Recipient Organization
CROSSROADS COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK, INC.
6930 CARROLL AVE STE 426
TAKOMA PARK,MD 20912
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The "Year-Round Fresh Checks to Increase Access to Fresh Produce" GusNIP Project aims to expand access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in the Takoma/Langley Crossroads community, a primarily immigrant, historically marginalized neighborhood just outside Washington, D.C. This project, initiated by longtime partners Crossroads Community Food Network, which manages Crossroads Farmers Market (CFM), and the Takoma Park-Silver Spring Co-op (TPSS), will provide SNAP-matching incentives at both CFM and TPSS. This project will enhance and expand upon an existing program which has offered incentives to SNAP users at CFM since 2007, and at TPSS, since 2020.The goal of the project is to increase purchases of locally grown, culturally appropriate fruits and vegetables among 3,000 SNAP shoppers by 46% to $450,000 in SNAP sales and $450,000 in incentives by 2026. The project also includes piloting online SNAP ordering at TPSS, a much-needed supplemental service for our immuno-compromized neighbors.The project will use a strategic outreach and marketing plan, as well as iterative evaluation, to ensure best practices are being implemented.This project is well matched to, and advances the goals of, the GusNIP program. This project prioritizes funding incentives by utilizing 62% of requested federal funding for incentives. Further, by increasing the purchasing power of SNAP shoppers at CFM and TPSS - both authorized SNAP retailers - we will support our community to advance food equity. Lastly, the lead organizations have significant evaluation expertise and capacity and will participate in the overall program evaluation.?
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Program Goal: Increase the purchase of locally grown and produced, culturally appropriate fruits and vegetables among 3,000 SNAP shoppers at Crossroads Farmers Market and the Takoma Park Silver Spring Food Co-op by expanding the Fresh Checks nutrition incentive program. Specifically, this four-year project seeks to increase SNAP spending and matching at both project locations from $53,994 (in 2021) to $131,505 in 2026 through enhanced direct-to-consumer sales marketing, community outreach, staff and volunteer training, and engaging nutrition and health education for SNAP-participating families in our community. Over the course of the project, 3,000 SNAP users will spend $450,000 which will be matched with $450,000 in incentives.Outcome 1: Expand an existing program to increase fruit and vegetable purchasing and matching by 46% among 500 SNAP users at Crossroads Farmers Market. In 2021, $16,194 was spent and matched by SNAP users; we aim to increase this each year to reach $23,691 spent and matched in 2026, the final year of this project. This outcome will be achieved in part by expanded outreach and enhanced marketing, described below in section 4.Additional outcomes and associated targets include:6,000 community members learn about the Fresh Checks program at Crossroads Farmers Market, via direct outreach by CCFN Community Ambassadors20 CFM vendors participate in the program by selling produce, including culturally appropriate fruits and vegetablesKey outputs and associated targets include:30 nutrition and/or health education events held at CFM to complement the nutrition incentive program10 community partner organizations learn about the program via direct communications with project team members and share information with their networks8 new marketing pieces developed and disseminated by project team and partners and cross-promoted with TPSS (flyers in multiple languages, bus ads, social media posts, and digital ads, etc.)Outcome 2: Build off a successful pilot to double fruit and vegetable purchasing and matching among 2,500 SNAP users at TPSS. In 2021, $37,800 was spent and matched by SNAP users; we aim to increase this each year to reach $107,813 spent and matched in 2026, the final year of this project. This outcome will be achieved in part by expanded outreach and enhanced marketing/communications, described below in section 4.Additional outcomes and associated targets include:3,000 community members learn about the Fresh Checks program at TPSS, via direct outreach by TPSS Operations and Community Engagement teams30% increase in private individual donations to the nutrition incentive program (from $150 monthly in 2022 to $200 monthly