Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:One in five people in Louisiana, including approximately 867,000 low-income residents on average each month, received financial food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the last year. Notably, 45% of those recipients were children. In Louisiana, the Department of Children and Family Services reports that 1 million people live below 125% of the poverty level, which equates to $39,000 for a family of four. Among these residents, about 76% are receiving SNAP benefits. In the Greater New Orleans area alone, over 140,000 people rely on SNAP to help meet their food needs. The goal of the New Orleans Market Match Project is to increase access to fresh produce for low-income, food-insecure residents in the Greater New Orleans area. Through this project and in collaboration with our partners, we have made significant strides. By the final year of implementation, we reached a diverse group of residents, expanded the program's locations, and created more access points to ensure more people could utilize the incentive. To garner more information about our target audience, Market Umbrella oversaw the provision of program participant surveys at 3 locations in Year 4: Crescent City Farmers Markets (CCFM) at the Uptown, Mid City and City Park locations.Survey participation by location was as follows: CCFM Uptown - 9% CCFM Mid City - 37% CCFM City Park - 46% To the question "How long have you received SNAP benefit?" we had the following response distribution: Just started - 7% Less than a year - 30% More than a year - 49% In addition, 19% of respondents said this was their first time using SNAP at the survey location. To the question "Is Market Match the reason you are making this purchase today?" 78% responded yes, so the matching incentive is a key driver for most shoppers using EBT with CCFM and other partners. In terms of racial, ethnic and gender identity, Market Match participants surveyed identified as: Asian - 2% Black / African American- 40% White -43% American Indian/ Alaska Native- 1% Hispanic/ Spanish , Latino/a - 12% Prefer not to answer- 2% Men -14% Womens 73% Nonbinary- 7% Other 4.% Many survey respondents cited the pandemic as having led to economic difficulties for themselves and their household. When asked to state if they agreed with the statement "Hurricane IDA has made it hard for me and others in my household to make ends meet." 50% 'Agree' and 33% Neither disagree nor agree. The overall health of survey respondents varied. When asked to rank their overall health, the responses were: Excellent -0% Very good -17% Good -25% Fair - 34% Poor -3% In addition to providing the incentives, the project's efforts in Year 4 to reach the target audience also included incentive program marketing and experiential cooking classes to heighten engagement. As a component of this project's outreach and engagement work, in partnership with Tulane University's Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, we were able to offer six cooking classes in Year 4. Marketing efforts for the Market Match incentive program included radio advertisements, print advertising, billboards, digital (online) advertising, and bus stop advertising. Radio ads aired five days a week on local station WWNO with a reach of over 150K listeners. Paid print content appeared in area newspapers The Advocate and Gambit, as well as in free community papers distributed to residences. Our online campaign incorporated social media posts, video ads, and advertisements appearing on NOLA.com and affiliated websites, bringing new visitors to the CCFM website. Digital billboards were played over 10,000 times, garnering an estimated 200,000 impressions (views). Six months of bus stop shelter and interior bus ads have an average reach of about 40,000 daily, per shelter, per vehicle. Changes/Problems:In the past year, the Nutrition Incentive project faced continued challenges related to Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and staff turnover, both of which significantly impacted the project timeline and progress. Following the transition to Solutions IRB for oversight, the project team encountered additional delays due to the extensive revisions required to meet the new IRB's procedural standards. Despite diligent efforts to address these revisions, securing final IRB approval took longer than anticipated, delaying key project activities. Compounding these challenges, staff turnover further impacted the project, requiring time to onboard new team members and rebuild institutional knowledge. These staffing changes created temporary disruptions in workflow, requiring adjustments to project planning and execution. As a result of these combined factors, the project team sought and was granted a no-cost extension to ensure sufficient time to complete the project as planned. This extension allows the team to finalize IRB approval, stabilize staffing, and realign the project timeline. Moving forward, the team remains committed to maintaining transparency, adhering to ethical standards, and meeting the goals of the Nutrition Incentive project. Regular updates will be provided to stakeholders, ensuring accountability and collaboration as the project progresses. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Nutrition Incentive project has provided several key opportunities for training and professional development for our team. Notably, the new program manager had the opportunity to attend the NTAE's mini convening in New York City within their first 90 days. This training was essential in helping the program manager gain a deeper understanding of the Nutrition Incentives program and its operations. The convening also facilitated valuable networking, allowing the manager to connect with others engaged in similar work across the country, thereby strengthening our network and knowledge base. In addition, the Project Director attended the American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference in Atlanta, where they engaged with thought leaders and expanded their expertise in public health. The Project Director also presented at the Society of Nutrition, Education, and Behavior (SNEB) Conference in collaboration with the NTAE and the Center for Nutrition. This opportunity provided a platform for sharing insights and learning from peers in the field of nutrition incentives. Furthermore, both the program manager and project director participated in various Communities of Practice hosted by the Nutrition Incentive Hub. These sessions offered ongoing learning and development in best practices for nutrition incentives, community engagement, and program implementation. Together, these professional development opportunities have equipped our team with the knowledge and connections necessary to enhance the impact of our program and continue working toward our goals effectively. Overall Project Goal: The goal of the New Orleans Market Match project is to increase access to fruits and vegetables for low- income residents of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes through the initiation and expansion of SNAP incentive programs in online, farmers markets, community pick up locations, and a home produce delivery option. Knowledge Outcomes: KO1. Farmers market partners and staff will learn systems and tracking procedures to offer SNAP incentives online and in- person at weekly farmers markets in identified areas (see Table 1 in the appendix). Outcome achieved. In Year 4 of this project Market Umbrella (MU) worked with partner Top Box Foods and River Queen Greens to use SNAP online technology, making the incentive more accessible as well as providing additional tacking method for the program. KO2: Within the project period, 60% of SNAP customers sampled report during a survey at the point-of-purchase at each of the incentive locations trying a new fruit or vegetable for the first time as a result of participation in the incentive program. Outcome achieved. 