Santa Cruz METRO Board’s Healthy Food and Beverage Option Policy and the Process to Adopt It Daniel Dodge Sr. Chair, Board of Directors Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District Santa Cruz County, California

Jovenes Sanos (Healthy Youth) Youth-based United Way advocacy and leadership program to raise awareness about childhood obesity and diabetes 37.9% obesity rates in Santa Cruz County for children in 5th, 7th and 9th grades- 49.8% in Watsonville The goal: provide access to healthy food and beverages at restaurants, food markets and other places where food is served 1. Watsonville, California based leadership and advocacy program for high school-aged youth 2. Raise community awareness about childhood obesity and diabetes 3. Advocate for and implement policies that promote healthy nutrition, physical activity, and overall wellness among youth in Watsonville 4. Participate in local health related events including: Teen Fairs, Health Fairs, National Night Out, Bike Rodeo, Diabetes Awareness Fair, Bike to School

Step 1: City of Watsonville Watsonville City Council passed the Healthy Options ordinance for new restaurants in 2010 Step 2: Work with Santa Cruz METRO to Develop Policy Ordinance was designed and created in partnership with the City of Watsonville. All partners are committed to creating a healthy community Initial idea was a moratorium on fast food but partners did not was to create a policy that had any negative fiscal impact so the Healthy Options Ordinance was created to focus on positive rewards and creating options Changes are now being seen throughout the community on a voluntary basis as the CULTURE OF HEALTH shifts and new norms are created!

Result: Santa Cruz METRO’s Healthy Food And Beverage Options Policy Requires all vending machines at METRO offices and transit centers to include 50% of food and beverages that meet nutritional standards recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Addresses advertising & pricing of healthy items Encourages tenants at the transit centers to provide healthy options The focus of the policy is to ENCOURAGE positive and healthy options Once again, the policy pays attention to the cost concern and ensures that a healthy option will NOT be at the expense of the consumer The policy implementation is done in partnership in order to see the policy through and to make sure implementation happens long term and many are engaged in the process. This creates a community ideal of health and encourages behavior change and participation

Santa Cruz METRO’s Healthy Food and Beverages Options policy was instrumental in recent national “Roadmaps to Health” $25,000 prize awarded to Santa Cruz County Santa Cruz METRO and Jovenes Sanos held “Snack-Fest” at METRO offices highlighting healthy eating active living through handouts and activities There were over 160 applicants across the country and Santa Cruz County won – much in part to the work of Jovenes SANOS around policy. NONE of this could have been done without the exceptional partnership of the City of Watsonville and the Santa Cruz Metro Board! Partnership is the key to success for all of this work!

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