Community HealthCorps National Day of Service Project Promotes Food Access

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.

Growing a Sustainable Food System in the Bronx

In the midst of growing national and international discussions about the intersection of food, health, and the environment, and just days before the People’s Climate March, the Bronx Health REACH quarterly coalition meeting on September 19^th featured a dynamic panel discussion on local agriculture and sustainable farming. The group of panelists included representatives from community gardening organizations and local agriculture initiatives, such as La Finca del Sur, NY Sun Works, Corbin Hill Food Project, South Bronx Farmers Markets, The Partnership for a Healthier Manhattan at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the Office of Council Member Ritchie Torres. Although the Bronx has been consistently ranked 62 out of 62 counties in New York State, this panel demonstrated that there are many innovative projects underway that should be recognized, replicated, and expanded.

The panel was moderated by Tanya Fields—the renowned food activist and founder of the BLK Projek, which uses food to create economic development opportunities in the South Bronx. Fields’ work to promote locally farmed and accessible food within her community has included the Hunt’s Point Farm Share, the Libertad Urban Farm Project, the Veggie Mobile Market, and many other programs. Fields strives not only to support and expand local farming opportunities, but to use healthy food and sustainable gardening as a tool to empower women and youth in marginalized communities. Similarly, La Finca del Sur focuses on economic development and food justice through urban farming, led primarily by Latina and Black women. In addition to their community garden site, produce from La Finca del Sur is sold at the South Bronx Farmers Market, where customers can use SNAP/EBT as well as HealthBucks. Sindri McDonald, Council Member Ritchie Torres’Chief of Staff, spoke about Council Member Torres’ efforts to expand the distribution and use of HealthBucks within his district to make local fruits and vegetables more accessible to his constituents. Council Member Torres allocated $10,000 in discretionary funding for HealthBucks. A historic first. No council member before him  had ever  allocated funding for this program. We hope that this represents a trend where more Council Members will see this as an important enough initiative to secure funding for it.. Finally, the Corbin Hill Food Project provides an alternative to the farmers’ market model with their local farm share program. Local, sustainably grown produce is available at 20 delivery sites throughout Washington Heights, the Bronx, and Harlem, with reduced-price shares for those using SNAP and flexible payment options. This option is convenient for local residents who want fresh, healthy produce but either can’t or don’t want to shop at farmer’s markets. It’s important to develop more programs that not only make fresh, high quality food financially accessible in lower-income communities, but physically convenient and attractive for customers as well. Picking up a package of fruits and vegetables for the week from a local delivery site is appealing for many community residents, so much so that there is even a long waiting list of people who would like to become members.

Irrespective of the approach, all the panelists recognized the symbiotic relationship between the wellbeing of those who consume their products and the wellbeing of the earth. Not only is conventional, industrial agriculture environmentally damaging, but it does little to support local farmers or to empower consumers to play an active role in their food system. The fact that so many organizations and individuals in the Bronx recognize this connection and are mobilizing their community members to get involved in local, sustainable agriculture initiatives is what made this panel particularly inspiring. Since the panelists were representing largely grassroots organizations in the Bronx, there is clearly already some investment among community members in building  a healthy, local food environment from within. With buy-in from local residents and support from their legislative officials, it is likely that this food movement will lead to sustainable change.

Another theme of the event was the focus on changing habits within the younger generation to foster healthier lifestyles among children and youth. As Tanya Fields noted, “It’s easier to create whole children than to fix broken men.” The efforts of NY Sun Works to bring hydroponics and agricultural education to school classrooms, and the kids’ activities and workshops hosted by La Finca del Sur are just a few examples of local healthy food initiatives involving youth. Innovative projects, which include hydroponic plantings and rooftop gardens, represent  critical tools for advancing local food production in districts that lack readily available resources.

Overall, the sustained success of these important local farming programs will depend partially on funding opportunities, but also on the collaboration between local partners in the Bronx and their ability to cooperatively pool resources to serve their community. Last week, the USDA released some encouraging news on that front: $52 million of funding will go towards supporting local and regional food systems and organic farming. Importantly, the USDA will also put $30 million into marketing for farmers markets and promoting locally grown produce. This new funding is an important step towards building a stronger support system for local producers and consumers alike. Hopefully this is just the beginning of increasing government efforts to strengthen local agriculture networks in the Bronx and across the country. To read about the USDA announcement, please click here.  