86% of SNAP customers who completed the survey in Year 4 stated they have tried a new fruit or vegetable as a result of participating in the incentive program. KO3. Within the project period, 50% of SNAP customers sampled report during a survey at the point-of-purchase preparing fresh fruits and vegetables at home. Outcome Achieved. In the past month, all participants (100%) reported preparing meals at home using fruits and vegetables purchased using Market Match with 65% saying they prepared meals 3 to 5 times per week. KO4: Within the project period, Top Box Foods will learn how to incorporate an incentive for SNAP shoppers at the point-of- purchase. Outcome achieved: In Year 4 TB continued to offer Market Match incentive into their online ordering system so that any EBT food purchase order of fruits and vegetables was free to shoppers up to the value of eligible non-produce EBT purchases at time of sale; produce-only purchases were half off. KO5: Within the project period, Top Box Foods will learn methods of querying existing data systems for key indicators to track success of the incentive program at the point of purchase. Outcome achieved: TB utilization SNAP online sales platform enabled them to thoroughly analyze the success of Market Match incentives. In addition to tracking orders purchased with EBT, TB assesses order values over time, identifies the most popular products among Market Match customers, and uses this data to continue improving programs and products based on customers' needs. KO6: Within the project period, MU will provide Top Box Foods knowledge of new and expanding local farms and food producers. Outcome achieved. In Year 4 Market Umbrella's Director of Markets and Market Manager worked closely with Top Box on our Crescent City Farmers Market Box, which only features products from local producers. We expanded access to this box by also offering it to participants of the Produce Prescription Program. Action Outcomes AO1: Within the project period, MU, Top Box Foods and SPROUT NOLA will distribute up to $20 in fresh fruit and vegetable only incentives per market day to each shopper using SNAP at farmers markets in-person and online with delivery or contactless drive thru pick up (as needed by pandemic response). Outcome achieved. During Year 4, to continue to address the desire on the part of shoppers to make fewer, larger grocery shopping trips, the incentive cap per visit was lifted from $60 per visit to markets to unlimited and has remained til the end of this year( 2024). AO2: By the end of the project period, the monthly average number of SNAP transactions processed by Crescent City Farmers Market, Top Box Foods, and SPROUT NOLA will increase by 20%. Outcome not achieved: In Year 1the average of 93 transactions a month across all locations. In year 4, there was an average of 86 transactions across all locations. We believe this decrease is due to a variety of events occurring in both years 2 and 3 including suspending operations due to Hurricane Ida as well as the permanent closure of SPROUT's Refresh Market, and Top Box Operations on pause while implementing SNAP online. AO3. By the end of the project period, 75% of SNAP participants surveyed at the point-of-purchase report purchasing more fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. Outcome achieved: In Year 4, 86% of SNAP customers who completed the survey stated they have been purchasing more fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. AO4. By the end of the project period, 75% of SNAP participants surveyed at the point-of-purchase report increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. Outcome achieved: In Year 4 about 87% of SNAP customers who completed the survey stated they have increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. AO5. By the end of the project period, 75% of SNAP participants surveyed at the point-of-purchase report an increase in the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed. Outcome not yet achieved: 83% of SNAP customers who completed the survey in Year 4 reported an increase in the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed. AO6: Within the project period, Market Umbrella, Top Box Foods and SPROUT NOLA will develop and refine an innovative benefit distribution and redemption system compatible with online SNAP transactions and delivery in partnership with their point-of-sale system providers. Outcome Achieved. River Queen Greens became the first farm in the country to accept SNAP online. Shortly after Top Box Foods Louisiana was able to implement the SNAP Online technology. The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, who administers SNAP in Louisiana, received funds to pilot to implement EBT integration. We have been in close contact with them to support, but unfortunately, we do not operate in the parishes they serve according to their grant deliverables. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In the final year, these results and insights will be shared with various stakeholders, including funders, partners, and community members. Dissemination will occur through multiple channels, such as detailed reports, impact visuals, community meetings, and presentations. These efforts aim to ensure that the findings are accessible and actionable and contribute to enhancing the program's overall impact. Key data was highlighted in community outreach activities, including Market Umbrella's social media channels and weekly e-newsletter. This data was also shared with Market Match partners during our monthly partner meeting, where key findings and areas of opportunity were discussed to support collective progress. Lastly, this information will be presented to the Market Umbrella Board of Directors at the January 2025 Board meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?As our grant has officially closed out, there are no further reports to submit for this period. However, looking ahead, we will continue to focus on gathering and reviewing data to ensure the program's continued success. During the next reporting period, our team