The Carolinas Collaborative (CC) is a coordinated pediatric health expert collaborative, providing an infrastructure of innovation, training, research and advocacy best practices, to drive scalable child public health solutions within the eight pediatric residency programs in North and South Carolina. The CC focuses on resident training and education, professional engagement, and community collaboration. Across these programs, over 550 residents and fellows are trained each year. The clinics affiliated with these programs see over 150,000 visits per year. Collectively, they provide a powerful opportunity for improved clinical care and resident training, as well as shaping innovative developments in the broader field of pediatrics.

Since 2016, the CC has focused thus far on three core areas: toxic stress, food insecurity, and relational health. The CC’s work on food insecurity provides a novel example of the value of this model as well as opportunities for other communities to consider. This paper focuses on the Collaborative’s work on food insecurity, sharing approach, impacts, and lessons learned for the field.