Progress 05/15/16 to 05/14/18
Outputs
Target Audience:With this project, Link Up Illinois sought to serve Illinois' farmers markets andSNAP clientele, residing in cities and rural areas throughout the state.The CBS-TV 3-week television advertising campaign undertaken under this project reached 600,000 SNAP households in the seven counties in and around Chicago. Changes/Problems:Experimental Station did not experience any significant changes or problems in carrying outthis project. However, we were unable to fund anumberof the Chicago and non-Chicago markets that we had targeted. This for a variety of reasons: ten were simply unresponsive to our outreach to them;one no longer accepts SNAP, due to associated costs; three already had adequate funding for nutrition incentives; and four lacked the management capacity to carry out the program (one in fear of closing altogether). We suspect that the unresponsive markets may also lack the management capacity to carry out the program--hence the lack of response. We werechallenged early onby the high level of data reporting required as part of the Westat evaluation. Eventually, we hired a part-time assistant to help with data entry and reporting. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An important component of the services provided by Link Up Illinois to Illinois farmers markets is training. Under this award, Link Up Illinois trained farmers market managers on the following systems/tools: How to become authorized to accept SNAP and implement a SNAP redemption system, for markets without FNS certification Best practices for outreach to SNAP populations Best practices for implementing a Link Match incentive program How to utilize the Wholesome Wave online data portal How to report on use of Link Up Illinois grants and matching funds. Experimental Station had the opportunity to present information on Link Up Illinois' Link Match incentive program through conferences organized by the Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA), webinars hosted by the ILFMA and University of Illinois Extension, one-on-one calls with new partner markets, outreach meetings with various organizations (e.g. Catholic Charities, senior living facilities, Illinois Department of Human Services), meetings with Illinois state legislators, meetings with the Cook County Food Access Task Force, health and hunger sector conferences, and USDA Good Greens and other meetings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Experimental Station produces an annual Link Up Illinois Report (2016 amd 2017 available) that details the program's activities for the previous year. Full-color hard copies are mailed with a cover letter to state legislators and distributed to program funders and a number of other stakeholders. An e-copy is shared broadly with Link Up Illinois partner markets and other communities of interest. It is available to all upon request. Additionally, Experimental Station often presents the results of our Link Up Illinois program via webinars, presentations, conferences, etc. In addition, Dr. Chelsea R. Singleton (University of Illinois at Chicago) has included the findings of the 2016 and 2017 Double Value Coupon Program Survey Research Project in an article entitled, "Barriers to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Farmers Market Incentive Program Users in Illinois," to be published in the journalPublic Health Nutrition. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Experimental Station is deeply grateful to the USDA and NIFA for the funding provided under the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives (FINI) program. This 2016 FINI award enabled Experimental Station's Link Up Illinois program both to expand the offering of SNAP nutrition incentives to farmers markets throughout Illinois and to increase awareness of the benefits of SNAP nutrition incentives among SNAP clients, farmers markets, local and state legislators, and the public at large. As Link Up Illinois has grown to serve more than 80 Illinois farmers markets annually, the data collected by its farmers market partners and via at-market surveys has provided convincing evidence to Illinois lawmakers that state funding for SNAP nutrition incentives will generate both health and economic benefits for thousands of Illinoisans. We are pleased that in 2017 Illinois created the Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund, a big step forward in institutionalizing SNAP nutrition incentives in our state. Thanks to FINI funding, Link Up Illinois was ableto expand the number of markets it supports beyond Chicago, providetelevision advertising on a major local network (CBS-TV 2)in the greater Chicago metropolitan area, andhire a part-time staff position to perform outreach in the city. The result:Link Up Illinois partner markets collectively reported 30+% increases in SNAP and Double ValueCoupon Program sales from 2016 to 2017, and learned that most SNAP customers agreed that the Double Value Coupon Program positively affected their their fruit and vegetable intake.The accomplishments made toward realizing the project's goals, as stated above,are outlined below. Outcome 1: In 2016, Link Up Illinois supported 78markets overall, with 28markets receiving 2016 FINI funding.In 2017, Link Up Illinois supported 85markets overall, with 35 markets receiving 2016 FINI funding. 25 of the 29 non-Chicago farmers markets funded in 2016 received 2016 FINI funds, while 27 of the 32 non-Chicago farmers markets funded in 2017 received FINI funds. 3 of the 44 Chicago farmers marketsfunded in 2017 received 2016 FINI funding. 