Increasing access to healthy food: The Baltimore food policy case study Anne Palmer Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future Grantmakers in Health November 18, 2008

Overview CLF’s involvement Overview of the food environment in Baltimore City Chain of events that lead to the food policy task force being developed Next steps

The Center for a Livable Future Mission: to promote research and to develop and communicate information about the complex interrelationships among diet, food production, environment and public health Fund research, education, and program activities 3 program areas – Farming, Eating and Living for the Future EFF program goal: Promote changes in food access, purchasing and consumption to ensure a safe, healthy and equitable food supply.

What is the food situation in Baltimore? Poor access to healthy and affordable food, especially in lower income communities 9.4 % of households in Maryland reported low food security and 3.6% reported very low food security (hunger) Until recently, supermarkets were closing and moving out of the city

Corner Stores

CLF funded relevant research Dr. Manuel Franco’s PhD research on Availability of Healthy Foods, Neighborhood Characteristics Dr. Joel Gittelsohn’s Baltimore Healthy Stores project – to work with local corner store owners to promote purchase of healthy food options.

Community Food Assessment in SW Baltimore Goal: - Store survey - measure the availability of healthy food in their neighborhood. -Residents’ survey - identify key food and nutrition issues that community members are facing. Objectives: -Identify institutional barriers and strengths to accessing fresh, healthy foods –Identify individual barriers and strengths to consuming a healthy diet –Identify educational and communication opportunities to increase awareness of the benefits of healthy eating

Availability of fruits

Availability of vegetables

Residents’ Survey: Food Shopping Most of their visits (46%) – at corner stores

Residents Survey: Food Shopping Most money spent – at supermarkets Average monthly expenditures $140 corner stores$274 supermarkets $153 carry out$44 fast food $43 at covered market$48 sit down restaurant

Residents’ Survey: Access &Availability 35 % - “sometimes” were unable to buy healthy food due to lack of resources 17% - “often” were unable to buy healthy food due to lack of resources 40% - stated certain foods were desired but not available (e.g. fresh fruits, vegetables, quality meat)

Chance opportunities (vs well-plotted strategies) Dr. Franco’s doctoral presentation of the research to health department - Healthy Foods, Neighborhood Characteristics, Dietary Patterns and Body Mass Index Health Commissioner becomes intrigued by issue and asks CLF to call a meeting

Getting to know you Joint meeting conducted in Dec with planning, health, university and community representation Goals of meeting Achieve a better understanding of each organization’s current & planned activities re food security and food environments Discuss possible areas of collaboration

Shall we dance? January meeting Identifying potential collaboration & mutual support Decide to seek funding for joint project: planning dept leads RWJ bid CLF offers to hold workshop to learn about food policy councils

Should we do this here? Mark Winne – Community Food Security Coalition’s Food Policy Council coordinator Invited large group of stakeholders – MD Hunger Solutions, MD Hospitals for Healthy Environment, MD Cooperative Extension, Slow Food, Associated Black Charities, Community Development Corps,etc.. What are Food Policy Councils and How Can They Improve a Community’s Food System

What we learned from Mark: Local Food Organizations (LFOs) and Businesses Begin to Fill the Gap with Projects Non-profit organizations (farmers markets, CSAs, community gardens) Community Development Corporations (supermarket development, new farm enterprises) Faith-based institutions (food pantries, food banks) Government Services and Programs (food stamps, WIC, farmland preservation) Schools (child nutrition programs, farm-to-school) Cooperative Extension (farmer assistance, nutrition education) Private entrepreneurs (market-based enterprises, coops) From Mark Winne, Closing the Food Gap: Food Policy Councils and Coalitions: Making the Right Prevalent, Baltimore, MD Feb. 12, 2008

What we learned from Mark: B ut the LFOs are never enough… Never enough money Don’t become large enough to make a major impact Replication and expansion are stymied Many food and agriculture problems too entrenched and complex LFO efforts are often fragmented and uncoordinated From Mark Winne, Closing the Food Gap: Food Policy Councils and Coalitions: Making the Right Prevalent, Baltimore, MD Feb. 12, 2008

FPCs Can Complement and Extend the Work of LFOs Since state and local governments don’t have “Departments of Food”, FPCs can: 1.Represent a variety of private and public food system interest groups and agencies 2.Cut across government department lines and focus on food, nutrition, and agriculture issues 3. Serve as a food system planning venue and promote coordination between food system stakeholders 4. Accept responsibility for ensuring that major food and farming goals are met From Mark Winne, Closing the Food Gap: Food Policy Councils and Coalitions: Making the Right Prevalent, Baltimore, MD Feb. 12, 2008

Workshop results – participants ideas Establish a mission statement Develop white paper to justify need and provide direction Obtain city council resolution

Working group meetings City Health Commissioner decides to co-chair task force with Director of Planning to look into FPC model (April ‘08) What happened next…

Lessons Learned (being learned) Seek out a variety of partners (universities, planners) Where are the opportunities? (obesity work, Baltimore City Sustainability Commission) Expect delays (resignation of planning director)

Challenges Need economic advice (income generating body) Time line Lack of continuity Need to build capacity of all stakeholders Need to involve the agricultural/farming community (city vs county)