The Food Trust

ENSURING EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND INFORMATION TO MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS

NUTRITION EDUCATION - THE FOOD TRUST (TFT) WORKS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD IN UNDERSERVED AREAS, ALONG WITH PROVIDING NUTRITION EDUCATION TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. THE FOOD TRUST'S TEAM OF EDUCATORS CONDUCTS THE SCHOOL NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM IN NEARLY 40 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS OF PHILADELPHIA, NORRISTOWN AND READING, PA, AS WELL AS CAMDEN, NJ. THE PROGRAM'S GOAL IS TO ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THEIR VISION OF A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, FRESH FRUITS & VEGETABLES AT AN EXISTING COMMUNITY HUB.THE PROGRAM INCLUDES IN-CLASSROOM NUTRITION EDUCATION, SCHOOL FARM STANDS, ADULT/CAREGIVER COOKING WORKSHOPS, FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, SCHOOL GARDENS, SCHOOL WELLNESS PROGRAMS, AND RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS.IN ADDITION, TFT PROVIDES ADAPTABLE, COMMUNITY-LEVEL NUTRITION EDUCATION AND FOOD ACCESS FOR ADULTS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES OF PHILADELPHIA, NORRISTOWN AND READING, PA, AS WELL AS CAMDEN, NJ. HELD IN CHURCHES, LIBRARIES, FOOD STORES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SITES, THESE ADULT NUTRITION EDUCATION LESSONS AND WORKSHOPS INTRODUCE PARTICIPANTS TO NEW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, TAUGHT THEM HOW TO PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS, AND PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL TOURS OF NEARBY SUPERMARKETS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND HEALTHY CORNER STORES TO TEACH THEM HOW TO PURCHASE NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS ON A BUDGET.

FARMERS MARKET AND FOOD BUCKS PROGRAMS - TO INCREASE HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS IN SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, TFT WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL FARMERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO OPERATE A NETWORK OF OVER 20 FARMERS MARKETS AND FARM STANDS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS PHILADELPHIA. MANY OF THESE MARKETS ARE LOCATED IN LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LOW ACCESS TO HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE FOOD. THE FARMERS MARKET PROGRAM CONTINUED ITS OUTREACH EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE CONSUMPTION OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BY PROVIDING ON-SITE NUTRITION EDUCATION AND COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AT A NUMBER OF MARKETS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN PHILADELPHIA. TFT ALSO CONTINUED ITS FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM, A COUPON INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MARKET CUSTOMERS WITH A $2 COUPON FOR FREE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES EACH TIME THEY SPEND $5 AT THE MARKET USING THEIR SNAP (FOOD STAMP) BENEFITS. BASED ON THE SUCCESS OF THE FOOD BUCKS COUPON PROGRAM, TFT CONTINUED EXPANDING ITS HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVE WORK ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA AND CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, TO MAKE HEALTHY FOOD MORE AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE USING SNAP BENEFITS. FOOD BUCKS ARE NOW ACCEPTED AT 10 SUPERMARKETS ACROSS IN PHILADELPHIA AND ONE IN PITTSBURGH. THE ORGANIZATION HAS ALSO CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT FOOD BUCKS RX, A FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM TARGETING LOW-INCOME PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COOPER UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN CAMDEN.

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS - THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS WORKS ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS TO IMPROVE NUTRITION, HEALTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN UNDERSERVED AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH A VARIETY OF CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERS, THE CAMPAIGN IS WORKING TO STRENGTHEN FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS, SUCH AS SNAP, SNAP-ED AND HFFI. THE CAMPAIGN HAS WORKED AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL ON HFFI, IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY FOOD RETAIL DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN HOSTS THE ANNUAL HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS CONVENING IN WASHINGTON TO FACILITATE A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE AMONG ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR GOALS.BY CONVENING THE SNAP-ED STRATEGY GROUP, THE CAMPAIGN WORKED TO SUPPORT THE SNAP-ED PROGRAM AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL DURING THE RECENT PASSAGE OF THE FARM BILL. THE CAMPAIGN IS WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO FOCUS MARKETING EFFORTS ON HEALTHIER CHOICES AND IS EXPANDING SNAP-INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO MAKE HEALTHIER FOOD MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THOSE ON FOOD STAMPS. THE CAMPAIGN ALSO PROMOTES THE HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS PORTAL SO ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES CAN SHARE SUCCESSES WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND PROVIDES RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH SHARED GOALS.