will prioritize ongoing data collection, focusing on programmatic outcomes, participant feedback, and partner needs. We will use this information to make informed adjustments, ensuring that the program remains responsive to the needs of both participants and partners. Additionally, we will continue to strengthen our relationships with partners and explore new opportunities to expand program reach and impact. Through regular reviews and assessments, we aim to further refine our approach and ensure that the program continues to meet its goals effectively. Sustainability of the Program With the conclusion of our USDA funding, the program is now operating under state funds provided to Greaux the Good. This transition allows us to continue providing valuable services and maintaining program operations. The support from state funding ensures that our efforts to increase access to fresh produce and support local farmers remain sustainable moving forward. While the shift in funding sources presents new challenges, it also provides an opportunity to strengthen our partnerships and build upon the work we have already accomplished. We are committed to leveraging state resources to ensure that the program continues to thrive, meeting the needs of our participants and partners while maintaining long-term impact in the community.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This year marked significant progress for our Market Match Program. While we initially faced challenges with securing IRB approval, we are pleased to report that the IRB has now been approved. Additionally, despite experiencing staff turnover, we successfully on-boarded a new program manager to ensure continuity and support for program operations. To safeguard the program's objectives and ensure all funds were expended appropriately, we applied for and were approved for a No-Cost Extension (NCE). This proactive measure allowed us to maintain our focus on meeting program goals without interruption. Despite these hurdles, the program achieved several important milestones. We successfully on-boarded new partners, including Barcelos Garden and VEGGI Farmers' Cooperative, which significantly enhanced the program's reach and impact. Barcelos Garden, located in the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans, is a fresh produce market dedicated to helping people learn to grow their food while providing access to fresh produce. VEGGI Farmers' Cooperative, based in New Orleans East, is comprised of nine farmers growing on 1.5 acres. VEGGI prioritizes heirloom produce, including varieties native to New Orleans and those historically significant to the Vietnamese community. Additionally, two of our partners began utilizing SNAP online, enabling customers to shop in a more convenient and innovative way. This enhancement has been highly beneficial, expanding access to fresh produce and improving the overall customer experience. Through these efforts, we have strengthened our program and laid the groundwork for continued success in the coming year.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:One in five New Orleanians are food insecure. Additionally, one in four New Orleans residents participates in SNAP. The goal of the New Orleans Market Match Project is to increase access to fresh produce for low-income, food insecure residents in the Greater New Orleans area. Through this project, and in collaboration with our partners, in Year 2 of project implementation, we were able to reach a diverse group of people to utilize the incentive, and expanded the locations and access points for the program.To participate, people must be a SNAP recipient, use their EBT funds, and then receive matching incentives. To garner more information about our target audience, Changes/Problems:The Nutrition Incentive project encountered a significant shift in its approach due to an unanticipated change in the Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight. Originally approved under the National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center (NTAE)'s umbrella IRB with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), the project faced a challenge when, in May 2023, the NTAE communicated that UNMC could no longer provide IRB approvals for non-UNMC-based projects and investigators. As a result of this unforeseen circumstance, the project team initiated a transition to secure IRB approval through a for-profit IRB, Solutions IRB, starting in August. Working closely with the NTAE program advisor, the project team diligently prepared and submitted the IRB proposal to Solutions in October. However, the transition to a new IRB introduced a series of necessary revisions to align the project with the requirements and procedures of Solutions IRB. The project team is currently in the process of addressing these revisions and is actively working on finalizing the necessary adjustments. The plan is to submit the revised IRB proposal to Solutions by the end of March. This shift in the IRB oversight process has caused a temporary delay in the project timeline but is a crucial step in ensuring the ethical approval and compliance of the Nutrition Incentive project. In response to this change, the project team is committed to maintaining transparency and adherence to ethical standards. The collaboration with Solutions IRB signifies a proactive approach to overcome challenges and uphold the necessary regulatory requirements for the project. Regarding reporting requirements specified in the award Terms and Conditions, the project team will ensure timely communication with the NTAE, providing updates on the progress of the IRB revision process and any subsequent milestones. Clear documentation of the transition from UNMC's IRB to Solutions IRB will be provided, along with a detailed timeline outlining the revised schedule for project activities. This ensures compliance with reporting requirements and establishes a foundation for continued collaboration with the NTAE. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In Year 3 this project has enabled Market Umbrella staff to continue their participation in the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition's Nutrition Incentive Hub Communities of Practice, as well as present our work at the 2023 GusNIP National Convening and the 2023 Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior Conference. We were able to attend the GusNIP Mini convening for nutrition incentive programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Key data has been highlighted in community outreach activities including Market Umbrella's social media and weekly e-newsletter. Data has been shared with Market Match partners at our quarterly partner meeting where we both discussed key findings and areas of opportunity that would be helpful for the group going forward. This information has also been presented to the Market Umbrella Board of Directors at the December 2023 Board meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To accomplish the goals during the next reporting period, Market Umbrella is strategically focusing on expanding outreach efforts, fostering community engagement, and ensuring the sustainability and growth of the Market Match program . Onboarding New Partners: Market Umbrella recognizes the importance of onboarding new partners to enhance the program's reach and impact. A concerted effort is beingmade to identify and collaborate with additional partners who can act as facilitators of the Market Match program. This involves conducting outreach to potential partners, explaining the benefits of participation, and establishing a seamless onboarding process. By diversifying partnerships, Market Umbrella aims to extend the program's accessibility to a broader audience in the Greater New Orleans Area. Sustainability: To ensure the sustainability of the Market Match program, Market Umbrella is taking a multifaceted approach. The developmentof a Market Match Advisory Board, comprising organization partners and nutrition incentive participants, is a key step. This board will play a pivotal role in developing long-term strategies for increasing awareness and participation. By involving stakeholders in decision-making processes, Market Umbrella is fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to the program's sustainability. Marketing efforts, including print ads, online advertising, and direct mailings, will continue to be robust to maintain awareness among low-income Louisiana residents. Emphasizing participating partners throughout New Orleans not only serves as a promotional strategy but also strengthens community ties and highlights the program's impact. Additionally, the proactive engagement with program stakeholders through regular meetings and information sharing demonstrates a commitment to building lasting relationships. Market Umbrella's dedication to community outreach, collaboration with partners, and strategic marketing aligns with a vision of sustained success for the Market Match program, even as it moves beyond the initial funding period. Through these initiatives, Market Umbrella is not only expanding the program's reach but also laying the foundation for its enduring impact on the community.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our Nutrition Incentive project had been approved under the NTAE's umbrella IRB with University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). However, we were alerted by the NTAE in May 2023 that UNMC was no longer able to support IRB approvals for non-UNMC-based projects and investigators. Therefore, we began the process of securing IRB through a for-profit IRB (Solutions IRB ) - in August. Working with our NTAE program advisor, we submitted our IRB proposal to Solutions in October.We are currently working on IRB revisions from Solutions and plan to submit these by the end of March.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:One in five New Orleanians are food insecure. Additionally, one in four New Orleans residents participates in SNAP. The goal of the New Orleans Market Match Project is to increase access to fresh produce for low-income, food insecure residents in the Greater New Orleans area. Through this project, and in collaboration with our partners, in Year 2 of project implementation we were able to reach a diverse group of people to utilize the incentive, and expanded the locations and access points for the program. To participate, people must be a SNAP recipient, use their EBT funds, and then receive matching incentives. To garner more information about our target audience, Market Umbrella oversaw the provision of program participant surveys at 4 locations in Year 2: Crescent City Farmers Markets (CCFM) at the Uptown, Mid City and City Park locations, and online through Top Box Foods. Survey participation by location was as follows: CCFM Uptown - 12.9% CCFM Mid City - 37.8% CCFM City Park - 9.6% Top Box -34% Zip codes of survey participants: Orleans Parish -77.5% Jefferson Parish - 9% Other - 5.7% . To the question "How long have you received SNAP benefit?" we had the following response distribution: Just started - 8.6% Less than a year - 29.2% More than a year - 54.1% In addition, 19.7% of respondents said this was their first time using SNAP at the survey location.To the question "Is Market Match the reason you are making this purchase today?" 74% responded yes, so the matching incentive is a key driver for most shoppers using EBT with CCFM and other partners. In terms of racial, ethnic and gender identity, Market Match participants surveyed identified as: Asian - 1.4% Black / African American- 33.3% White -48.3% American Indian/ Alaska Native- 1.9% Hispanic/ Spanish , Latino/a - 8.1% Prefer not to answer- 5% Other- 2% Men -18.2% Womens 66.5% Nonbinary- 6.7% Other 4.8% Many survey respondents cited the pandemic as having led to economic difficulties for themselves and their household. When asked to state if they agreed with the statement "The coronavirus (COVID-19) has made it hard for me and others in my household to make ends meet." 22.5% listed 'Strongly Agree' and 38.3% 'Agree'. The majority of participants surveyed have children. 34% of respondents said they have children, and 21% have 2+ children. The overall health of survey respondents varied. When asked to rank their overall health, the responses were: Excellent -8% Very good -26% Good -38% Fair - 19% Poor -1% As well as providing incentives, the project's efforts in Year 2 to reach the target audience also included incentive program marketing and experiential cooking classes to heighten engagement. As a component of this project's outreach and engagement work, in partnership with Tulane University's Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, we were able to offer six cooking classes in Year 2 with just under 50 participants. . Marketing efforts for the Market Match incentive program included radio advertisements, print advertising, billboards, digital (online) advertising, and bus stop advertising. Radio ads aired five days a week on local station WWNO with a reach of 96,600 listeners. Paid print content appeared in area newspapers The Advocate and Gambit, as well as in free community papers distributed to residences. Our online campaign incorporated social media posts, video ads, and advertisements appearing on NOLA.com and affiliated websites, bringing 3,680 visitors to the CCFM website. Digital billboards were played 11,687 times, garnering an estimated 257,412 impressions (views). Geofencing ads resulted in 277 unique visitors who saw our advertisement on their cell phone and later visited one of the CCFM markets. Six months of bus stop shelter and interior bus ads have an average reach of about 40,000 daily, per shelter, per vehicle. Changes/Problems:For Year 2 of this project, Market Umbrella lifted the $20 per visit cap on EBT transactions and instead instituted unlimited Market Match through the end of 2021. In January 2022, the match cap was lowered to $60 per transaction. This decision to maintain unlimited was made to support