Education, Access, Thrive: Underserved Populations & Healthy Food (E AT UP )

1. Education, Access, Thrive: Underserved Populations & Healthy Food (EATUP) Creating a Model to Examine Food Access at a District Level Presented by Kyle Curtis, MPA, Food Policy Specialist for Community Environmental Services January 19th, 2012

2. Education, Access, Thrive: Underserved Populations (EATUP)was a 2011 Community Food Systems project awarded from Miller Foundation funds to Renée Bogin Curtis of Community Environmental Services at Portland State University (PSU) through a Solutions Generator grant from PSU's Institute of Sustainable Solutions. The project team included several PSU faculty and staff who served in research or advising roles.

3. Presentation Overview Purpose of Project • Design an assessment model to evaluate food access • Examine access & equity issues at district level. Steps of Project Assessment • Tools used • Brief Summary of Findings • Implications & Outreach Discussions & Recommendations • Review of Assessment Model • Applicability to other Districts

4. Purpose of Project • To design an assessment model to evaluate food access at a district level. • Examine access & equity issues at district level. Oregon routinely ranks high on USDA’s “hunger insecurity” list. Data source: Economic Research Services, USDA

5. Steps of Project Assessmentto examine access to healthy food for underserved populations in PSU EcoDistrict Preliminary information gathering to refine assessment goals. • Identify vulnerable populations and possible barriers to their access of healthy food (low-income students and seniors in the EcoDistrict.) • Solicit input and information from project partners and stakeholders, who completed a questionnaire. Identify existing food security resources. Tools used to evaluate access: • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping • USDA SNAP retail locater tool • Retail assessment (Multnomah County Healthy Retail assessment) • Surveys conducted with students and seniors • Outreach materials customized & distributed in PSU EcoDistrict.

6. Maps of EcoDistrict & SNAP retail within boundaries & a half-mile buffer zone. Half-mile buffer zone suggested as a measure of urban livability for the elderly and disabled to reach their basic needs.

7. Retail Assessment • Used Multnomah County’s Healthy Retail Assessment form versus 20-page NEMS-S form. • Collected information regarding store layout; presentation of food; food prices; location of dairy, meat, fruit, and boxed food; whether stores sold alcohol or tobacco.

8. Survey Piloted with Senior & Student Residents/ Visitors Goal: anecdotal insights about food buying habits & food access. Findings: Not enough for significant results, but still interesting. 34 Student electronic or paper surveys completed online or at PSU. • Half of students surveyed do some food shopping in the EcoDistrict. Most food purchased by students is outside of EcoDistrict. • Two-thirds of non-SNAP users don’t know if they were eligible. • Some students shop at region’s farmers markets (3 of 12 SNAP users). 11 Senior surveys conducted in person with multifamily residents. • Most respondents use SNAP and shop just outside the EcoDistrict. • Most know SNAP’s accepted at the Farmers Market, but don’t use it.

9. Implications • The assessment model allowed us to overlay GIS mapping with the SNAP retail locator with under-served residential and student populations to understand the relationship between potential need and actual availability. • Results indicated limited access to SNAP retail options within the district, but potentially low awareness of these options. These results informed a customized outreach campaign.

10. Outreach Goals • Identify under-served populations • Assess access to healthy food. • Conduct outreach to improve access. • Ensure districts are inclusive and affordable, not exclusive.

11. Review of Assessment Model Basic steps: • Identify SNAP retail locations. • Map out vulnerable populations. • Assess SNAP retail (products & options). • Conduct community outreach. Preliminary Step: Explore available food security resources. Optional Step: Survey residents & routine visitors to identify barriers & assess satisfaction with options. Recommendation: Include more sites & people.

12. Discussion: Applicability? Can the EATUP assessment model apply to other districts & neighborhoods? Are there resources? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this model? How could this model be improved or better implemented?

13. Contacts: Renée Bogin Curtis, MUS Multifamily and Food Systems Projects Manager Community Environmental Services Portland State University rbogin@pdx.edu 503-725-8447 Kyle Curtis, MPA Food Policy Specialist Community Environmental Services Portland State University curtisk@pdx.edu 971-570-5006 • EATUP Partners • Portland Farmers Market • PSU’s Institute on Aging • Multnomah County Aging & Disabilities Service’s Healthy Aging Coalition • EATUP Stakeholders • Oregon Public Health Institute (OPHI) • Department of Human Services (DHS) • Multnomah County Public Health Department • PSU Student Food Bank • Upstream Public Health • Commissioner Nick Fish’s Office • Partners For a Hunger Free Oregon • Portland Community Gardens