Progress 05/15/18 to 05/14/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes vendors (farmers markets, on-farm stands, CSAs, and brick-and-mortar retail stores) and SNAP participants. Additionally, the Coalition targeted vendors that were already accepting SNAP as a form of payment but also targeted vendors that weren't yet accepting SNAP as a form of payment. The Coalition has provided technical assistance to markets looking to become SNAP-eligible in order to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables for SNAP recipients as well as expanding the SNAP Stretch program. The FINI pilot funding was initially designed to specifically target SNAP recipient families with children, however, we've seen as much participation from senior citizens. Seniors citizens and disabled adults were able to access these funds through mobile markets and deliver to their homes and the senior farmers market voucher program brought more senior participants to farmer markets. As SNAP Stretch continues in the 2020 season with private funding, we're specifically targeting senior citizens and families with pandemic-ebt cards. We are partnering with the following state offices and nonprofits to offer services to explain SNAP Stretch to potential customers: WV Department of Human Health and Human Resources SNAP State Office, Legal Aid of WV, Team for WV - Partners in Prevention, and WVU FNP, WV Grandfamilies Program. These offices are providing individual support and counseling to those receiving SNAP benefits that now includes information about the SNAP Stretch program and where to access the participating markets. Changes/Problems: Transportation - Many customers and potential customers using SNAP Stretch do not have access to transportation whether due to financial constraints, disabilities, or it may be a long distance to the nearest participating SNAP Stretch market. The Coalition is supporting and encouraging more participating farmers markets to utilize mobile markets or "pop-up" markets at locations with a high percentage of customers using SNAP as payment. These locations currently include childcare centers, senior/disable high rise buildings, and lower-income schools. We have several markets utilizing this strategy and especially amidst the COVID-19 outbreak interest in utilizing the SNAP Stretch program throughout the state with this approach has grown. Lack of affordable equipment to accept SNAP payments -In order to accept SNAP as payment at a farmers market, a vendor must either use a device to accept payment electronically or call a national number for each individual purchase. Using the electronic device is the most convenient, however, there is an initial fee as well as monthly fees that are prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, at the start of 2020, the WV DHHR received grant funding to cover the initial start-up costs and transaction fees for wireless equipment for new SNAP farmers markets and direct marketing farms through September 2021. Lack of connectivity - In many parts of rural West Virginia, there is no reliable internet connectivity which is necessary to process electronic payments if a market does have the necessary equipment. Markets have worked to overcome this by using manual vouchers. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?After the outbreak of COVID19 occurred in March 2020 Coalition staff spent much of March-May providing one-on-one technical assistance to 20 new potential sites interested in becoming SNAP/SNAP Stretch retailers/markets in addition to fundraising in order to keep the SNAP Stretch program operating during the 2020 season. The Coalition and other partners had also previously worked with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR) to get a grant that would allow them to give new markets free wireless equipment, whereas previously they only offer free wired equipment to markets, which proved to be prohibitive, given the available infrastructure in rural West Virginia. As a result of the influx of new markets, on-farm stands, and brick-and-mortar retailers needing assistance to apply to the USDA FNS service to access become SNAP-eligible and rules that WV DHHR put in place to qualify for the free wireless equipment, the Coalition put together and one-guide for markets considering becoming SNAP-eligible, while also providing one-on-one technical assistance in applying for SNAP eligibility. Over the life ofthe funding, the Coalition has offered several training webinars in order to help sites become SNAP Stretch participants and work with a representative from USDA FNS to provide training and one-day SNAP eligibility enrollment at the annual West Virginia Small Farms Conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Coalition had the opportunity to present this project to the Nutrition Incentive Hub collaborative that the Fair Food Network operates. The Coalition presented on both the results of the 2018 grant, but also it plans to adapt and expand during the 2020 season, which includes matching senior SNAP purchases at a 1:2 rate and developing individual outreach plans with markets. The Coalition has a listserv that is shared publicly for individuals within the community to receive results from programs and activities regularly, as well as, various social media platforms where we share this information. Various partners including WV DHHR, nonprofit organizations, and markets have received results information. Additionally, information is shared with WVU FNP which can report on to their funders and network. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Test feasibility of innovative, direct to consumer marketing strategies, including cooperative mobile market strategies, school/childcare based markets, and CSA models. WV Food & Farm Coalition partnered with a local hospital coordinating children's pop-up farmers markets at childcare centers. 30 markets occurred in the Spring/Summer of 2019 at 10 childcare centers (3 markets per childcare center). These childcare centers are part of a network that has been involved in a continuous quality improvement obesity prevention initiative. All participating childcare centers also are SNAP-Ed eligible with at least 50% of families participating in SNAP. The pop-up children's markets are also subsidized by local foundation funding to provide children with an additional $4 in vouchers per child and staff. The farmer/aggregator providing the produce accepts SNAP and SNAP Stretch to provide additional incentive to the child and parent. 