the Greater New Orleans area post Hurricane Ida.The cap was then lowered in January to $60 to ensure funds last the length of the grant period. Unfortunately, after Hurricane Ida SPROUT discontinued their ReFresh Market .Luckily we have been able to maintain our relationship and explore other collaborative ways to work together. In 2021 Market Umbrella received a grant to advocate for state funding for food incentive programs for farmers markets, and as part of that work surveyed stakeholder groups including shoppers using EBT and farmers to discuss the positive impact of incentives. We were successful in our advocacy efforts and were assigned as the fiscal agent for implementing a statewide nutrition incentive program for farmers markets and farm stands, receiving just under one million dollars. This program is called Greaux the Good. Changes in invoicing this year made daily redemption rates harder to pinpoint for Market Match. Previously, vendors were expected to submit any market match payment requests at the end of each market, so we could see exactly what was issued and redeemed at a given market. However, we adjusted this to help facilitate vendors having more Market Match tokens on hand with the increase in incentives offered, and vendors can now submit for reimbursement at a later date if they choose. After a decrease in vendors as a result of COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida from about 100 to about 65 active vendors, it has been a continued challenge to work back to pre-COVID numbers of participating vendors. As we move forward , we are continuing to focus on running fewer, larger diverse markets to maximize customer product choice and vendor engagement. Market Umbrella had planned to launch an online a la carte delivery program in 2021 in partnership with Top Box and WhatsGood, but changes with WhatsGood operations have changed. We are working with Top Box, who has plans to launch their own in 2023 with the revamp of their online system.In order to grow participation in the Market Match incentive program, we believe that adding new partners and redemption sites are important. We are actively seeing new MArket Match partners who we expect to onboard in early 2023. River Queen Greens and Grow Dat Youth Farm were added as a partner in 2021, a common challenge we have seen in the last year is low participation in their CSA subscriptions from SNAP customers. We are working on additional marketing to support them as well as other methods that make the CSA accessible. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In Year 2 this project has enabled Market Umbrella staff to continue their participation in the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition's Nutrition Incentive Hub Communities of Practice, as well as present our work at the 2022 Nutrition Incentive Hub National Convening. We were able to host our Program Advisor for a site visit from the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation and Information Center (NTAE). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Year 2 select key data has been highlighted in community outreach activities including Market Umbrella's social media and weekly e-newsletter. Year 2 key data will be shared with Market Match partners at our monthly partner meeting in November 2022,where we both discussed key findings and areas of opportunity that would be helpful for the group going forward. This information will also be presented to the Market Umbrella Board of Directors at the December 2022 Board meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Market Umbrella has recently increased staff capacity to conduct community outreach to spread awareness of and increase participation in Market Match. Market Umbrella staff will regularly meet with program stakeholders and share information about Market Match. Staff will also organize a Market Match Advisory Board consisting of organization partners and nutrition incentive participants, and facilitate meetings with the Advisory Board to develop strategies to increase eligible New Orleans residents' awareness of and participation in Market Match. Market Umbrella will also continue to spread awareness of Market Match through marketing efforts. Our marketing strategy includes print ads, online advertising, and direct mailings reaching low-income Louisiana residents. To promote and expand the reach of Market Match, we will highlight participating partners throughout New Orleans. Additionally, we plan to expand accessibility of the program in the Greater New Orleans Area by adding additional partners to participate as facilitators of the program. In collaboration with Top Box we plan to add EBT and Market Match eligible items to their a la cart inventory.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In Year 2 of the Market Match GusNIP project, Market Umbrella (MU) continued to increase low-income citizens in the greater New Orleans community's access to fresh, local food through online sales platforms and the expansion of incentives available to shoppers using EBT with new partnerships. MU's Market Match SNAP incentive program maintained partnership with Top Box Foods (TB) through their home delivery and community pick up locations as well as maintained relationship our with SPROUT's ReFresh Farmer's Market River Queen Greens, and Grow Dat Youth Farm, whose CSA boxes are eligible for SNAP incentives through Market Match. The number of SNAP transactions in Year 2 was 4,269 from all partners. SNAP dollars used with all partners totaled about $171,000. Incentives distributed between all partners totaled about $154,000, and the incentives redeemed with partners in Year 1 totaled about $123,000 all together. Knowledge Outcomes: KO1. Outcome achieved. In Year 2 of this project Market Umbrella (MU) worked with partner Top Box Foods to use online platforms managed by each organization to facilitate online food orders. Top Box incorporated ordering food with Market Match SNAP incentives into their online purchasing procedures for both their own boxes and their newly eligible a la carte options, and provided this option for online ordering of the Crescent City Farmers Market box. Their delivery radius has expanded beyond Orleans and Jefferson Parishes, but Market Match remains eligible for SNAP recipients of the Greater New Orleans area. Market Umbrella utilized the WhatsGood platform to offer online pre-ordering and incentive use for their markets for curbside orders Until April 2022. The Sunday drive-thru market was converted to a full walk up market. While utilizing online platforms, MU staff helped vendors properly input information into the system, and coordinated with WhatsGood regarding any changes with markets or vendors. KO2: Outcome achieved. 