Healthy Food Access Policy JOHN WEIDMAN THE FOOD TRUST

Healthy Food Access Policy JOHN WEIDMAN THE FOOD TRUST

Making the Case

Making the Case for Healthy Food Access The Grocery Gap: Who Has Access to Healthy Food and Why It Matters Authors: The Food Trust and PolicyLink 2013 update to the 2010 document 172 new studies examined

Summary of Findings: The Grocery Gap (2013) Accessing healthy food is a challenge for many families Particularly those living in low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and rural areas Living closer to healthy food retail is associated with: Better eating habits Decreased risk for obesity Decreased risk for diet-related diseases Healthy food retail stimulates economic activity

Our Programs

The Food Trust Ensuring that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food Nonprofit organization Celebrating 20 th year Based in Philadelphia Also, projects in 32 states nationwide and Canada 115 staff Mission achieved by working to: Increase access to healthy foods Make nutritious foods affordable Promote healthy food choices and good nutrition Advocate for better food policies.

Our Core Programs School* programs (*includes daycares, preschools, rec centers, summer camps, and community organizations) Nutrition policies, food procurement, and menu planning Nutrition education (children, caregivers, adults) Farm-to-school & school gardens Youth engagement Healthy corner stores Supermarket campaigns Farmers markets Food celebration events / Night Markets Technical assistance

Our Work with Get Healthy Philly Philadelphia DPH 10 farmers markets Philly Food Bucks 650 healthy corner stores Work with SDP School food reforms Wellness councils Youth engagement After-school programs Healthier snacks and meals Increase physical activity

Our Philadelphia Programs

Healthy Food Financing Policies

Forging Stakeholder Partnerships Community Development Children s Advocates Grocery Industry Grocery Access Task Force Economic Development Government Public Health www.thefoodtrust.org

Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative Public-private partnership $120 million financing program that provides grants and loans to supermarkets and grocery stores Results 88 new or improved grocery stores approved for funding in underserved communities 1.67 million square feet of retail space 5,000 jobs created or retained 400,000 of the state s underserved residents reached $190 million total project costs resulting from $30 million in state seed money $540,000 increase in local tax revenue from a single store in Philadelphia Top 15 Innovations in American Government Harvard University s Kennedy School of Government, 2009

Supermarket Initiatives Program Highlights 88 projects $120 million dollars $190 million total investment 400,000 residents with access 5,000 jobs $540,000 tax revenue for 1 store We successfully used a similar task force process in 12 states. National FFFI modeled after our work in PA.

Federal Healthy Food Financing Initiative Supports development of new and existing grocery stores, coops, farmers markets, other healthy food retail, and other projects Provides grants, tax credits, and technical assistance to qualified applicants Focused on low-income, underserved urban and rural communities ( food deserts ) Federal government s first ever coordinated step to address food deserts Sponsored by the Obama Administration $77 Million awarded to CDFIs and CDCs $400 Million in NMTCs to CDEs

Healthy Food Access Portal

Corner Store Policy

Healthy Corner Store Initiative Program Highlights: Philadelphia 650 stores in network 250 full conversions 95% of stores are in high-priority areas: High rates of obesity and diabetes Low access to healthy food 36 new, healthy products introduced on average in basic stores 90% of stores introduce fresh produce

Our Materials: Healthy Corner Store Initiative

Local Food Policy

Farmers Market Initiative Program Highlights 26 markets throughout Philadelphia region Most in low-income communities All accept SNAP/EBT, WIC, & FMNP 200,000 residents served Innovative and unique approach to serving lowincome residents Economic impacts: o Average farmer sells $20,000 per season o Our largest markets sell more than $1M per year o 66% customers also shop at nearby stores

Vouchers & Rebates Started as CPPW-funded program; currently funded via CTG Creating financial incentives for healthy food purchasing by SNAP participants Voucher models at farmers markets: NYC Health Bucks model, Michigan Double Up Food Bucks model Rebates in grocery stores Philly Food Bucks Coupons that help SNAP customers save money on fruits and vegetables. $2 worth of fruits and vegetables for every $5 spent at market Accepted at 25 farmers' markets in low-income communities in Philadelphia

Scool Food and Nutrition Policy

School Initiative USDA SNAP-Ed program We have worked in Philadelphia and area school districts for more than 15 years through the federal SNAP Ed program. o 50,000+ children and parents annually Our comprehensive approach to teaching children to eat healthfully combined with changing their food environments led to: o 50% reduction in the incidence of overweight in Philadelphia school children o 5% reduction in the prevalence of obesity in the Philadelphia school district. Diverse stakeholder engagement. Our Kindergarten Initiative is an agricultural and nutrition education program, which serves as the model for Pennsylvania s Healthy Farms, Healthy Schools program.

Obesity Rate Declines Among Philadelphia School Children Rate of obesity among grades K to 12 decreased by 5% from 2006 to 2010, by 8% among African-American boys and by 7% among Hispanic girls Philadelphia Health Department studied height and weight data collected by the School District for 120,000 students Trend observed across all grade levels, among girls and boys, and among all racial/ethnic groups Translates to 1,700 less obese children in 2009-10 First signs of a reversal in the obesity epidemic that has been increasing at local and national levels since the late 1970s Source: Robbins, et al. Prevalence, Disparities, and Trends in Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Students in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, School

Decline in Obesity Rate Among Philadelphia School Children by Race/Ethnicity and Gender, 2006-2010 0% Overall African American Boys Hispanic Girls -2% -4% -6% -5% -8% -8% -7% -10% Source: Robbins, et al. Prevalence, Disparities, and Trends in Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Students in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, School

The Comprehensive Approach The Food Trust and many partner organizations worked to: Bring more grocery stores to Philadelphia through PA s Fresh Food Financing Initiative Improve access to healthy, affordable food through corner stores as part of our Healthy Corner Store Initiative Expand our network of farmers' markets in low-income communities Provide nutrition education to 60,000+ SNAP-eligible students Develop a comprehensive school nutrition policy that included removal of sugary drinks from vending machines Advocate for a city-wide menu labeling law

Thank You! THEFOODTRUST.ORG John Weidman jweidman@thefoodtrust.org