Strategies for Improving Healthy Food Access

1. Strategies for Improving Healthy Food Access Communities Putting Prevention to Work Action Institute Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1 www.TheFoodTrust.org

2. Overview of Workshop • Introduction to The Food Trust • Supermarket Strategies • Cornerstore Strategies • Farmers’ Markets Strategies www.TheFoodTrust.org

3. The Food Trust: Working to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. www.TheFoodTrust.org

4. Closing the Grocery Gap 4 www.TheFoodTrust.org

5. ObesityTrends in the US No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30% 1985 1995 Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC 2008 www.TheFoodTrust.org

6. The grocery gap Source: Community Farm Alliance www.TheFoodTrust.org

7. Rural America Source: Wright and Blanchard, 2007, http://www.ruralsociology.org/pubs/RuralRealities/Issue4.html www.TheFoodTrust.org

8. Fresh Food Access: A Critical Public Health Issue Leading public health experts support increasing fresh food access as a necessary strategy to combat obesity Growing evidence showing the connection between improved supermarket access and better health outcomes www.TheFoodTrust.org

9. The Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative • Public-private partnership • $120 million financing program that provides grants and loans to supermarkets and grocery stores “Top 15 Innovations in American Government”– Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, 2009 www.TheFoodTrust.org

10. What is the Fresh Food Financing Initiative? Eligibility Criteria 1 3 • A public-private partnership to close the financing gap faced by supermarket operators in underserved communities across Pennsylvania. • A comprehensive, multi-faceted $120 million financing program. 2 How are these funds used? • Grants for pre-development, land assembly, construction, and other soft costs • Debt financing for real estate and equipment • Located in a low or moderate income census tract • Located in an underserved area (based on size of store and distance from other food establishments) www.TheFoodTrust.org

11. Supermarket Campaign Advocacy Process • Document the problem through mapping • Engage public and private-sector leaders and issue recommendations www.TheFoodTrust.org

12. Engaging diverse stakeholders around the need for policy change www.TheFoodTrust.org

13. Pennsylvania Accomplishments • 83 new or renovated stores • Over 5,000 jobs • Over 400,000 residents served • 1.6 million square feet of retail • $190 million total project investment www.TheFoodTrust.org

14. Momentum Across the Country New Orleans Fresh Food Retail Incentive FundLouisiana Healthy Food Retail ActNew York Healthy Foods, Healthy Communities New York City FRESH ProgramIllinois Fresh Food Fund www.TheFoodTrust.org

15. Creating a National Healthy Food Financing Initiative “We want to replicate your success in Pennsylvania all across America.” -- First Lady Michelle Obama www.TheFoodTrust.org

16. Supermarket Development Challenges • Financing • Regulations • Zoning • Land • Perception • Transportation • No local champion www.TheFoodTrust.org

17. A Look at Other Successful Strategies • Challenge: Financing • Recommendation: Target state and local economic development programs and other public incentives to the supermarket industry. • Example: Tax Exemptions (Washington DC) www.TheFoodTrust.org

18. Other Successful Strategies Cont’d • Challenge: Complex Regulatory Process • Recommendation: Streamline the development process and provide assistance to operators in the permitting process. • Example: Zoning bonuses (New York City FRESH Program) www.TheFoodTrust.org

19. Other Successful Strategies Cont’d • Challenge: Lack of Transportation • Recommendation: Develop transportation services for shoppers without convenient access to a full service supermarket. • Example: Shop & Ride Program (Knoxville, TN) www.TheFoodTrust.org

20. Other Successful Strategies Cont’d • Challenge: Lack of Land • Recommendation: Prioritize assembling land for supermarket development. • Example: Land Assembly (St. Petersburg, FL) www.TheFoodTrust.org

21. Questions? www.TheFoodTrust.org

22. Healthy Food Retail Through Corner Stores www.TheFoodTrust.org www.TheFoodTrust.org

23. Concept A growing movement A growing interest in partnering with corner stores to improve healthy food access Why Corner Stores? Supermarket Deserts and customer dependence Corner stores and the Urban Landscape Engaging as ALLIES not ENEMIES Chart Source: Food Geography: How Food Access Afftects Diet and Health. Available at http://www.thefoodtrust.org/pdf/Food%20Geography%20Final.pdf www.TheFoodTrust.org

24. Definitions What is a corner store? Small scale, limited selection of foods and products Other criteria: size, number of aisles and registers Diverse range of stores independent and chain Rural, urban and suburban A.K.A. - Small, convenience, neighborhood store or bodega • What is a healthy corner store? • Typical standards • Stock certain items (whole grains, dairy, fresh produce) • Increase by quantity, shelf space • Marketing – promote healthy restrict unhealthy • Follow certain health and environmental standards www.TheFoodTrust.org

25. Healthy Corner Stores: A Variety of Approaches Corner store conversions Distribution networks Social marketing Community Education Policy www.TheFoodTrust.org

26. Healthy Corner Stores, A Variety of Approaches Corner Store Conversions Changes to infrastructure and layout – modest or major Improve infrastructural capacity to sell healthy, especially fresh produce Distribution Networks Work with suppliers and distributors Create a distribution network Collective buying lowers prices www.TheFoodTrust.org

