Non Technical Summary
Low-income families in the Bronx want to feed their households well, but tight budgets and the high price of fresh produce make that difficult. Many shop at neighborhood bodegas and supermarkets where fruits and vegetables can be costly or limited, and diet-related illnesses remain a concern. This project tackles that everyday problem in a way that benefits families, local businesses, and the broader community. By lowering the effective monthly price of fruits and vegetables for shoppers who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)--through credits earned at checkout and redeemed on the next trip--the project helps households stretch food dollars, encourages healthier choices, and supports small retailers that anchor their neighborhoods. More produce purchases can ripple through the local economy and, over time, help reduce health costs and improve quality of life.Working with two neighborhood retailers and EDM pantry sites, the project builds savings right into checkout using the stores' existing royalty card systems: for every $10 in SNAP purchases of eligible fruits and vegetables, shoppers earn a $2 produce credit--up to $42 per month--loaded at checkout and redeemed on future visits. These credits make produce more affordable across the month, and the process is simple, private, and printed on the receipt. To make healthy eating practical at home, the project pairs savings with monthly bilingual (English/Spanish) nutrition classes and cooking demonstrations, plus a mobile program hub vehicle that brings sign-ups, health screenings, and social-service connections to where people shop. Progress is tracked with receipt data and brief surveys so we can see what changes for families and stores. The goal is straightforward: make it easier and more affordable to buy and eat fruits and vegetables, strengthen retailers' ability to stock produce, and leave the community healthier and more resilient. We aim to sustain this model locally and make it easy to replicate in similar neighborhoods.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
703	6010	1010	80%
704	6050	1010	20%

Knowledge Area
703 - Nutrition Education and Behavior; 704 - Nutrition and Hunger in the Population;

Subject Of Investigation
6010 - Individuals; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Goals / Objectives
Thrive Together: The Bronx Nutrition Empowerment Project will increase access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in the Bronx by pairing a fruit and vegetable incentive program with culturally relevant, bilingual nutrition education and wraparound services. Incentives will integrate with participating bodegas' and supermarkets' existing royalty card systems so that, for every $10 spent on GusNIP-approved fruits and vegetables with SNAP benefits, participants receive a $2 credit--up to $42 per month--redeemable for additional produce. This model reduces stigma, ensures smooth point-of-sale transactions, helps families stretch limited food budgets, and supports retailers in stocking a consistent variety of fresh produce. A mobile program hub vehicle and EDM pantry sites extend outreach, screenings, and social-service connections. Over the project period, EDM anticipates engaging at least 500 SNAP households and achieving measurable improvements in dietary quality and retailer engagement.Objectives:Implement the royalty card incentive model at two SNAP-authorized firms (one bodega and one independent supermarket): complete POS integration, ensure receipts show incentives earned/redeemed, and monitor refunds to prevent improper redemptions. Incentive structure: $2 per $10 on GusNIP-approved produce, up to $42 per household per month, with redemption within three months.Engage at least 500 SNAP households over the project period via enrollment at partner retailers and EDM pantries; track participation using Royalty Card IDs (no EBT numbers collected or stored) to protect privacy.Deliver monthly, bilingual nutrition education (English/Spanish) at retail sites and EDM pantries, including cooking demonstrations and health screenings; record the number of sessions, attendance, and screening services provided.Operate the mobile program hub vehicle at partner bodegas/supermarkets to facilitate pantry registration, complete social service assessments, and provide on-site support; log each mobile event, households served, and referrals to housing, benefits, or health resources.Support retailer commitments to stock a consistent variety of fresh produce, documenting assortments and affordability at participating sites and noting improvements over time; provide technical assistance during planning and soft-rollout phases.Monitor and evaluate outcomes by collecting core firm-level and participant-level metrics, analyzing Royalty Card redemption data, and administering participant surveys; contribute all required data to the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE) and follow Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidance.Maintain program integrity and data security by using existing retailer POS infrastructure, encrypting transactions, tracking via Royalty Card IDs, and monitoring refunds; document exceptions and corrective actions as needed.Provide plain-language, culturally relevant, bilingual outreach materials that explain how to earn and redeem incentives and encourage produce purchasing; gather ongoing feedback through surveys/focus groups to improve delivery.Adhere to the 24-month project calendar (planning, soft rollout, full implementation, evaluation/closeout) and document process milestones for NTAE annually.Advance sustainability by formalizing partnerships with bodegas and supermarkets, continuing multi-site education and outreach beyond the grant period, and pursuing diversified funding to expand to additional retail sites as feasible.

