FOOD CO-OPS & HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS PROJECTnfca.coop/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Food For All... ·...
2
FOOD CO-OPS & HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS PROJECT Neighboring Food Co-op Association, Cooperative Fund of New England, & Hunger Free Vermont FOOD FOR ALL NEEDS-BASED DISCOUNT: PROGRAM STRUCTURE The Neighboring Food Co-op Association, Cooperative Fund of New England, and Hunger Free Vermont are partnering to help food co-ops make nutritious food and co-op membership more accessible to low-income households across New England. The "Food Co-ops & Healthy Food Access" project strives to increase access to healthy food for those with limited financial means; support collaboration among food co-ops to engage and serve individuals and families with limited food budgets; and demonstrate the capacity of food co-ops to increase access to healthy food, nutrition education, and member ownership for everyone. One of the core Healthy Food Access initiatives used by food co-ops to make food and co-op membership more accessible is the Food For All (FFA) Program. The goal of this program is to make fresh, healthy, and local food affordable for everyone, regardless of income, by offering a discount on grocery purchases to members on limited incomes. Below is a recommended structure based on best practices from NFCA food co-ops with FFA, and on conversations with the USDA and Community Partner Agencies. FOOD FOR ALL PROGRAM STRUCTURE: Needs-Based Discount: Eligibility & Enrollment Process • Co-op Membership: It is important that food co-ops require FFA participants to become members of the co- operative, thereby increasing access to membership. Prior to/simultaneous with enrollment in an FFA program, an individual must become a member of the co-op and demonstrate need by meeting FFA eligibility requirements. The total cost of membership will be the same for all members; there will not be a lower cost membership for FFA participants. However, the co-op can work to make membership more accessible through methods such as purchasing membership over time, offsetting the cost of membership through a fund, temporarily waiving the membership payment and using patronage to pay off membership over time, or otherwise making membership affordable to low-income individuals and their families. • FFA Eligibility Requirements: Co-op members are eligible for FFA if their household receives at least one of the following federal benefits: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or “3SquaresVT” in Vermont); WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children); or SSI (Supplemental Security Income), or has a letter verifying need from a Community Partner Agency at time of application. While a co-op must allow these four eligibility criteria, they may also utilize other options, such as an additional benefit program. Applicants using federal benefits to show eligibility must provide evidence of enrollment in SNAP, WIC or SSI. Individual co-ops can determine what forms of verification are acceptable. • Community Partner Verification: Co-ops will allow FFA applicants to demonstrate eligibility by bringing a letter from a Community Partner Agency verifying that the member needs assistance affording food. Community Partner Agencies might include a food pantry, homeless shelter, or other social service agencies. Individual co- ops may determine who is a Community Partner Agency. • Information Storage: Co-ops will not photocopy or store documentation of a FFA participant’s enrollment in a federal program, including SNAP, WIC, or SSI. For example, EBT cards, SNAP verification letters, and WIC cards cannot be photocopied or stored. Storing this information is a violation of federal law. • Documentation: Once the appropriate co-op staff member has verified a FFA applicant’s eligibility documentation (EBT card, Community Partner letter, etc.), they will check a box on the co-op’s FFA application (or membership application) saying: “Food For All Documentation was provided.” The application cannot identify which form of eligibility was used.
Transcript of FOOD CO-OPS & HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS PROJECTnfca.coop/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Food For All... ·...
FOOD CO-OPS & HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS PROJECT Neighboring Food Co-op Association, Cooperative Fund of New England, & Hunger Free Vermont
FOOD FOR ALL NEEDS-BASED DISCOUNT: PROGRAM STRUCTURE
The Neighboring Food Co-op Association, Cooperative Fund of New England, and Hunger Free Vermont are partnering to help food co-ops make nutritious food and co-op membership more accessible to low-income households across New England. The "Food Co-ops & Healthy Food Access" project strives to increase access to healthy food for those with limited financial means; support collaboration among food co-ops to engage and serve individuals and families with limited food budgets; and demonstrate the capacity of food co-ops to increase access to healthy food, nutrition education, and member ownership for everyone.
One of the core Healthy Food Access initiatives used by food co-ops to make food and co-op membership more accessible is the Food For All (FFA) Program. The goal of this program is to make fresh, healthy, and local food affordable for everyone, regardless of income, by offering a discount on grocery purchases to members on limited incomes. Below is a recommended structure based on best practices from NFCA food co-ops with FFA, and on conversations with the USDA and Community Partner Agencies.