27. Major Conversion Example: Romano’s Grocery, Philadelphia PA BEFORE AFTER www.TheFoodTrust.org

28. Small Conversion Example: Jarabacoa Food Market, Philadelphia PA BEFORE AFTER www.TheFoodTrust.org

29. Distribution Example: Fruit Salads www.TheFoodTrust.org

30. Healthy Corner Stores, A Variety of Approaches Social Marketing Make customers aware of new healthy offerings Help customers understand how to use in daily diet Community Education Work with area schools, recreation centers and community centers to provide residents with nutrition education Empower customers to make healthier decisions www.TheFoodTrust.org

31. Social Marketing Examples www.TheFoodTrust.org

32. Healthy Corner Stores, A Variety of Approaches Local Policy Can Influence: Store operations such as products carried and store signage Ex. Zoning ordinances can affect what is built where Neighborhood environment surrounding stores Ex. Land use plans that encourage mixed uses = more business for small stores Source: Healthy Corner Stores Network, Feb. 2010. Healthy Corner stores Q & A. Available at http://healthycornerstores.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/Corner_Stores_Q+A.pdf www.TheFoodTrust.org

33. Healthy Corner Stores, A Variety of Approaches Policy Examples Source: Public Health Law and Policy, 2009. Healthy Corner Stores: State of the Movement. Available at http://healthycornerstores.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/HealthyCornerStores-StateoftheMovement.pdf www.TheFoodTrust.org

34. Identifying the Challenges, Understanding the Needs • Common Challenges • Lack Buying Power • Misconceptions about customer demand • Lack experience with perishables • Lack of formal business management practices • No formal tracking of inventory, sales or customer preferences • Culture and/or Language Barriers • Limited amounts of time and resources www.TheFoodTrust.org

35. Identifying the Challenges, Understanding the Needs • Support owners to create change • Understand owner needs and build a relationship • Train on purchasing produce, building supplier relationships • Train how to price and store produce • Provide equipment or redesign store layout • Market new products, create community awareness www.TheFoodTrust.org

36. Case Study: The Food Trust’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative Expanding Across Philadelphia Part of the CDC’s CPPW award to the City of Philadelphia Taking the model and expanding to engage corner stores across Philadelphia Healthy Foods Identification Campaign Social marketing campaign to help customers make healthier decisions • Expanding Healthy Options • Introduce or expand 2 categories of health foods (ex. dairy, fresh produce) www.TheFoodTrust.org

37. Case Study: The Food Trust’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative Mini-Corner Store Conversions Mini-grants to stores for small infrastructural upgrades to sell whole produce Ex. shelving, refrigeration, POS systems Training and Technical Assistance Working with experts to provide training owners need Ex. basic small business management, selling perishable items • Local Distribution Systems • Local: Connecting regional farmers to get fresh local foods into corner stores www.TheFoodTrust.org

38. Anticipating the Challenges: Best Practices Ask, is this store a viable partner? Understand challenges and ask, is this store a good fit? Select an Experienced Operator Also consider owner’s time and level of commitment • Identify a Project Manager • To support owner throughout • To connect and oversee everyone involved • Create a plan to address training needs • Consider training for business and financial management, POS system, buying, selling and handling produce www.TheFoodTrust.org

39. Anticipating the Challenges: Best Practices Changes must be sustainable and replicable Want a business model for lasting and profitable changes Community must be ENGAGED More likely to adopt healthy changes and support the store Partnerships with community organizations are important Marketing Plan and Community Awareness Making sure healthy changes are advertised and community is aware • Modest Changes go a long way • Small changes to store layout and infrastructure are often all that’s required www.TheFoodTrust.org

40. QUESTIONS? www.TheFoodTrust.org

41. Resources for Healthy Corner Stores • The Food Trustwww.foodtrust.org • Healthy Corner Stores Networkwww.healthycornerstores.org • Policy Link Center for Health and Place http://www.policylink.org/site/c.lkIXLbMNJrE/b.5136633/k.F267/PolicyLink_Center_for_Health_and_Place.htm • Public Health Law & Policy – Planning for Healthy Placeswww.healthyplanning.org • Community Food Security Coalitionwww.foodsecurity.org • California Healthy Purchase Pilot Legislationhttp://www.cfpa.net/foodstamps/HPPAdvocacyToolkit/HPPVisionv2.pdf • Hartford Food Systemwww.hartfordfood.org • Rural Grocery Store Initiative – Kansas State Universitywww.ruralgrocery.org

42. The Role of Farmers’ Markets in Improving Healthy Food Access www.TheFoodTrust.org

43. The Food Trust’s Farmers’ Markets • 30 Diverse Locations • All Markets Accept EBT / FMNP • Over 100 Farmers • CPPW funds: • 10 New Markets • Philly Food Bucks www.TheFoodTrust.org

44. Why Start a Farmers’ Market? • Improve Health • Energize Neighborhood • Commitment to Agriculture www.TheFoodTrust.org

45. How to start a Farmers’ Market in your neighborhood. • Choose Location • Research Customers • Identify partners • Recruit farmers • Permits • Marketing • Layout • Day to Day Management www.TheFoodTrust.org

46. Choose a location with…. • Traffic • Visibility • Partners • Parking • Storage • Shelter • Little competition • Aesthetics www.TheFoodTrust.org

47. Get to know your customers. • Demographics • Product Preferences • Shopping Habits www.TheFoodTrust.org

48. Recruit farmers for your market. • Build a List • Place Ads • Sell the Opportunity www.TheFoodTrust.org

49. Partner with others to enhance your work. • Local Businesses • Local Non-Profits • Residents Organizations www.TheFoodTrust.org

50. Know the law of the land. • Work with your local Health Dept. • Obtain licenses • Connect with elected officials www.TheFoodTrust.org