Project Methods
STUDY DESIGN AND SETTINGA 24-month practice-implementation project with two SNAP-authorized firms (one bodega, one independent supermarket) and EDM's Bronx pantry network. Phases: Months 1-3 planning and setup; Months 4-6 soft rollout; Months 7-21 full implementation; Months 22-24 evaluation and closeout.INTERVENTION MODEL (WHAT WE WILL DO)Point-of-sale fruit and vegetable incentive integrated with existing royalty card systems. For every $10 in SNAP purchases of GusNIP-approved produce, participants earn a $2 credit, capped at $42 per month, redeemable for additional produce. Incentives expire in three months. Receipts show incentives earned and redeemed; refunds are monitored to prevent improper redemption. No new EBT enhancements are required - existing POS is used with encrypted storage. Participants are tracked by Royalty Card ID; no EBT numbers are collected or stored.Combined education and services. Monthly bilingual (English/Spanish) nutrition education and cooking demonstrations at retail sites and pantries provide practical budgeting and shopping skills. Health screenings and referrals connect families to care.Mobile program hub vehicle. Deployed at partner stores to conduct pantry registration, social-service assessments, and on-site enrollment and consultation, bringing services directly to shoppers.Retailer technical assistance. Owners/managers and frontline staff receive initial and refresher training on POS procedures, customer service, and compliance. Partners commit to stocking a consistent variety of fresh produce.UNIQUE ASPECTS / DEPARTURES FROM USUAL METHODSAt-register incentive integration with retailers' own royalty card systems to minimize stigma and provide a smooth, receipt-visible experience.No new EBT technology - leverages existing POS with encryption and refund monitoring to reduce operational risk and accelerate rollout.Mobile hub at shopping sites to pair incentives with screenings, referrals, and pantry access - meeting families where they are.EFFORTS (HOW WE DELIVER SCIENCE-BASED KNOWLEDGE)Monthly bilingual classes and demos (retail and pantries) on healthy meal planning, label reading, and budget shopping; take-home recipes and handouts.In-store tabling and outreach during soft rollout and full implementation to enroll households, explain eligibility, and troubleshoot checkout questions.Staff and retailer trainings (initial and refresher) on rules, POS use, data handling and privacy, and customer support.Plain-language, bilingual materials at participating firms and pantries that explain how to earn and redeem incentives.IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURESRetail integration (Months 1-3): finalize agreements; configure POS to recognize eligible produce and print incentive lines; test encryption and refund logs.Soft rollout (Months 4-6): enroll a limited cohort; validate receipt printing and earning/redemption rules (including $42 cap and 3-month expiration); refine workflows.Full implementation (Months 7-21): scale to both firms; run monthly classes and demos and mobile hub deployments; deliver refresher trainings.Closeout (Months 22-24): finalize surveys and analyses; prepare NTAE and USDA reports; document sustainability steps with retailers.DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENTRoyalty Card POS data: earn/redeem amounts, transaction counts, receipt annotations, refund flags; encrypted storage; participant records keyed to Royalty Card ID only.Participant surveys: baseline and follow-up (annual cross-sectional) on intake, knowledge, attitudes, and food budgeting practices; optional brief interviews and focus groups.Education and event logs: attendance, topics, screening counts, referrals made (pantries, benefits, health care).Privacy and compliance: Fordham IRB review; annual data submission to NTAE per GusNIP requirements.ANALYSIS PLAN (HOW RESULTS WILL BE ANALYZED AND INTERPRETED)Process evaluation: reach (enrolled households, retailer participation), fidelity (receipt printing, correct caps and expiration, refund monitoring), and dose (classes, demos, mobile events). Monthly dashboards review trends and flag anomalies for rapid fixes.Outcome evaluation:Change in knowledge: pre/post class items on label reading, produce prep, and incentive use.Change in action: POS redemption frequency and amounts per household; self-reported shifts away from sugary beverages and high-sodium snacks.Change in condition: self-reported dietary quality/diversity and screening/referral completion; triangulated with sustained redemption trends.Methods: descriptive statistics (counts, means, medians, redemption rates), pre/post comparisons (t-tests or nonparametric as appropriate), subgroup comparisons (e.g., by site or tenure), and time-series of redemption and utilization during full implementation. External evaluator support is budgeted in Year 2 for advanced analysis and reporting.EVALUATION PLAN (MILESTONES AND INDICATORS)Milestone 1 - Soft rollout complete (Month 6): POS live at both firms; receipts show earn/redeem; refund monitoring active; 1 training per site completed. Indicators: POS test logs; training rosters.Milestone 2 - Implementation midpoint (Month 14): sustained redemption with $42/month cap functioning; at least 8 monthly classes delivered; mobile hub operating on a recurring schedule. Indicators: redemption reports; education and event logs.Milestone 3 - Data submission (annually): NTAE core firm- and participant-level datasets transmitted; IRB oversight maintained. Indicators: NTAE submission receipts; IRB correspondence.Milestone 4 - Closeout (Month 24): final surveys analyzed; results compiled for USDA/NTAE; retailer MOUs updated to sustain operations. Indicators: final report; partner documentation.CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTQuarterly reviews with retailers and staff use dashboards and participant feedback (surveys and focus groups) to refine signage, stocking practices, class topics, and outreach timing (Plan-Do-Study-Act).ACCESSIBILITY, AND PLAIN LANGUAGEAll public-facing materials and instruction are bilingual (English/Spanish) and written in plain language, with culturally relevant recipes and demonstrations. One-to-one assistance is available at outreach tables and via the mobile hub.