[Durham INC] Oxendine Becomes Durham County’s First Food Security Coordinator

[Jones, Henry R.]

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                              Date: 07/01/21
Contact: Public Information Office              Phone: (919) 560-0000/Fax: (919) 560-0020
E-mail: publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov<mailto:publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov>

Oxendine Becomes Durham County’s First Food Security Coordinator



Durham, N.C. – In June 2020, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Durham Board of County Commissioners approved the creation of the County’s first food security coordinator position. Funding for the position, created by the Board with community input and support, was approved by the Board soon after. The BOCC approved additional operating funding in the spring of 2021 and shortly after that approval, Mary Oxendine was introduced as the hire for the newly created position.

The food security coordinator is responsible for driving county- and community-wide efforts focusing on improving food access and supporting sound food policy initiatives and practices in Durham County. The position was made possible using funding available for an existing but vacant county position. The idea for food security coordinator role was amplified during the current COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal to build a resilient food system and increase food access for residents who need food assistance in Durham County.

Leading the way with cultural humility and inclusive approaches, Oxendine said she is excited to partner with local organizations, individuals, and government agencies to create lasting change regarding food security in Durham County.

“Using a human-centered design process, I am developing strong relationships with internal and external partners to deeply understand the issues individuals and families face,” said Oxendine. “I plan to work with the community to identify, develop, and support strategies that lead to a more equitable, sustainable food system for Durham County.”

This countywide role is housed in Durham County Cooperative Extension, a department of Durham County Government in partnership with North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T Universities.

“We are excited for Mary to join Durham County in supporting our organization and community to help us work together to address the long-term and systemic issues around food insecurity for our residents with a caring, collaborative, and thoughtful approach,” said Donna Rewalt, County Extension Director and co-lead of the Durham County COVID-19 Food Security Task Force.

Oxendine is a North Carolina native and a member of the Lumbee and Tuscarora tribes. She has over 12 years of experience planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion and disease prevention programs. She has expertise in qualitative research methods, as well as managing large scale, multi-year, complex projects with budgets up to $3.5 million. Oxendine has studied food insecurity in low-income and Latino communities and supported the Congressionally appointed National Commission on Hunger.

She also brings lived experience with food insecurity, having grown up with a single mother and experienced the impacts of generational poverty. Oxendine has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from UNC-Chapel Hill and is currently completing a Master of Science in Nutrition at Meredith College.

For more information on Durham County Cooperative Extension, contact Christa Gibson, Community Outreach Coordinator at cgibson at dconc.gov<mailto:cgibson at dconc.gov> or 919-560-0538. Oxendine can be reached at moxendine at dconc.gov<mailto:moxendine at dconc.gov> or 984-227-0053.


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