2,205 children were served through these markets. Overall, we provided program incentives to17 different farmers markets and food retailers around the state. The partnerships that were created as a result of this project will increase the sustainability of the SNAP Stretch project as it continues to grow and provide more access to fresh fruits and vegetables to SNAP participants while providing an income for farmers. Thankful Valley Farms is another innovative farmers market. This is a mobile market that travels to a senior citizen/disabled adult living facilities each weekday in three counties. All of these residents are SNAP recipients. The farmer sets up the market each day to serve the residents who do not have reliable transportation to a grocery store or community farmers market. The mobile market serves anywhere from 20-100 residents in each senior/living facility. At the time that this grant period closed, their mobile market had expended $24,491.37 in SNAP Stretch incentives. We learned that of the different strategies that we tried, physically taking a shopping experience to senior citizens was very successful. The shopping experience allows the seniors to feel a sense of independence as well as allows them to purchase fresh foods that they, otherwise, may not have access to. Senior living facilities are notorious for receiving donated food from food pantries, but often these food items are carbohydrate and salt heavy. These foods do not help seniors manage chronic health conditions. As a result, during the 2020 season, with funding from private foundations, the SNAP Stretch program will cover a 1:2 match for senior citizens, in order to encourage additional farmers to consider mobile delivery mechanisms. As a result, at least 2 new markets for the 2020 season will visit senior living facilities and senior citizen communities. 2. Integrate nutrition education into markets and at program sites to reinforce messages and evaluate the impact of market programs on fruit and vegetable consumption. WV Food & Farm Coalition partners with West Virginia University Extension Family Nutrition Program (WVU FNP) health educators and nutrition outreach instructors to provide food demonstrations, recipe cards, and samples. If there is enough interest, participants can enroll in nutrition classes offered. WVU FNP educators and nutrition instructors target low-income populations to implement their programming. These education opportunities were coupled with the 30 kids pop-up markets. In addition to children receiving $4 each market to select their own produce, WVU FNP offered healthy eating education and exercises with the children. It was the hope of the experimental combination of the pop-up markets, WVU FNP programming, and SNAP Stretch available at those markets, that we would see "pester power" in action. "Pester Power" is the idea that the kids influence their parents to participate in SNAP Stretch markets so that the kids can expend their "kids koupons". We did learn that in addition to the benefits of purchasing fresh produce, that children really enjoy counting and paying for products with tokens are markets.
Publications
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Progress 05/15/19 to 05/14/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes vendors (farmers markets, on-farm stands, CSAs, and brick-and-mortar retail stores) and SNAP participants. Additionally, the Coalition targeted vendors that were already accepting SNAP as a form of payment but also targeted vendors that weren't yet accepting SNAP as a form of payment. The Coalition has provided technical assistance to markets looking to become SNAP-eligible in order to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables for SNAP recipients as well as expanding the SNAP Stretch program. The FINI pilot funding was initially designed to specifically target SNAP recipient families with children, however, we've seen as much participation from senior citizens. Seniors citizens and disabled adults were able to access these funds through mobile markets and deliver to their homes and the senior farmers market voucher program brought more senior participants to farmer markets. As SNAP Stretch continues in the 2020 season with private funding, we're specifically targeting senior citizens and families with pandemic-EBT cards. We are partnering with the following state offices and nonprofits to offer services to explain SNAP Stretch to potential customers: WV Department of Human Health and Human Resources SNAP State Office, Legal Aid of WV, Team for WV - Partners in Prevention, and WVU FNP, WV Grandfamilies Program. These offices are providing individual support and counseling to those receiving SNAP benefits that now includes information about the SNAP Stretch program and where to access the participating markets Changes/Problems: Transportation - Many customers and potential customers using SNAP Stretch do not have access to transportation whether due to financial constraints, disabilities, or it may be a long distance to the nearest participating SNAP Stretch market. The Coalition is supporting and encouraging more participating farmers markets to utilize mobile markets or "pop-up" markets at locations with a high percentage of customers using SNAP as payment. These locations currently include childcare centers, senior/disable high rise buildings, and lower-income schools. We have several markets utilizing this strategy and especially amidst the COVID-19 outbreak interest in utilizing the SNAP Stretch program throughout the state with this approach has grown. Lack of affordable equipment to accept SNAP payments -In order to accept SNAP as payment at a farmers market, a vendor must either use a device to accept payment electronically or call a national number for each individual purchase. Using the electronic device is the most convenient, however, there is an initial fee as well as monthly fees that are prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, at the start of 2020, the WV DHHR received grant funding to cover the initial start-up costs and transaction fees for wireless equipment for new SNAP farmers markets and direct marketing farms through September 2021. Lack of connectivity - In many parts of rural West Virginia, there is no reliable internet connectivity which is necessary to process electronic payments if a market does have the necessary equipment. Markets have worked to overcome this byusing manual vouchers. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?After the outbreak of COVID19 occurred in March 2020 Coalition staff spent much of March-May providing one-on-one technical assistance to 20 new potential sites interested in becoming SNAP/SNAP Stretch retailers/markets in addition to fundraising in order to keep the SNAP Stretch program operating during the 2020 season. The Coalition and other partners had also previously worked with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR) to get a grant that would allow them to give new markets free wireless equipment, whereas previously they only offer free wired equipment to markets, which proved to be prohibitive, given the available infrastructure in rural West Virginia. As a result of the influx of new markets, on-farm stands, and brick-and-mortar retailers needing assistance to apply to the USDA FNS service to access become SNAP-eligible and rules that WV DHHR put in place to qualify for the free wireless equipment, the Coalition put together and one-guide for markets considering becoming SNAP-eligible, while also providing one-on-one technical assistance in applying for SNAP eligibility. Over the life of the funding, the Coalition has offered severaltraining webinars in order to help sites become SNAP Stretch participants and work with a representative from USDA FNS to provide training and one-day SNAP eligibility enrollment at the annual West Virginia Small Farms Conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Coalition had the opportunity to present this project to the Nutrition Incentive Hub collaborative that the Fair Food Network operates. The Coalition presented on both the results of the 2018 grant, but also it plans to adapt and expand during the 2020 season, which includes matching senior SNAP purchases at a 1:2 rate and developing individual outreach plans with markets. The Coalition has a listserv that is shared publicly for individuals within the community to receive results from programs and activities regularly, as well as, various social media platforms where we share this information. Various partners including WV DHHR, nonprofit organizations, and markets have received results information. Additionally, information is shared with WVUFNP which can report on to their funders and network. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Test feasibility of innovative, direct to consumer marketing strategies, including cooperative mobile market strategies, school/childcare based markets, and CSA models. WV Food & Farm Coalition partnered with a local hospital coordinating children's pop-up farmers markets at childcare centers. 30 markets occurred in the Spring/Summer of 2019 at 10 childcare centers (3 markets per childcare center). These childcare centers are part of a network that has been involved in a continuous quality improvement obesity prevention initiative. All participating childcare centers also are SNAP-Ed eligible with at least 50% of families participating in SNAP. The pop-up children's markets are also subsidized by local foundation funding to provide children with an additional $4 in vouchers per child and staff. The farmer/aggregator providing the produce accepts SNAP and SNAP Stretch to provide additional incentive to the child and parent. 2,205 children were served through these markets. Overall, we provided program incentives to 17 different farmers markets and food retailers around the state. The partnerships that were created as a result of this project will increase the sustainability of the SNAP Stretch project as it continues to grow and provide more access to fresh fruits and vegetables to SNAP participants while providing an income for farmers. Thankful Valley Farms is another innovative farmers market. This is a mobile market that travels to a senior citizen/disabled adult living facilities each weekday in three counties. All of these residents are SNAP recipients. The farmer sets up the market each day to serve the residents who do not have reliable transportation to a grocery store or community farmers market. The mobile market serves anywhere from 20-100 residents in each senior/living facility. At the time that this grant period closed, their mobile market had expended $24,491.37 in SNAP Stretch incentives. We learned that of the different strategies that we tried, physically taking a shopping experience to senior citizens was very successful. The shopping experience allows the seniors to feel a sense of independence as well as allows them to purchase fresh foods that they, otherwise, may not have access to. Senior living facilities are notorious for receiving donated food from food pantries, but often these food items are carbohydrate and salt heavy. These foods do not help seniors manage chronic health conditions. As a result, during the 2020 season, with funding from private foundations, the SNAP Stretch program will cover a 1:2 match for senior citizens, in order to encourage additional farmers to consider mobile delivery mechanisms. As a result, at least 2 new markets for the 2020 season will visit senior living facilities and senior citizen communities. 2. Integrate nutrition education into markets and at program sites to reinforce messages and evaluate the impact of market programs on fruit and vegetable consumption. WV Food & Farm Coalition partners with West Virginia University Extension Family Nutrition Program (WVU FNP) health educators and nutrition outreach instructors to provide food demonstrations, recipe cards, and samples. If there is enough interest, participants can enroll in nutrition classes offered. WVU FNP educators and nutrition instructors target low-income populations to implement their programming. These education opportunities were coupled with the 30 kids pop-up markets. In addition to children receiving $4 each market to select their own produce, WVU FNP offered healthy eating education and exercises with the children. It was the hope of the experimental combination of the pop-up markets, WVU FNP programming, and SNAP Stretch available at those markets, that we would see "pester power" in action. "Pester Power" is the idea that the kids influence their parents to participate in SNAP Stretch markets so that the kids can expend their "kids koupons". We did learn that in addition to the benefits of purchasing fresh produce, that children really enjoy counting and paying for products with tokens are markets.
