Heather Street

Heather Street graduated from the University of Georgia with degrees in cellular biology and women’s studies. During her time at UGA, Heather cultivated her passion for social justice by organizing around maternal and child health with the grassroots global health organization Partners in Health Engage. She discovered the urgency of food equity as a pillar of social justice while taking a women’s studies service-learning class that confronted the intersections among food, gender, race, and class. Inspired to make a greater impact, Heather continued to live in Athens, Georgia, and served as a Senior Hunger AmeriCorps VISTA at the Athens Community Council on Aging where she worked with several programs to distribute fresh and commodity foods to vulnerable older adults in her community.

Field placement: Houston Food Bank

Houston, Texas

Heather Street completed her field work at the Houston Food Bank by collaborating with the Advocacy Team to further the Houston Food Bank’s vision of “a world without food banks”. Working both within the organization and with community stakeholders, she promoted storytelling as a tool to empower individuals in poverty and motivate people in power to uplift and center communities in need. Heather’s work in Houston directly supported local efforts to create positive social change in the fight to end poverty.

Policy placement: Duke University’s World Food Policy Center

Washington, D.C.

At the Duke University World Food Policy Center, Heather completed a research project that illuminated the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the emergency food system. Her research included interviews with emergency food providers from around the country and resulted in a report that detailed the needs, barriers, actions, and successes along with recommendations for moving from a charity to justice model in emergency food system work.

Publications