across Houston.

Help us spread these stories. For media requests and inquiries, email msegura@sustainablefoodcenter.org

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Sustainable Food Center Celebrates First Houston Graduation of The Happy Kitchen

Michelle Segura — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:03:43 +0000

SFC's nutrition education program marks a milestone in its first expansion beyond Central Texas

HOUSTON, Texas — Sustainable Food Center (SFC) celebrated the graduation of the first Houston cohort of The Happy Kitchen / La Cocina Alegre (THK/LCA), marking a milestone in the nutrition education program’s first expansion beyond Central Texas. At an event in Central Houston, 16 participants received certificates after completing the inaugural six-week class series. Graduates marked the occasion with a shared meal featuring a recipe they prepared together during their final class.

"In the very first class, I realized that this was exactly what I needed. I was an immigrant adapting to a different culture and wanted to feed my young child in a healthy way."

Claudia Peña, THK Facilitator

SFC launched THK/LCA in Houston in April. The free nutrition education program teaches participants how to prepare affordable, nutritious meals using local and seasonal ingredients. Offered in both English and Spanish, THK/LCA uses a peer-facilitated model. Instructors are hired from the communities they serve, and many are former graduates themselves.

According to a 2025 report from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research analyzing a 2024 survey of Houston and Harris County residents, 39% of households experienced moderate or high food insecurity, compared with 14% nationally. Rates were highest among Black (53%) and Hispanic (47%) residents and among households earning less than $35,000 annually (59%).

“Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country, with more than 145 languages spoken and a food culture that reflects cuisines from around the world,” said Vanessa Beltran, SFC Education Director. “By establishing a presence in Houston, we’re creating a training hub that will help us support new replication partners throughout the region.”

For Beltran, the mission behind THK/LCA is personal. Her own path to the program began as a college sophomore in Austin, when she enrolled in a class and prepared her first recipe, a smoky quinoa black bean salad.

"It combined the two things I loved: serving people and cooking," Beltran said. "It was a moment when something clicked."

Vanessa Beltran, SFC Education Director

The Houston expansion builds on nearly three decades of experience in Central Texas, where THK/LCA began in Austin. Peña has led classes there since taking her first course in 1999.

“Simply put, this program is part of our family’s life,” Peña said. Reflecting on her years of community cooking experience, Peña said the exchange with participants goes both ways. “Talking with people from so many different countries, I learn from them,” Peña said. “They say, ‘You’re the teacher,’ but I say, ‘I’m learning.'” As the program grows in Houston, Peña and other experienced facilitators are helping train a new generation of local instructors.

Help us spread these stories. For media requests and inquiries, email msegura@sustainablefoodcenter.org

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Sustainable Food Center’s Education Director Selected by Johns Hopkins for National Public Health Fellowship

Michelle Segura — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:03:43 +0000

Vanessa Beltrán is one of 10 people nationwide chosen for the doctoral track; will use training to expand SFC’s nutrition and food-access programs across Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Vanessa Beltrán, Director of Education at Sustainable Food Center (SFC), has been selected for a fully funded Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) fellowship through the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is one of 10 fellows chosen nationwide for the doctoral program this year.

Beltrán was selected for the Initiative’s Food Systems for Health track, one of five focus areas designed to address major public health challenges.

“My purpose is to help people turn towards one another in care, through community-centered programs, I work to strengthen food systems, improve nutrition security, and empower people to make informed food choices. This fellowship will help me expand the impact of culinary nutrition interventions while generating evidence that can inform public health practice and policy.”

Vanessa Beltran, SFC Education Director

At SFC, Beltrán leads The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre®, a free bilingual culinary nutrition program that has expanded from 20 to more than 60 class series annually. The program now reaches over 1,100 participants across Central, West, and East Texas through a network of 90 peer facilitators.

She also oversees nutrition education for Double Up Food Bucks, Texas, which increases access to fresh fruits and vegetables by matching SNAP benefits.

The Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Bloomberg School trains public health leaders and supports research, partnerships, and policy change to help more Americans live longer, healthier lives.

The fellowship program reflects the Initiative’s commitment to supporting leaders addressing urgent public health challenges in their communities. As Bloomberg American Health Initiative Director Josh Sharfstein noted in a news release, the fellowship is designed to help participants deepen and expand their impact.

Vanessa Beltran MDiv, MPH, RDN, LD

Vanessa is a registered dietitian, public health practitioner, and educator whose work centers on food access, culinary nutrition education, and health equity. She has practiced across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings — including community health centers, a teaching hospital, and a long-term care facility — and has taught culinary nutrition classes for organizations serving youth, families, and older adults across Texas.

As Education Director at SFC, Beltrán supervises a bilingual team, directs curriculum development through community co-creation, and guides the program’s replication partner network statewide. She brings a background in clinical dietetics, community-based nutrition education, and adaptive leadership, including teaching experience at the University of Texas at Austin and Harvard, and consulting with health and social sector organizations navigating complex change. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and a Master of Divinity in Religion, Ethics, and Politics of Health Equity from Harvard Divinity School. Beltrán is currently a DrPH student and Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow in Food Systems for Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Help us spread these stories. For media requests and inquiries, email msegura@sustainablefoodcenter.org

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