Publications
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Progress 05/15/18 to 05/14/19
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience includes both vendors and SNAP participants.The vendors we are targeting include both ones that are currently offering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefits (SNAP) and SNAP Stretch, those that offer only SNAP but not SNAP Stretch, and vendors that offer neither. We have also been working to increase SNAP participation and awareness of this incentive program throughout the state. WV Food & Farm Coalition has relationships with farmers market managers across the state through an existing network. We are assisting farmers markets already accepting SNAP to educate and provide technical assistance for them to more fully integrate SNAP Stretch into their market. In order to increase redemption of SNAP Stretch incentives, we targeted families with children through SNAP-Education qualifying schools and childcare centers.We partnered with farmers and other organizations to coordinate pop-up farmers markets at schools and childcare centers to offer SNAP Stretch as an additional incentive to already existing voucher programs funded by local foundations. Additionally, we targeted seniors, disabled adults, and patients at clinics through pop-up markets at senior/disabled living high rises and clinics implementing a produce prescription program. A newer strategy has bene to work with state agencies where a majority of clients participate in the SNAP program.We are partnering with the following state offices and non-profits to offer services to explain SNAP Stretch to potential customers: WV Department of Human Health and Human Resources SNAP State Office, Legal Aid of WV, Team for WV - Partners in Prevention, and WVU Extension health educators. These offices are providing individual support and counseling to those receiving SNAP benefits that now includes information about the SNAP Stretch program and where to access the participating markets. Changes/Problems:There was a delay in the announcement of funding by the USDA's Secretary, which delayed the start the program. The announcement came in August, 2018, however this is the end of West Virginia's farmers market season. Though we began the project in August 2018 by implementing the program, most farmers' markets wished to wait till the start of the 2019 market season before implementing SNAP Stretch. We are grateful for an extension of the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) GrantProgram (Award Number 2018-70025-28164) for 1 year to have a new end date of May 14,2020. The current period of performance for this grant is May 15, 2018 through May 14, 2019. We have identified a few major barriers and solutions to implementation. Lack of affordable equipment to accept SNAP payments -In order to accept SNAP as a payment at a farmers market, a vendor must either use a device to accept payment electronically or call a national number for each individual purchase. Using the electronic device is the most convenient, however there is an initial fee as well as monthly fees that are prohibitively expensive.The WV state office for SNAP offers only free wired equipment, and while there is a national program, the website is non-functional currently. We are currently identifying potential other funding sources to find funds to purchase the equipment. Lack of connectivity - In many parts of rural West Virginia, there is no reliable internet connectivity which is necessary to process electronic payments if a market does have the necessary equipment. At this time, we do not have a solution for this issue in some parts of the state. Transportation - Many customers and potential customers using SNAP Stretch do not have easily accessed transportation whether due to financial constraints, disabilities, or may be a long distance to the nearest participating SNAP Stretch market. We are supporting and encouraging more participating farmers markets to utilizemobile markets or "pop-up" markets at locations with a high percentage of customers using SNAP as payment.These locations currently include childcare centers, senior/disable high rise buildings, andlower income schools. Though we have several markets utilizing this strategy, we see this as becoming more and more popular to greater utilize the SNAP Stretch program throughout the state. Awareness of the program -There is not widespread awareness of SNAP Stretch yet. However, we are addressing this by an increase in the use of local and statewide partners promoting the program, an increase in the amount of promotional materials, and sharing innovative ideas individual participating SNAP Stretch markets are using to promote their individual markets. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? At the start of the program in 2018,WV Food and Farm Coalition created a toolkit available online that includes a webinar on how to use the data tracking software, how to be reimbursed for the grant, troubleshooting videos, and premade posters/materials. Additionally, there are tips and handouts available that can help when implementing the program. WV Food & Farm Coalition has offered two live webinars in 2019 to detail the program and answer any additional questions farmers market representatives might have. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The webinar and toolkit has been distributed to WVU Extension health educators and nutrition instructors who serve SNAP participants.Additionally, the staff have contacts with farmers and provide technical assistance to farmers markets to encourage SNAP participants to eat more fruits and vegetables. WV Food and Farm Coalitionhasworked more recently with state agencies and non-profits whose clients use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to offer one on one technical assistance on SNAP Stretch and where to find participating SNAP Stretch markets. These organizations include:WV Department of Human Health and Human Resources SNAP State Office, Legal Aid of WV, Team for WV - Partners in Prevention, and WVU Extension through health educators. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1) Test feasibility ofinnovative, direct to consumer marketingstrategies, including cooperative mobile market strategies, school/childcare based markets and CSA models. The Coalition will work more withinterested healthcare providers to offer SNAP Stretch as an additional incentive for their "Farm"acy Programs. This model has been piloted in several areas of the state - some using SNAP Stretch and others not. We intend to educate leaders on these healthcare initiated projects with information regarding the benefits and how to utilize the resources. 2) Integrate nutrition education into markets and at program sites to reinforce messages and evaluate impact of market programs on fruit and vegetable consumption. The Coalition intends to continue working with WVU Extension health educators and nutrition instructors to offer samples and recipes of the fruits and vegetables sold at the traditional farmers markets, clinics, mobile, and children'spop up markets. We intend to help the WVU Extension staff advertise their additional opportunities such as nutrition classes and food demonstrations to other sites. In addition, Marshall University dietetics program, is offering taste testings at their mobile markets throughout Huntington, WV areas of service.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1) Test feasibility ofinnovative, direct to consumer marketingstrategies, including cooperative mobile market strategies, school/childcare based markets and CSA models. WV Food & Farm Coalitionispartnering with a local hospital coordinating children's pop-up farmersmarkets at childcare centers. There are 30 markets planned for the Spring/Summer of 2019 at 10 childcare centers (3 markets per childcare center). These childcare centers are part of a network that have been involved in a continuous quality improvement obesity prevention initiative.All participating childcare centers also are SNAP-Ed eligible with at least 50% of families participating in SNAP. The pop-up children's markets are also subsidized by local foundation funding to provide children with an additional $4 in vouchers per child and staff. The farmer/aggregator providing the produce accepts SNAP and SNAP Stretch to provide additional incentive to the child and parent. The Coalition will work with all partners to advertise the SNAP Stretch Program to parents. The first market took place in late April 2019 and will continue throughout the summer and possibly fall.We expect to serve approximately 3,000 children with these markets. Based on initial data, we expect that there are at least 1,500 families participating in SNAP that will be attending the children's pop up markets at the childcare centers. The partnerships that are created as a result of this projectwillincrease sustainability to provide more access to fresh fruits and vegetables to SNAP participants while providing a more reliable income for farmers. As the partnership continues, we expect to see the development of SNAP and/orSNAP Stretch meal boxes for busy, working families. This pilot project involving 10 childcare centers has potential to increase to at least 75 childcare centers in the Charleston Area Medical Center network of centers participating in their obesity prevention project, Key 2 a HealthyStart.With an average of approximately 90 children per childcare center, we anticipate SNAP Stretch to be a popular incentive program for children's pop up markets. Thankful Valley Farms is another innovative farmers market. This is a mobile market that travels to a different high rise senior/disabled living facility each weekday in the largest city, Charleston, WV. All of these residents are SNAP eligible. The farmersets up the market each day to serve all the residents who do not have reliable transportation to a grocery store or farmers market. This market serves anywhere from 20-100residents of the high rises each day. This model can easily be replicated in other highpopulation dense areas. Additionally, some SNAP Stretch participating farmers provide food for "Farm"acy programs. These initiatives are geared towards high risk patients with chronic diseases that may be ameliorated by an increase of fruits and vegetables. In this program, the physician writes a prescription for fruits and vegetables and receives information about when the farmers market stand will be set up at the clinic. They are provided information about the incentive programs. 2) Integrate nutrition education into markets and at program sites to reinforce messages and evaluate impact of market programs on fruit and vegetable consumption. WV Food & Farm Coalition partners with West Virginia University (WVU) Extension health educators and nutrition instructors to provide food demonstrations, recipe cards, and samples.If there is enough interest, participants can enroll in nutrition classes offered at the site where the pop up market is located, i.e. clinic, childcare center, high rise senior/disabled facility.WVU Extension health educators and nutrition instructors target SNAP recipients with funding from SNAP-Education.
Publications
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