 

 

Rachel Manning is a Community HealthCorps member with Bronx Health REACH. 

Council Member Ritchie Torres Pioneers Use of Discretionary Funding for HealthBucks

This week, Council Member Torres announced funding for an innovative program to promote healthier choices for Bronx residents. HealthBucks is a program facilitated by the Department of Health, where coupons offering $2 toward fruits and vegetables from farmer's markets are distributed through local organizations to residents. Council Member Torres has allocated $10,000 towards HealthBucks for his District and is the first member of the City Council to fund this program.

Bronx Health REACH came together with the New York League of Conservation Voters and the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center last year to tackle a local sustainability challenge. Community members identified a need for more access to fresh, affordable food, and signed over 1700 postcards requesting that Council Member Torres designate funds from the City Council budget for HealthBucks, Council Member Torres responded.

“The neighborhoods I represent in the Bronx face serious health issues. Seniors with diabetes have a death rate more than double that of New York City. The childhood obesity rate is the highest in New York City. Two-thirds of residents are overweight or obese,” said Council Member Torres. “I am proud to announce an unprecedented investment of $10,000 in the HealthBucks program, which increases access to fruits and vegetables for residents, particularly for low-income residents. The HealthBucks program is a momentous step in addressing public health concerns in my district and citywide”.

Karen Washington, a member of the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center, spoke about the importance of Health Bucks in supporting fresh, affordable food that community members can buy from local farmers. “Fresh food should be a human right, not a privilege for some,” said Karen, who also happens to be a recipient of this year’s James Beard Leadership Award, which recognizes visionaries in the world of food politics and sustainable agriculture.

“Health Bucks will make a real difference in this community by connecting the dots between healthy food, healthy New Yorkers and a healthy environment,” said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “Thank you, Council Member Torres, for making today’s victory possible. And thank you to the thousands of Bronx residents who stood up and made their voices heard. Together, we are building a more just, equitable and sustainable city.”

“We applaud Council Member Torres for his support of our Health Bucks program and hope that other members of the Council will follow his lead,” said First Deputy Commissioner of Health Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Increasing access to fruits and vegetables by making them easier to afford is one way we can help give New Yorkers healthier options, particularly in the Bronx which has high rates of obesity.” 

“Council Member Torres’ unprecedented securing of $10,000 from the City’s 2015 budget for HealthBucks in District 15 represents a significant win for the many residents who indicated that being able to afford to buy fresh produce in their neighborhood farmers markets was very important to them.  With the Bronx having some of the highest rates of diet-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes in New York State, these HealthBucks will go a long way to making fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable for Bronx residents,” said Charmaine Ruddock, Project Director for Bronx Health REACH.                  

“We know that individuals that shop at farmers markets have a greater intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Health Bucks play a critical role to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest food available, as well as provide crucial income to regional farmers. Last year almost $1 million dollars was spent in SNAP at our Greenmarkets, thanks in part to the $2 Health Buck incentive. We are very thankful to Council Member Torres for earmarking this money for an important win-win program that has value not only in promoting the health of participants but also the preservation of our local farming community,” said Michael Hurwitz, Greenmarket Director for GrowNYC.

“In working with our patients at Union Community Health Center, the hardest part is changing behaviors. Resources like Health Bucks are an innovative way for us as providers to get patients to try new fruits and vegetables that they never would have considered. Further, Health Bucks provide an opportunity for communities to not only support our local economy, but also help level the playing field with those big businesses which promote processed foods,” said Doctor Nelson Eng, Chief Medical Officer at Union Community Health Center.

Data from 2009 shows 17.2% of New York City residents in low-income neighborhoods reported eating no fruits and vegetables on the preceding day, compared with 8.0% of residents in high-income neighborhoods (CDC). Farmers markets, which are located in several locations in the Central Bronx, provide a promising venue to decrease this disparity.

