The Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme (SHCP) is a national initiative that supports people living in areas of social and economic disadvantage to improve their health and wellbeing. The programme takes a community-led, preventative approach to addressing health inequalities. SCHP works in partnership with the HSE, local authorities, community groups, and voluntary organisations to provide practical, accessible supports in response to local needs. DLDC is one community partner in Co. Donegal, delivering the Community Food & Nutrition and Healthy Food Made Easy strands of the programme in the Donegal Gaeltacht.

Community Food & Nutrition 

DLDC’s Community Food & Nutrition work supports individuals, families and communities to build the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to eat well, within real-life budgets and circumstances. The programme focuses on food security, healthy eating, food budgeting, cooking skills, food waste prevention and food safety, while recognising the additional challenges faced in rural and Gaeltacht areas such as access, transport and cost. Activities are delivered through community centres, family resource centres, food banks and other local settings, and are designed to be inclusive, practical and non-judgemental, with strong links to wraparound supports.

Healthy Food Made Easy

Healthy Food Made Easy (HFME) is a six-week, evidence-based cooking and nutrition programme delivered as part of the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme. It supports participants to prepare simple, affordable and nutritious meals, improve confidence in the kitchen, and develop practical skills such as meal planning, label reading and healthy shopping on a budget. HFME is highly interactive and group-based, helping to build social connection as well as food skills, and is particularly suited to people experiencing food insecurity or health inequalities. The programme is delivered locally by trained facilitators and adapted to reflect the needs and food realities of communities across Donegal.