by 2026)Key outputs and associated targets include:25 store staff trained on the program8 new marketing pieces developed and disseminated by project team and partners and cross-promoted with CCFN (email blasts, flyers, social media posts, etc.)Outcome 3: Explore the opportunity to increase SNAP matching in our community by (a) establishing SNAP on TPSS' online ordering system and (b) establishing opportunities for incentive matching online. Move forward as feasible.TPSS has an online shopping platform at tpss.coop/shop that features products from around the store including fresh fruits and vegetables. TPSS seeks to pilot online SNAP ordering of produce. In year one, TPSS would work with USDA to apply for authorization to participate in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot. If approved, during year two, with the ability to safely and securely receive SNAP orders online, TPSS would roll out that program. Then, TPSS would integrate the Fresh Checks incentive program allowing shoppers who order online with SNAP to access the same benefits as in-store shoppers - a 50% discount on fresh fruits and vegetables. Throughout the pandemic, online shopping has been important for customers who want to reduce the risk of in-person, indoor shopping. Allowing shoppers to utilize SNAP as a checkout option and to include Fresh Checks incentives advances TPSS' mission of equitable shopping opportunities for all customers. This option offers an important supplemental service for our immuno-compromised neighbors, older adults, and others who benefit from online ordering opportunities.Long-term outcomes for this project include increased fruit and vegetable purchasing and consumption among SNAP users, increased food security and positive health outcomes in our community, increased food equity, and expanded economic benefits for local small- and medium-sized farmers.
Project Methods
Efforts:Implementation DetailsSpecific Steps Planning, Implementing, and EvaluatingTimetables for MilestonesExpected Numbers of SNAP/NAP Participants Involved in Each StepResponsible Parties* = Primary responsible partyOutcome 1: Expand an existing program to increase fruit and vegetable purchasing and matching by 46% among 500 SNAP users at Crossroads Farmers Market.1. Examine and present data from prior season, use it to inform outreach planDec 2022 & repeated annually in January6 Community Ambassadors (most of whom are SNAP participants), in collaboration with project team*SPM, ED, Fresh Checks Coordinator, Community Ambassadors2. Develop detailed outreach planJan-Feb 2023 & repeated annually6 Community Ambassadors, in collaboration with project team*SPM, ED, Fresh Checks Coordinator, Community Ambassadors, Deputy Director3. Develop direct-to-consumer marketing materials, share widely and strategicallyMar-Oct 2023 & repeated annually6 Community Ambassadors, in collaboration with project team*SPM, ED, Fresh Checks Coordinator, Community Ambassadors, Deputy Director, and partner organizations4. Conduct direct-to-consumer outreach in the community and at partnering organizations; conduct nutrition education events at CFMApr-Nov 2023 & repeated annually February-October6 Community Ambassadors, in collaboration with project team and 10 community organizations*SPM, Fresh Checks Coordinator, Community Ambassadors, Healthy Eating Mgr, CHEER, LCDP, Manna, and other partner organizations5. Evaluate outreach plan by tracking process and outcome dataJune, Sep, Nov 2023 & ongoing; repeated annually200+ participants annually*SPM, Evaluation Advisor, Community Ambassadors, CFM volunteersObjective 2: Build off a successful pilot to double fruit and vegetable purchasing and matching among 2,500 SNAP users at TPSS1. Examine data from previous year's SNAP sales and to inform outreach planOct 2022 & repeated annually in Sept1350 participants making purchases at TPSS*TPSS GM, Community Engagement Manager2. Develop detailed outreach plan and TPSS staff training planOct-Nov 2022 & repeated annually0*TPSS GM, Community Engagement Manager3. Develop direct-to-consumer marketing materials, share widely and strategically with partners. Train TPSS staff on program & soliciting donationsJan-July 2023 & repeated annually0*TPSS GM, Community Engagement Manager4. Conduct direct-to-consumer outreach in the community and at partnering organizations, increase customer awareness of donating to programJan-July 2023 & repeated annually0*TPSS GM, Community Engagement Manager5. Evaluate outreach plan by tracking process and outcome dataJune, Sep, Nov 2023 & ongoing; repeated