We’re grateful to the University of Houston-Downtown for standing with Avenue to bring healthier food access to Houston families. This kind of collaboration doesn’t happen overnight. It takes trust, consistency, and shared belief that communities thrive when basic needs are met.
We spoke with Gabriel Durham, Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning at UHD. He talks honestly about why UHD supports this work and what food security looks like when rooted in community, not charity.
Meeting People Where They Live
In Houston’s Greater Northside, nearly 40% of households face food insecurity—close to three times the national average. For families on limited incomes, a monthly pop-up pantry isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s the difference between paying rent and going without.
So Avenue started showing up where residents already were: at their own front doors. Monthly distributions at Avenue Station, Avenue Terrace, and Avenue on 34th removed the transportation and scheduling barriers that keep food out of reach.
Then something unexpected happened. Neighbors began looking out for each other.
One resident, Helana, travels between two sites each month—and when her neighbors can’t make it, she shops for them and delivers the food herself. [Watch Helana’s story: video]
Another resident told staff the groceries freed up money for other bills. That conversation opened a door to wider support through Wesley Community Center.
Building Trust, Not Just Attendance
What sets this work apart is the listening. After each distribution, residents can scan a QR code, text a reply, or talk to staff directly. Response rates more than doubled over the grant period—and with that trust came honest requests: diabetic-friendly options, vegetarian choices, foods that fit real diets. Residents weren’t receiving a service. They were shaping it.
The road wasn’t smooth. Grocery prices climbed, so the pantry budget grew to keep service steady. The newest site took months of patient outreach before turnout began to grow.
What Comes Next
The need hasn’t gone away. Families keep returning, month after month, because consistency is what makes a difference. With continued support, Avenue plans to add evening and weekend hours for working residents, expand to more properties, and stock more of the diet-specific foods residents have asked for.
That’s what UHD’s investment recognized: not a quick fix, but a relationship worth sustaining.
Thank you, UHD CCESL, for believing that when we feed our communities, we invest in their future.