77.5% of SNAP customers who completed the survey in Year 2 stated they have tried a new fruit or vegetable as a result of participating in the incentive program. KO3. Outcome not yet achieved. Almost 83% of SNAP shoppers surveyed in Year 2 said they have been purchasing more fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered, but we have not yet ascertained if those items are being prepared at home specifically. KO4: Outcome achieved: In Year 2 TB added the Market Match incentive into their online ordering system so that any EBT food purchase order of fruits and vegetables was free to shoppers up to the value of eligible non-produce EBT purchases at time of sale; produce-only purchases were half off. In Year 1 the percentage of Top Box customers using EBT increased 36% (from 12% to 48%) as a result of the new Market Match incentive program partnership. KO5: Outcome achieved: TB utilization of the Shopify sales platform enabled them to thoroughly analyze the success of Market Match incentives. In addition to tracking orders purchased with EBT, TB assesses order values over time, identifies the most popular products among Market Match customers, and uses this data to continue improving programs and products based on customers' needs.TB also periodically sends surveys using Qualtrics to gather direct feedback from Market Match incentive customers. One Market Match participant shared, "I'm a teacher who uses EBT to eat; oftentimes teachers are like 2nd parents and kids come to school to eat, and at the beginning of the fall semester, my kids didn't have anything to eat for after school. [Market Match] came through with fresh fruit, their parents were so relieved. That was something I absolutely didn't mind paying out of pocket for." KO6: Outcome achieved. In Year 2 Market Umbrella's Director of Markets worked closely with Top Box on our Crescent City Farmers Market Box, which only features products from local producers. We expanded this partnership by piloting a Produce Plus box that had half protein and half locally sourced produce, making it an eligible purchase item for the Market Match Program. Action Outcomes AO1: Outcome achieved. During Year 2, to continue to address the desire on the part of shoppers to make fewer, larger grocery shopping trips, the incentive cap per visit was lifted from $20 per visit to markets to unlimited until December 2021 with all partners. In January 2022, we lowered the cap down to $60 per market which was also offered by all participating partners. AO2: Outcome not yet achieved: In Year 1 the total number of SNAP transactions was 5,442, with an average of 93 transactions a month across all locations. Year 2 transactions decreased to 4,531, with monthly transactions averaging 84 per month across all locations. We expect this is due to a variety of reasons including suspending operations due to Hurricane Ida as well as the permanent closure of SPROUT's Refresh Market. AO3. Outcome achieved: In Year 2, 82.8% of SNAP customers who completed the survey stated they have been purchasing more fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. AO4. Outcome achieved:In Year 2 about 82.8% of SNAP customers who completed the survey stated they have increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. AO5. Outcome not yet achieved: 74.8% of SNAP customers who completed the survey in Year 2 reported an increase in the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed. AO6: Outcome not yet complete. The state of Louisiana just recently entered the SNAP online payment processing pilot. Unfortunately they are only piloting the system with Walmart. We have been in touch with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, who administers SNAP in Louisiana, on other projects and continue to advocate for the state to expand partners for the pilot. With a revamp of online ordering systems and platform, Top Box expects in January 2023 that their point-of-sale system will be more sophisticated in communicating the Match to customers. ?
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:One in five New Orleanians are food insecure. Additionally, one in four New Orleans residents participates in SNAP. The goal of the New Orleans Market Match Project is to increase access to fresh produce for low-income, food insecure residents in the Greater New Orleans area. Through this project, and in collaboration with our partners, in Year 1 of project implementation we were able to reach a diverse group of people to utilize the incentive, and expanded the locations and access points for the program. To participate, people must be a SNAP recipient, use their EBT funds, and then receive matching incentives. To garner more information about our target audience, Market Umbrella oversaw the provision of program participant surveys at 4 locations in Year 1: Crescent City Farmers Markets (CCFM) at the Uptown, Mid City and City Park locations, and online through Top Box Foods. Survey participation by location was as follows: CCFM Uptown - 34% CCFM Mid City - 48% CCFM City Park - 4% Top Box -9% Blank - 5% Zip codes of survey participants: Orleans Parish -76% Jefferson Parish - 8% Other - 16% Participants surveyed for Year 1 of the program were about evenly split between newer and long term EBT recipients. To the question "How long have you received SNAP benefit?" we had the following response distribution: Just started - 12% Less than a year- 30% More than a year - 50% In addition, 22% of respondents said this was their first time using SNAP at the survey location.To the question "Is Market Match the reason you are making this purchase today?" 76% responded yes, so the matching incentive is a key driver for most shoppers using EBT with CCFM and other partners. In terms of racial, ethnic and gender identity, Market Match participants surveyed identified as: Asian - 7% Black / African American- 15% White -50% Native American- 4% Prefer not to answer- 9% Other- 4% Men -15% Womens 49% Nonbinary- 12% Blank - 24% Many survey respondents cited the pandemic as having led to economic difficulties for themselves and their household. When asked to state if they agreed with the statement "The coronavirus (COVID-19) has made it hard for me and others in my household to make ends meet." 29% listed 'Strongly Agree' and 34% 'Agree'. The majority of participants surveyed have children. 