Healthy Stores, Healthy Choices, Healthy Community

Transforming the environment from the Community and Up

Local Food Summit, Ashland, WI. Feb. 2, 2013

Tatiana Maida, 16th Street Community Health Clinic Lelitza Garcia, United Community Center

Sharon Lezberg, Community & Regional Food Systems Project

Outline of Presentation/Discussion

Background

The Healthy Choices Program

Family Education component

Community Advocacy component

The Grocery Store Initiative

CRFS & Organizational Partners

Communication with store owners

Education and Food demonstrations

Marketing and Evaluation

Lessons learned and Conclusions

Milwaukee- WI

Sixteenth Street Community Health Center

The epidemic: Adult Obesity in South Side Milwaukee

36%

27%

40%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

US Wisconsin SSCHC

USA Wisconsin SSCHC

68% 64%

77%

Overweight and Obese Adults

Testimonial of a Mother

“My son has obesity and diabetes. I need help because he doesn’t listen to me…

And I know I am not the only one going through this. Many friends and relatives are having the same problem.

We are already old and we expect to be sick, but they are kids; they shouldn’t have these illnesses.

As a mom I feel guilty because I know I am not feeding my kids well, but I don’t know anymore how to do it better.

I need help.”

How can we help obese individuals and families to be healthier?

Audience Brainstorm

Healthy Choices Goal

“Through family education and community advocacy,

Healthy Choices strives to improve the home and neighborhood

environment for adults and children in Milwaukee’s Southside,

so they can enjoy a healthier life”.

Adults

Teens

Children 4-6

Children 7-10

Healthy Choices FAMILY EDUCATION

Transforming the Home Environment

Cooking and Exercise

210 families impacted; 139 graduated

(67% of attendance rate)

Evaluation of first 7 cycles

Healthy Choices COMMUNITY ADVOCACY Transforming the neighborhood Environment

Community leaders advocating for more access to healthy food and safe physical activity.

Community Vision

Healthy food in stores and restaurants

Access to safe parks and streets

Gardens and green spaces

2012 Community Actions

Biking Day in the Southside

Fiesta Walk and Food Demonstrations at Mexican Fiesta

“Weight of the Nation” Movie Cycle

Grocery Store Initiative

Healthy Grocery Store Initiative

Background

Nutritional Environmental Assessment Study (NEMS) 2010

Price and Availability Study in March 2012

Main Results:

1) Great variety and price for fruits and vegetables

2) Many of the supermarkets most frequented by Latinos offer fewer healthy options and, with the exception of fruits and vegetables, the healthy items that are offered normally cost more.

Community Group wanted to…

Increase availability of healthy food items in Pete’s and El Rey grocery stores:

Whole grain cereals without High Fructose Corn Syrup

Quinoa, flaxseeds and sesame seeds

Dairy free of hormones

Cage-free eggs without antibiotics

Baked chips

Community & Regional Food Systems Project

Improving food security in urban areas through community food system innovation

Research, Outreach, Education, Advocacy, Community Engagement

Partnerships with community organizations in seven cities

Project Partners

How the collaboration group decided to support the initiative

Many meetings to determine shared values

Commitment to Collection Impact: working together to bring different perspectives to the table

Recognizing the contribution of each organization at the table

Starting small

Organizations in collaboration with the community

Communication with Stores Owners

Ernesto Villarreal

Pete Tsitiridis

Education & Food Demonstrations

Pete’s and El Rey

Marketing Campaign

Shelf talkers

Marketing Campaign

Posters

Evaluation

Sales data collection

Surveys of shoppers

General Evaluation:

coalition

community leaders

businesses

Lessons Learned - Collaboration

Collaboration – Collective Impact

CRFS: what we learned about University involvement in Community Projects

Work with an organizer, someone who is part of the community

Let the community lead

Lessons Learned – Organization, Community & Individuals

Challenges of working at the community level

Challenges of working with other partner organizations, University & Extension

Negotiating different perspectives: the issue of HFCS, ‘natural’, and other labels

Main Conclusions

Dream BIG….and it will attract resources, people and opportunities.

Have a clear vision – and share it

Behavioral and environmental change can happen

Collaborations and partnerships are the key element for Collective Impact because they bring different skills, perspectives and resources.

Community voice and action is critical for the success against obesity

Group Activity

What ideas from this presentation will be helpful for the work that you do?

Have you worked with projects similar to this that start with the perspective of community?

Thinking from the perspective of food justice: what do we need to be aware of when working with people of different cultures, backgrounds, and from different socioeconomic groups?

Contact Us

Tatiana Maida, 16th Street Health Clinic; Tatiana.Maida@sschc.org

Lelitza Garcia, United Community Center; lgarcia@unitedcc.org

Sharon Lezberg, Community & Regional Food Systems Project; slezberg@wisc.edu

Web-site:

http://www.community-food.org/

http://sschc.org/healthy-choices-elecciones-saludables/

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crfsproject

https://www.facebook.com/sschchealthychoices