FOOD FOR ALL PROGRAM STRUCTURE:
Needs-Based Discount: Eligibility & Enrollment Process
• Co-op Membership: It is important that food co-ops require FFA participants to become members of the co-operative, thereby increasing access to membership. Prior to/simultaneous with enrollment in an FFA program, an individual must become a member of the co-op and demonstrate need by meeting FFA eligibility requirements. The total cost of membership will be the same for all members; there will not be a lower cost membership for FFA participants. However, the co-op can work to make membership more accessible through methods such as purchasing membership over time, offsetting the cost of membership through a fund, temporarily waiving the membership payment and using patronage to pay off membership over time, or otherwise making membership affordable to low-income individuals and their families.
• FFA Eligibility Requirements: Co-op members are eligible for FFA if their household receives at least one of the following federal benefits: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or “3SquaresVT” in Vermont); WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children); or SSI (Supplemental Security Income), or has a letter verifying need from a Community Partner Agency at time of application. While a co-op must allow these four eligibility criteria, they may also utilize other options, such as an additional benefit program. Applicants using federal benefits to show eligibility must provide evidence of enrollment in SNAP, WIC or SSI. Individual co-ops can determine what forms of verification are acceptable.
• Community Partner Verification: Co-ops will allow FFA applicants to demonstrate eligibility by bringing a letter from a Community Partner Agency verifying that the member needs assistance affording food. Community Partner Agencies might include a food pantry, homeless shelter, or other social service agencies. Individual co-ops may determine who is a Community Partner Agency.
• Information Storage: Co-ops will not photocopy or store documentation of a FFA participant’s enrollment in a federal program, including SNAP, WIC, or SSI. For example, EBT cards, SNAP verification letters, and WIC cards cannot be photocopied or stored. Storing this information is a violation of federal law.
• Documentation: Once the appropriate co-op staff member has verified a FFA applicant’s eligibility documentation (EBT card, Community Partner letter, etc.), they will check a box on the co-op’s FFA application (or membership application) saying: “Food For All Documentation was provided.” The application cannot identify which form of eligibility was used.
• Confidentiality: It is import that FFA participants’ information is confidential and that participants have written
notification of how their info will be used. Therefore, FFA applications state: "Your information will be used for co-op membership and the Food For All program only. We may contact you when it is time to renew membership to the co-op or Food For All and to share co-op information and deals. Your information is confidential, and will not be sold to marketers.”
• Recertification: FFA participants are certified for no more than a year after their application is approved, and are notified of the date their certification period will end. At the end of their certification period, FFA participants may reapply and provide current eligibility documentation to maintain their discount.
Point of Sale Process
• Membership Identification: FFA members will be able to identify themselves in a way that promotes privacy and anonymity. As a best practice, co-ops with POS systems will issue a membership card to FFA members, visually similar to other membership or gift cards or member number that they will present at the register when they make their purchases. This way, co-op’s membership database will identify FFA participants so that the register will automatically apply the FFA discount to the participants’ purchases. Co-ops without a POS system will develop a respectful system for identifying FFA members that is similar to the system used to identify all co-op members.
• Discount: FFA participants will receive a 10% discount on grocery and household items every day the co-op is open and will receive this discount when using any form of payment accepted by the co-op. Co-ops will not give a discount on alcohol. Co-ops may decide to give a greater discount, but a minimum of 10% is recommended.
• Receipts & Confidentiality: In keeping with confidentiality requirements, receipts should indicate only the amount of the discount. Receipts will not contain information that would imply that the discount is needs based.
Program Tracking
• Financial Impact: Co-ops will budget for FFA discounts and create systems to track the overall quarterly or annual expense of these discounts as a tool for planning and for reporting beneficial impact for members and the community. However, in keeping with confidentiality requirements these figures will be in no way linked to individual member names or numbers. Members of the Healthy Food Access project are available to provide support and assistance when developing tracking systems.
Contact:
Bonnie Hudspeth, Membership & Outreach Manager Micha Josephy, Program Manager Neighboring Food Co-op Association Cooperative Fund of New England [email protected] // www.nfca.coop [email protected] // www.coopfund.coop
Faye Conte, Advocacy & Education Director Hunger Free Vermont [email protected] // www.hungerfreevt.org
For more info on the Food Co-ops & Healthy Food Access project visit: www.nfca.coop/healthyfoodaccess