52% of respondents said they have children, and 27% have 2+ children. The overall health of survey respondents varied. When asked to rank their overall health, the responses were: Excellent -12% Very good -19% Good -44% Fair - 11% Poor -3% As well as providing incentives, the project's efforts in Year 1 to reach the target audiencealso included incentive program marketing and experiential cooking classes to heighten engagement. As a component of this project's outreach and engagement work, in partnership with Tulane University's Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, we were able to offer one cooking class in Year 1 with five participants. Marketing efforts for the Market Match incentive program included radio advertisements on 5 stations garnering over 250,000 impressions from the digital and daily spots on the on air broadcast for a total of more than 1,000 spots with a reach of over 214,390 listeners. Marketing efforts also included an online campaign that incorporated paid content in area newspaper The Advocate/NOLA.com along with social media posts and Geofencing ads. NOLA.com online advertisements were served 311,760 times and brought 688 users to the CCFM web site. Geofencing ads resulted in 400 people who saw our advertisement on their cell phone and later visited one of the participating CCFM markets. Source for New Orleans food insecurity and SNAP participation data: http://gopropeller.org/sectors/healthy-food-access/ Changes/Problems:For Year 1 of this project, Market Umbrella lifted the $20 per visit cap on EBT transactions and instead instituted unlimited Market Match through the end of 2021. This decision was made to address the pandemic related concerns of market shoppers, who wished to do fewer, larger shopping trips to minimize their potential exposure to COVID-19. Market Umbrella has not yet held a larger group convening of stakeholders and partners to showcase the results in Year 1 of the project. However, in 2021 Market Umbrella received a grant to advocate for state funding for food incentive programs for farmers markets, and as part of that work will be convening stakeholder groups including shoppers using EBT and farmers to discuss the positive impact of incentives, and we will share findings from Year 1 of the project with them. Survey methods have changed in Year 1. After previously asking every shopper at markets to complete surveys as part of each visit, it was determined that instead we would offer surveys at select times at CCFM markets and through our parters. This decision was made to make the participants' shopping experiences less cumbersome and minimizepotentialfeelings of repeated surveys being invasiveand time consuming, with the goal of encouraging future program participation. Changes in invoicing this year made daily redemption rates harder to pinpoint for Market Match. Previously, vendors were expected to submit any market match payment requests at the end of each market, so we could see exactly what was issued and redeemed at a given market. However, we adjusted this to help facilitate vendors having more Market Match tokens on hand with the increase in incentives offered, and vendors can now submit for reimbursement at a later date if they choose. After a decrease in vendors as a result of COVID-19 from about 100 to about 65 active vendors, it has been a continued challenge to work back to pre-COVID numbers of participating vendors. Due to ongoing pandemic challenges that led to a lack of adequate vendor and shopper participation, Market Umbrella eliminated some weekly Crescent City Farmers Markets in Year 1, including the Jefferson Parish Bucktown and Ochsner Hospital locations. Going forward, we are focusing on running fewer, larger markets to maximize customer product choice and vendor engagement. Market Umbrella had planned to launch an online al a la carte delivery program in 2021 in partnership with Top Box and WhatsGood, and we still hope to launch our own in 2022. Top Box has launched their own in 2021. which is eligible for Market Match. In order to grow participation in the Market Match incentive program, we believe that adding new partners and redemption sites is important. In addition to working with Top Box Foods and SPROUT, this year we added partners River Queen Greens and GrowDat Youth Farms as Market Match partners. River Queen Greens is a certified natural grown vegetable farm in New Orleans who offers a CSA subscription. Grow Dat Youth Farm is a local non profit operating a farm located in New Orleans' City Park. They work collaboratively to grow food, educate and inspire youth and adults, and build power to create personal, social and environmental change. They offer a farm share subscription for produce as well. We are looking to potentially provide Market Match in at least one local corner store through a partnership with Top Box Foods and the New Orleans Food Policy Action Council. We have met with the New Orleans Food Co-Op to discuss possible future Market Match partnership opportunities as funds allow. Additionally, we have connected with other area farmers markets, including the New Orleans East Hospital's farmers market, about exploring possible partnerships as well. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In Year 1 this project has enabled Market Umbrella staff to participate in the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition's Nutrition Incentive Hub Communities of Practice. Market Umbrella staff also met with the Farmers Market Coalition as a participant in their Holistic Technical Assistance program for GusNIP grantees. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Year 1 select key data has been highlighted in community outreach activities including Market Umbrella's social media and weekly e-newsletter. Year 1 key data was shared with Market Match partners at our monthly partner meeting in October 2021, where we both discussed key findings and identified additional information that would be helpful for the group going forward. This information will also be presented to the Market Umbrella Board of Directors at the November 2021 meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To accomplish the goals of this project, in Year 2 of the grant cycle we plan to expand our outreach and marketing activities, increase our programming at markets, add additional Market Match partners and/or distribution sites, and attract more diverse vendors and shoppers to markets. Market Umbrella has begun a strategic planning and Diversity, Access, Equity and Inclusion review process in November 2021, which will carry into Spring 2022. This work will include looking at how our organization and markets can better reflect the community we serve, including work to expand theproduct offerings we have at market to include more culturally significant foods, and to recruit more vendors fromhistorically underrepresented groupsto markets. We believe these efforts will help us attract new, more diverse audiences for the incentive program and help grow overall participation. As part of strategic planning we will solidify goals for adding new CCFM markets and our own a la carte home delivery program. In 2021 Market Umbrella received a SNAP Education contract with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services that included funds to support program staff capacity, the development of a regionally specific market nutrition education curriculum, and advertising dollars for new radio, print and online advertisements. We plan to continue to market the Market Match incentive program in our community in the coming year through a variety of formats including bus ads, radio ads, a billboard, attending outreach events, and expanding partnerships. We will continue to refine the regional nutrition curriculum we developed this year, and will institute more nutrition education programs at markets, online and in the community. We are adding an additional part time Programs Coordinator to our staff this year to help facilitate this work. We believe that this type of on-site nutrition education and outreach will help increase shoppers' fruit and vegetable consumption. Market Umbrella and our partners continue to be in conversations regarding possible additional partners and incentive redemption sites for the next year ahead. We are looking to potentially provide Market Match in at least one local corner store through a partnership with Top Box Foods and the New Orleans Food Policy Action Council. We have met with the New Orleans Food Co-Op to discuss possible future Market Match partnership opportunities as funds allow. Additionally, we have connected with other area farmers markets, including the New Orleans East Hospital's farmers market, about exploring possible partnerships as well.