Putting it Together: Public Health Nutrition

By: Camryn Phinney

Nutrition & Dietetics M.S. Student

South Dakota State University

Leaning into My Community 

What draws people to make connections and get to know their community? For many, it’s having a sense of home and getting to know those who live with you. I grew up in Milbank, SD which is a town that takes great pride in supporting its community like many other places in South Dakota. I participated in many activities during high school but my most valuable experiences before leaving for college came from working at the local grocery store. I gained many experiences and was exposed to countless situations with food and nutrition at the focus. I learned how to navigate food programs like WIC and SNAP from the customer service view. I was asked countless questions about food safety, food storage, and nutrition which required me to become familiar with food labels and packaging.

Most challenging of all, I was asked to help customers find substitute food options for the items they needed if none were available. 

Food insecurity is an issue that is not solved overnight, and people struggle with it in many ways. I remember the community’s rush to prepare, and the panic some felt, when a large blizzard was approaching. The groceries would disappear fast with people buying a week’s worth of food to stock up. They chose items that wouldn’t spoil if the power went out and items that would last if they were stuck in their house 30 minutes from the nearest town. During the 2020 pandemic, I worked many hours as a high schooler, often covering shifts for those who were sick or at high risk if they contracted COVID. Many members of my community stayed home which meant buying more food to cook, eat and support themselves and their families.

Everyone had their own challenges, but the infant formula shortage was the most concerning to me. Parents who depended on formula and infants who needed it to grow and stay healthy were at a loss even if they had support through WIC. After seeing our shelf was empty, one mother asked if we had more in storage and when I explained we were out due to the shortage, she asked where the nearest Walmart was. Unfortunately, it was about 45 minutes to 1 hour away and she was without a reliable vehicle. 

Community members stepped up by making supply runs whenever resources were found. The school and local businesses helped with meal support or other programs, and people shared knowledge and pandemic life hacks with one another. Moments like those showed me how important it was for a community to be prepared, supportive, and well connected. 

Building Nutrition Competency

I began attendance at South Dakota State University and eventually found my way to majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics. The classes I have taken support my goal of being a diverse individual. I learned about human biology, medical nutrition therapies, food science, foodservice, management, counseling, community programming and many more. I also worked for SDSU Housing and Residential Life as a Community Assistant, guiding first‑year students to campus resources, helping them adjust to college life, and setting standards for a safe and inclusive living environment in the residence halls. Common issues among college students included stretching their meal plans, finding healthy food options on campus, and helping those with food allergies or intolerances identify safe and available choices. I was happy that my connections and education allowed me to navigate resources to provide campus relevant nutrition education.

Jack’s Cupboard, the university’s student food pantry, became a valuable commitment during my last year in Brookings. Student needs have continuously increased year after year making Jack’s Cupboard an indispensable resource. The drive to connect with people, provide meals for hungry students, and truly listen to the people we support is what motivates the volunteers and donors behind the student food pantry.

The cultural diversity of the pantry’s students makes volunteering an eye-opening experience. I learned so much about different recipes, dietary patterns, and the value of food beyond simple consumption. I was also grateful that my education allowed me to start helping people before I graduated.

Learning Nutrition Policy & Advocacy

Now, I am traveling across South Dakota, interning at many locations that focus on community, clinical and foodservice nutrition. The last few weeks I have worked under Jennifer Folliard at Health + Nutrition First and have started building skills focusing on nutrition policy and advocacy. I have learned that developing and supporting this work means helping many people on a large scale and is a key part in creating change for those struggling.

Last year I completed a survey and focus group for the South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative (SDHNC) Food Landscape Assessment. Now I have been reading the results of that assessment that focus on the needs of the South Dakota population. The data has been both surprising and humbling, revealing gaps and challenges that are far more widespread than I realized. I connected most with the content bridging the beliefs of food systems partners and community members together as I have seen both sides.

The figures from the SDHNC Food Landscape Assessment highlight the disconnect between perception and reality. Figure 7 shows that food system partners ranked food cost as the most pressing issue, while Figure 17 reveals that community members face barriers such as storage, variety of choice and affordability far more often than partners anticipated. It’s clear that many communities are facing barriers that require coordinated, long‑term solutions made achievable through nutrition policy and advocacy.

I’m grateful for every experience I’ve had, yet this internship has given me the opportunity to truly use my skills and draw on my background in a deeper way.