1. -Strictly Confidential- 1 NCLR Health Summit American Heart Association-SouthWest Affiliate September 23, 2015 Advocating for Healthy Food in Our Communities

2. -Strictly Confidential- 2 Overview Grocery Store Access – A Statewide Approach – Policy Basics – Grassroots Advocacy in the State Capitol – Volunteer Perspective Healthy Corner Store Initiative – A Local Approach – Policy Basics – Grassroots Advocacy in the Community – Media Advocacy Questions?

3. -Strictly Confidential- 3 Healthy Food Financing Bringing Access to Healthy Foods to All Communities

4. -Strictly Confidential- 4 Healthy Food Financing o Grocery Store Access Creation or expansion of a Healthy Food Financing Initiative program to increase the number of healthy food retail outlets (i.e. grocery stores) in underserved communities o Healthy Corner Stores Creation or expansion of a Healthy Corner Store Initiative to increase the amount of healthy food offered in existing corner stores located in low- to moderate- income communities

5. -Strictly Confidential- 5 Grocery Store Access Policy Basics Policy: –Establishment of Program funded by State Agency –Provides grants or revolving loans to food retailers for development or expansion of food retail outlets (i.e. grocery stores) –Program supported with education and visibility activities –Guidelines and minimum requirements must be met by food retailer Target Impact: –Underserved, Low- to Moderate-Income Communities –Rural, Urban, or Suburban Appropriation: –$5 million to $10 million investment by state

6. -Strictly Confidential- 6 Texas Grocery Access A Case Study Problem: -Texas has the least number of grocery stores per capita in the U.S., resulting in poor health and higher healthcare costs -3.4 million Texans lack grocery access with healthy food options -Texas is among the 15 most obese states in the country Solution: -The Texas Grocery Access Investment Act -Legislation will make healthy eating obtainable to Texas families who are already stretched thin, and lack transportation to travel for healthy food options -$10 million investment for program to provide grants and financial support for food retailers to develop or expand healthy grocery stores in underserved areas

7. -Strictly Confidential- 7 Texas Campaign Policy and Direct Lobbying Tactics – HB 1485 and SB 1590 filed during 84 th Texas Legislative Session – Meetings with Legislators and Staff – Development and Creation of Fact Sheets; Polling Media and Social Media Engagement – Social Media Posts and Blogs – Texas Tribune Coalition Development/Texas Grocery Access Task Force Grassroots Advocacy

8. -Strictly Confidential- 8 Grocery Access Taskforce

9. -Strictly Confidential- 9 Grassroots Advocacy Working with Latino Populations

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11. -Strictly Confidential- 11 Cultivating Relationships with Latino Lawmakers

12. -Strictly Confidential- 12 Youth Advocacy The Youth Advocating for Heart Day at the Capitol Over 70 youth advocates, community members, school teachers and administrators, heart disease survivors, and AHA volunteers came together from across the state to meet with 65 legislative offices to advocate for Texas Grocery Access Investment Act.

13. -Strictly Confidential- 13

14. -Strictly Confidential- 14 You’re the Cure advocates kick-off the 84 th Legislative Session with Advocating for Heart “181 or Bust” on January 21 st.

15. -Strictly Confidential- 15 Later in April the Voices for Healthy Kids Texas team hosted an Advocating for Heart Day focused on Priority Populations.

16. -Strictly Confidential- 16 The May 6 th Advocating for Heart Day with guest speaker Jennifer White, Voices for Healthy Kids Health Equity Partnerships Manager.

17. -Strictly Confidential- 17 Healthy Corner Stores A Local Approach to Healthy Food Access

18. -Strictly Confidential- 18 Grocery Store Access Policy Basics Policy: –Establishment of Program funded by City Investment –Provides grants existing corner stores to provide healthy food –Program supported with education and visibility activities –Guidelines and minimum requirements must be met by corner store Target Impact: –Underserved, Low- to Moderate-Income Communities –Rural, Urban, or Suburban Appropriation: –$250,000 to $1 million+; often depending on city’s population size

19. -Strictly Confidential- 19 City of Austin Healthy Corner Store Initiative Problem: -8.7% of Travis County’s low-income population did not live close to a grocery store -Obesity and food access are issues disproportionally affecting Austin’s minority communities Solution: -The Austin Healthy Corner Store Initiative -City allocation of $400,000 for obesity prevention measures, including $150,000 for creation of corner store program -Provides for mini-grants for existing corner stores to expand or reinvade, as needed, to provide healthy food options (i.e. refrigeration, shelving, kiosks, etc.)

20. -Strictly Confidential- 20 Case Studies Philadelphia, PA -$1.5 million one-time investment; $400,000 recurring -660+ Corner Stores impacted by program -478,000 customers reached and 25,000 healthy products introduced Washington, D.C -$300,000 allocation to launch program -Program provides grants, loans, equipment, and technical assistance to corner store owners to increase access to healthy foods in low-income communities Minneapolis, MI -City passed ordinance in 2008 requiring small food stores to carry at least five varieties of fresh produce -City allocation of $200,000 to create program to focus on education, planning, and implementation

21. -Strictly Confidential- 21 Engaging the Community Bringing the Voice of the Neighborhoods to City Council

22. -Strictly Confidential- 22 Demonstrating the Need for Increased Access to Healthy Food

23. -Strictly Confidential- 23 La Mujer Austin Spanish Radio Interview

24. -Strictly Confidential- 24 Media Advocacy

25. -Strictly Confidential- 25 Media Advocacy 1 Billboard 2 one-week long online ads on the Austin Monitor 2 two-week long online ads on the Austin Chronicle 1 two-week long online ad on the Austin American Statesman 2 Print ads in the Austin Chronicle 1 front page print ad in the Austin American Statesman 1 business page ad in the Austin American Statesman 1 KAZI Radio PSA (aired 100 times) 1 KEYE interview 1 Opinion Editorial in Austin American Statesman (written Dr. Eduardo Sanchez and Bobby Jenkins) Submitted 3 Letters to the Editor to Austin American Statesman

26. -Strictly Confidential- 26 QUESTIONS? Please contact us with any questions Kaitlyn Murphy, Senior Government Relations Director, Texas kaitlyn.murphy@heart.org 512-338-2449 Vanessa Fuentes, Senior Grassroots Director vanessa.fuentes@heart.org 512-338-2649