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In Year 1 of the Market Match GusNIP project, Market Umbrella (MU) increased low-income citizens in the greater New Orleans community's access to fresh, local food through online sales platforms and the expansion of incentives available to shoppers using EBT with new partnerships. We expanded MU's Market Match SNAP incentive program to include produce sold by Top Box Foods (TB) through their home delivery and community pick up locations as well as produce sold by SPROUT's ReFresh Farmer's Market, and additionally added partners River Queen Greens and Grow Dat Youth Farm, whose CSA boxes are now eligible for SNAP incentives through Market Match. The number of SNAP transactions in Year 1 was 5,371 from all partners. SNAP dollars used with all partners totaled about $197,000. Incentives distributed between all partners totaled about $144,000, and the incentives redeemed with partners in Year 1 totaled about $108,000 all together. Knowledge Outcomes: KO1. Outcome achieved. In Year 1 of this project Market Umbrella (MU) worked with partner Top Box Foods and software firm WhatsGood to use online platforms managed by each organization to facilitate online food orders. Top Box incorporated ordering food with Market Match SNAP incentives into their online purchasing procedures for both their own boxes and their new a la carte options, and provided this option for online ordering of the Crescent City Farmers Market box. Their delivery radius includes both Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Market Umbrella utilized the WhatsGood platform to offer online pre-ordering and incentive use for their markets for curbside orders, a Sunday drive-thru market, and for shoppers who wished to pre-order but walk up to get their purchases. MU staff helped vendors properly input information into the platform, and coordinated with WhatsGood regarding any changes with markets or vendors. KO2: Outcome achieved. 77.77% of SNAP customers who completed the survey in Year 1 stated they have tried a new fruit or vegetable as a result of participating in the incentive program. KO3. Outcome not yet achieved. 72% of SNAP shoppers surveyed in Year 1 said they have been purchasing more fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered, but we have not yet ascertained if those items are being prepared at home specifically. KO4: Outcome achieved: In Year 1 TBadded the Market Match incentive into their online ordering system so that any EBT food purchase order of fruits and vegetables was free to shoppers up to the value of eligible non-produce EBT purchases at time of sale; produce-only purchases were half off. In Year 1 the percentage of Top Box customers using EBT increased 36% (from 12% to 48%) as a result of the new Market Match incentive program partnership. KO5: Outcome achieved: TB utilization of the Shopify sales platform enabled them to thoroughly analyze the success of Market Match incentives. In addition to tracking orders purchased with EBT, TB assesses order values over time, identifies the most popular products among Market Match customers, and uses this data to continue improving programs and products based on customers' needs. TB also periodically sends surveys using Google Forms to gather direct feedback from Market Match incentive customers. One Market Match participant shared, "Eating fruits and vegetables helps us maintain a healthy diet. TB makes it affordable and convenient for us to appreciate fresh fruits and vegetables from our local communities where we live and work. In doing so, we help build closer relationships between the chefs, farmers, and families." KO6: Outcome achieved. In Year 1 Market Umbrella's Director of Markets worked closely with Top Box on our Crescent City Farmers Market Box, which only features products from local producers. Building on these connections facilitated by MU between TBand local farms and food producers, TBreported a 35% increase in local sourcing in Year 1. Action Outcomes AO1: Outcome achieved. During Year 1, to address the desire on the part of shoppers during the pandemic for fewer, larger grocery shopping trips, the incentive cap per visit was lifted from $20 per visit to markets to unlimited, and unlimited Market Match was offered by all participating partners. AO2: Outcome not yet achieved: This is Year 1 of the project, so we will have to compare Year 1 averages with coming years. We anticipate some variation due to a variety of factors including periods where Market Match incentives were capped at $20 per transaction with periods where they were unlimited, and periods where organizations were not operating services due to Hurricane Ida. In September 2020 the total number of SNAP transactions was 212, with an average of 53 per location. Over the course of Year 1 of the project, monthly transactions overall averaged 477, with 91 per location on average. AO3. Outcome achieved: In Year 1, 79% of SNAP customers who completed the survey stated they have been purchasing more fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. AO4. Outcome not yet achieved:In Year 1 only 72% of SNAP customers who completed the survey stated they have increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as a result of the incentive being offered. AO5. Outcome achieved: 81.9% of SNAP customers who completed the survey in Year 1 reported an increase in the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed. AO6: Outcome not yet complete. The state of Louisiana has not yet entered the SNAP online payment processing pilot. We have been in touch with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, who administers SNAP in Louisiana, on other projects and continue to advocate for the state to enter into the pilot. Currently, for online sales MU and SPROUT (as a market vendor through the 'truck farm' aggregated table they operate at CCFM markets) used a work around using WhatsGood where shoppers would place an order and the incentive would be incorporated, and then the actual EBT charge would be done at delivery. Top Box had previously pioneered this method, but using their own online processing system rather than WhatsGood.
Publications
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