Health Bucks is an added incentive to SNAP recipients. For every $5 in EBT purchases, qualifying consumers receive an additional $2 in HealthBucks. Data from the CDC shows that the Health Bucks program leads SNAP recipients to shop at farmer’s markets with more frequency, due to the incentive the program offers.

Here is some press coverage of the HealthBucks announcement:

http://bronx.news12.com/news/health-bucks-program-helps-save-money-at-farmers-markets-1.8918466

http://thebronxchronicle.com/council-member-ritchie-torres-pioneers-use-discretionary-funding-toward-health-bucks/ 

Bronx Faith-Based Leaders Provide Inspiration for Healthy Living

June was Men’s Health Month. When I think about my own health and other men in their early 20s, I think about how I gained 30 pounds in college. It’s not completely abnormal for college students to gain weight – lots of my friends gained the “freshman 15” – but 30 pounds is a whole different story. When I started my position at Bronx Health REACH in 2011 as a Community HealthCorps member, I had a plan to lose the weight and start eating healthier, but the sudden change in my schedule from being in school to having a full time job made it tough to change my eating habits. For me to take on the herculean task of losing 30 pounds I needed greater inspiration. Fortunately, I found it in our faith-based leaders at Bronx Health REACH.

As the Coordinator of Bronx Health REACH’s Faith Based Outreach Initiative (FBOI) and Health Disparities Workgroup (HDWG), I work with faith leaders to implement health programs at their churches and identify solutions to racial and ethnic health disparities in New York City (NYC). In these initiatives, there is so much energy and passion among our partners around improving the health and well being of Bronx citizens. I’ve seen churches host weekly diabetes workshops for congregates with diabetes. I participated in discussions with youth ministries about violence and alcohol in their communities.  I facilitated partnerships with a variety of health organizations in NYC and churches looking to implement health programming.  

Over the last few years, the Bronx has consistently been ranked 62 out of 62 in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s annual county health rankings report for New York State.  It would be easy for our faith-based leaders to throw up their hands and give up, but they never do.  Seeing our faith-based leaders continue to plan, participate, and support health initiatives in the Bronx, despite publication after publication deriding the health status of their communities, inspired me to work on my own health. 

In 2011, I set myself on a 1750 calorie diet and started to track the amount of calories I consumed every day on a smart phone app called MyFitnessPal (free). Also, I replaced all sugar sweetened beverages with water and ate salad, fruit, and yogurt for lunch every day and began tracking these healthy habits on the smart phone app Lift (free). Finally, I worked out 4 to 5 days a week, running over 100 miles in 2012. As a result of all of these activities, I lost 30 pounds when I finished my first tenure as a Community Healthcorps Member in September of 2012.  

Below are some other helpful tips on losing weight and eating healthy. Make sure to consult your physician before trying them to ensure that these activities are right for you.

1) Find out your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) TDEE represents the amount of  calories you need to eat to sustain your weight. If your daily caloric intake is higher than TDEE, you will gain weight. If your daily caloric value is lower than TDEE, you will lose weight. Generally speaking, those trying to lose weight are suggested to eat 200 calories less than TDEE. Healthy weight loss should be 1-2 lbs/week. 

2)  Count your calories! To assess whether you’re consistently eating lower than your  TDEE, count the amount of calories that you consume each day. Myfitnesspal is one of many calorie counting apps. It’s available on iTunes or Google Play.  Try to save “meals” you frequently eat so you don’t have to log each food item over and over. Additionally, to help you count calories, I recommend purchasing a portable food scale. Weighing your food is the best way to get an accurate calorie count based on portion. 

3) Exercise and log the calories you burn in your calorie counting app! This will help you realize how exercise and diet work together to help you lose weight! 

4) Cut out all sugar sweetened beverages and replace them with water. Water has 0 calories! This is the first place you can look to reduce your daily caloric intake.

5) Eat vegetables everyday! Vegetables are low calorie and great for your health! Avoid excessive salad dressing too.  

Thanks again to all of our faith-based leaders at Bronx Health REACH who have inspired me to be healthy!  

This blogpost was written by Hardeep Singh, a HealthCorps Member at Bronx Health REACH.