annually2,000+ participants annually*TPSS GM, Community Engagement ManagerObjective 3: Explore the opportunity to increase SNAP matching in our community by (a) establishing SNAP on TPSS' online ordering system and (b) establishing opportunities for incentive matching online. Move forward as feasible.1. TPSS works with USDA to apply for authorization to participate in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot.Jan-June 20230*TPSS GM, TPSS CommunityEngagement Manager, TPSS IT Team2. If approved, TPSS rolls out online SNAP purchasing.Jan-June 20240*TPSS GM, TPSS CommunityEngagement Manager, TPSS IT Team3. If approved, TPSS integrates the Fresh Checks incentives matching program onlineJan-June 2024 & ongoing30+ participants annually*TPSS GM, TPSS Outreach CoordinatorOverall Project1. Develop project evaluation plan and associated evaluation toolsSep 2022 & revisited as needed6 Community Ambassadors, in collaboration with project team*Evaluation Advisor, Executive Director (ED), Senior Program Manager (SPM), TPSS General Manager (GM)2. Implement evaluation tools, gather & store data securelyBeg Sep 2022 & ongoing6 Community Ambassadors will support evaluation*SPM, *TPSS GM3. Analyze data & report on progress toward goalsBeg November 2023 & ongoing0*Evaluation Advisor, ED, SPM, TPSS GM4. Adjust evaluation plan, tools, targets, as neededAnnually, as needed6 Community Ambassadors will provide feedback and analysis for improvement of evaluation tools*Evaluation Advisor, ED, SPM, TPSS GMEvaluation:CCFN and TPSS will work with Baltimore-based program evaluation team Two Moons Food Group and principal Saché Jones to develop a comprehensive evaluation strategy including both process and outcome measures. Ms. Jones has extensive experience in designing and implementing equity-centered evaluation using a variety of data collection instruments and methods, including conducting interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Project staff will be responsible for the majority of evaluation implementation. An evaluation team consisting of the consultant, project staff from CCFN and TPSS, and Community Ambassadors will discuss the evaluation at the beginning of the project to guide the evaluation design. In developing evaluation plans for each outcome, Ms. Jones will assist with the following tasks: (1) identify process and outcome evaluation measures (collaboratively with the evaluation team); (2) develop evaluation strategy (collaboratively with the evaluation team); (3) design evaluation tools; (4) advise on data collection; and (5) assist in analysis, interpretation, and communication of results.It has been critical that CCFN work with SNAP shoppers to evaluate programs and ensure continued relevance and effectiveness for our community over the years. Many evaluation techniques are already in place, which align with GusNIP proposal requirements, such as qualitative shopper surveys conducted annually at CFM by Community Ambassadors. Quantitatively, CCFN has and will continue to track and report: a) total number of SNAP transactions, b) total amount of SNAP dollars spent, c) total number of unique SNAP shoppers, d) amount of Fresh Checks distributed and redeemed by SNAP participants to purchase fruits and vegetables as well as SNAP-eligible foods, and e) total number of market vendors providing produce and other agricultural products to SNAP customers.TPSS' General Manager will also track information regarding training of staff on Fresh Checks incentives administration, opportunities for program improvement, and activities related to the Community Engagement team. TPSS will track and evaluate success through point of sales data. All SNAP purchases, incentives, and customer level data are tracked via point of sale system Catapult which has extensive reporting capabilities. At a minimum TPSS will track: a) number of produce transactions earning incentives, b) total amount spent on fresh fruits and vegetables within Fresh Checks transactions, c) total amount of Fresh Checks incentives earned, and d) the number of unique SNAP shoppers earning Fresh Checks incentives. Per the GusNIP requirements, CCFN will include a process analysis, a self-assessment, anddocumentation of the process along with challenges and successes. The process assessment will be timed in order to improve program outcomes over the 4-year project. CCFN is well equipped to provide the core data set and other evaluation requirements outlined in the RFA, as this data has already been collected each year for the past 15 seasons.