Each year on Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, AmeriCorps members across the country participate in a
national day of service. This year at the Institute for Family Health, our
Community HealthCorps team partnered with the New York City Coalition Against
Hunger (NYCCAH) to do SNAP and WIC outreach in Corona, Queens. Individuals or
families that qualify for SNAP receive a monthly credit to buy fruits,
vegetables, and other grocery items that would otherwise be unaffordable. Many
farmers markets now accept these benefits, increasing access to fresh, local
produce for low-income residents. WIC serves a similar purpose, with a
special goal of improving birth outcomes and childhood nutrition by
supplementing the diets of pregnant women, as well as women and their young
children. Since many of our Community HealthCorps members work with pregnant
women and diabetic or pre-diabetic patients, this project was quite relevant to
our service positions. In New York City, many people are eligible for
government assistance programs that can increase their purchasing power
for food, but these services are often under-utilized. Our goal was to
publicize free eligibility screenings for SNAP and WIC by distributing fliers
to shoppers and passersby in a low-income neighborhood.
When I learned about our
MLK Jr. Day of Service project, my initial reaction was skepticism. As a
relatively shy person, I have always been wary of canvassing and
outreach projects, feeling too uncomfortable to approach or solicit strangers.
I thought of the times I'd actively avoided canvassers in the subway station or
on the street, taking a different route to steer clear of any interaction. I
wondered how effective our approach would be to increase registration
for SNAP and WIC. On Monday, January 19th, our group arrived at our service
site in Corona, after enjoying dim sum together in Flushing. I was posted
inside a local supermarket, given a stack of fliers, and assigned to a
Spanish-speaking teammate. After watching my partner give fliers to several
people with an explanation of the program, I realized that many of the local
shoppers were genuinely interested in registering for SNAP. Very few people
walked away without accepting a flier; in fact, most people thanked us and even
asked questions about the eligibility screening. After spending an hour in the
store distributing fliers and directing people to get screened, the line at the
SNAP information table was winding around the shopping aisle. Rather than
avoiding us as I had expected, the shoppers seemed eager for more
information about the program. I started to feel more comfortable handing out
fliers as I realized we were offering information about a service that people
actually needed and wanted. And what more appropriate place to spread awareness
about food assistance programs than in a grocery store?
This
outreach project had greater implications for my service position than I
had initially anticipated. As a service member at Bronx Health REACH, I help
coordinate the Healthy Schools NY program through the NY State Department of
Health. This involves maintaining relationships with 22 public schools in the
Bronx to support them in their wellness initiatives. Nutrition is a huge part
of our work, especially since most students at our schools qualify for free or
reduced-price lunch and live in food-insecure homes. For many students, school
lunch may be the only meal they eat each day. Or, they may be accustomed to
eating fast food and unhealthy snacks at home, which are often the most
affordable and convenient options. As a result, a large proportion of students
in the schools we work with are overweight or obese. Since I started my
position in September, I have gained insight into the many barriers to healthy
eating that students and their families face. Even if people qualify for SNAP,
there are few outlets in their neighborhoods where healthy food can be
purchased at a reasonable price. However, if people have
never heard of SNAP or don't know how to apply, purchasing healthy food becomes
even less feasible. I had assumed that most of the students at our schools
benefit from SNAP at home, but I began to wonder how many of their families
knew nothing about such programs or how to register. These problems ran
through my mind as we handed out fliers about SNAP eligibility screening
on Martin Luther King Jr. day, and I realized how raising awareness about these
programs can be a critical part of improving childhood health and nutrition.
Rachel Manning is a Community HealthCorps member with Bronx Health REACH.