8 of the 47 Chicago farmers markets funded in 2017 received 2016 FINI funding. Outcome 2: SNAP sales from 2016 to 2017 increased by 30.94% 2016 - $229,366 (goal attained) 2017 - $300,321 (goal attained) Link Match Double Value Coupon Incentive redemptions increased from 2016 to 2017 by 33.37% 2016 - $184,812 (goal attained) 2017 - $246,488 (goal attained) Outcome 3: New SNAP Customers shopping at Link Up Illinois partner markets increased from 2016 to 2017 2,925 New SNAP shoppers in 2016 (goal almost attained) 4,795 New SNAP shoppers in 2017 (goal exceeded) SNAP clients increased from 2016 to 2017 SNAP recipients 2016 = 8,588 (110 unique SNAP clients x78 sites) SNAP recipients 2017 = 9,130 (110 unique SNAP clients x83 sites) Outcome 4: In each of 2016 and 2017, with the contracted assistance of Chelsea R. Singleton, PhD, MPH, Experimental Station carried out a market survey at six Illinois farmers markets, intended to identify demographic and health characteristics of SNAP clients, farmers market shopping behaviors and attitudes of SNAP clients, and fruit and vegetable intake and attitudes toward fruit and vegetable intake among SNAP clients. The participating markets differed slightly from one year to the next. In 2016, 140 SNAP clients at the 61st Street Farmers Market (Chicago), Aurora Farmers Market, Old Capitol Farmers Market (Springfield), Northbrook Farmers Market, Urbana Farmers Market and Woodstock Farmers Market responded to the survey. In 2017, 263 SNAP clients shopping at the 61st Street, Old Capitol, Urbana, Woodstock, Carbondale and East St. Louis farmers markets participated in the survey. Markets received a $500 stipend each year for their administration of the survey. Each year, approximately 83% of respondents were female, with 69% of 2016 and 64% of 2017 respondents self-identifying as overweight or obese. Among the findings, in 2016 95.7% and in 2017 85.6% of respondents stated that the Double Value Coupon Program positively affected their fruit and vegetable intake. 82.2% of 2016 respondents and 76.2% of 2017 respondents reported that coming to the farmers market has positively affected their overall health.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Link Up Illinois 2016 Report
Link Up Illinois 2017 Report
|
Progress 05/15/16 to 05/14/17
Outputs
Target Audience:LINK UpIllinois seeks to serve Illinois' SNAP clientele, residing in cities and rural areas throughout the state. Changes/Problems:Although not a major change, LINK Up Illinois decided to allocate more FINI funding to non-Chicago farmers markets than to Chicago markets, as funding is generally easier to obtain for Chicago nutrition incentives. We have not experienced any major problems. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?LINK Up Illinois has trained and provided technical assistance to all of the farmers markets and direct-to-consumer partners funded to carry out Double Value Coupon Programs. Partners learn best practices for implementing a nutrition incentive program, how to collect data, which data to collect, and how to enter data into the Wholesome Wave online data portal. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results will be printed in the LINK Up Illinois 2016 Report, which will go to print before the end of April. The Report will be disseminated to a variety of stakeholders in both printed and electronic form, including funders, partner farmers markets/farmers, legislators, and strategic partners. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?LINK Up Illinois will continue to provide outreach to farmers markets through the Illinois Farmers Market Association to expand awareness of the availability of funding, training and technical support for Double Value Coupon incentive programs at farmers markets. We will accept and vet applications for funding, issue grant contracts and funds, provide training and technical support, design branded materials to provide to partner markets, and monitor partner market data reporting.In June-July 2017, LINK Up Illinois will produce and diffuse a 30-second television advertisement to increase awareness among SNAP clients of the opportunity to double the value of their SNAP benefits when spending them at farmers markets.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Experimental Stationoutcomes under this grant are on track. Outcome #1 Measure #1: LINKUp Illinois provided funding, training, and technical support to 74 farmers markets and direct-to-consumer venues in 2016. 26 of these were located outside of Chicago and supported with FINI funds. LINK Up Illinois funded 6additional markets located outside of Chicago with non-FINI funds. Measure #2: LINK Up Illinois provided funding, training, and technical support to 74 farmers markets and direct-to-consumer venues in 2016. 30of these were farmers markets and 12 were mobile market sites, all located in Chicago. Outcome #2 Measure #1: SNAP purchases at LINK Up Illinois markets offering Double Value Coupon incentives reached $221,609 (exceeding the projected increases). Measure #2: Double Value Couponredemptions at LINK Up Illinois markets reached $184,234 (exceeding the projected increases). Outcome #3 Measure #1 and #2: To be reported on subsequently. Outcome #4 Measure: 99% of 140 SNAP clients surveyed at 6 Illinois markets reported that they come to the farmers market to purchase fruits and vegetables; 96% reported that the Double Value Coupon Program positively affected their fruit and vegetable intake; 82% agreed that coming to the farmers market has positively affected their overall health.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Link Up Illinois 2016 Report
|