1. A Project of the Worcester Food & Active Living Policy
Council
2007 – 2011
Hunger-Free & Healthy
Reducing Hunger, Increasing Healthy Food
Access

2. Purpose
 Celebrate the work and collaboration of the past
five years.
 Provide indicators of success (to date). Final
report – February 2012.

3. Background
 Project of the Worcester Food & Active Living
Policy Council.
 Funded through the Health Care and Health
Promotion Synergy Initiative of the Health
Foundation of Central Massachusetts.
 Planned in 2007, piloted in 2008 and has been in
its implementation phase since 2009.
 Completion 2011-2012.

4. Overview
1. Support and advocate for the increased availability of
nutritious and locally grown foods in Worcester Public
Schools (WPS).
2. Improve access to healthy affordable foods in low-
income and underserved communities.
3. Increase opportunities for youth and adults to reconnect
with their food through cooking and gardening.
4. Increase knowledge and awareness of community food
security, hunger and inequities in the food system, as
well as strategies to solve problems locally.
5. Ensure the sustainability of the project components.
Hunger-Free & Healthy is a collaborative project that aims
to reduce hunger and food insecurity in the city of
Worcester, Massachusetts. The primary strategy goals are
to:

5. Steering Committee
 Congressman McGovern’s Office
 The Health Foundation of Central MA
 Project Bread
 Regional Environmental Council
 Saint Vincent Hospital
 UMass Medical School
 UMass Memorial
 United Way of Central MA
 Worcester County Food Bank
 Worcester Dept. of Transitional Assistance
 Worcester Public Schools

6. Essential Partners
 Catholic Charities
 Cooking Matters/Share
Our Strength
 Centro Las Americas
 Edward M. Kennedy
Health Center
 Family Health Center of
Worcester
 Jeremiah’s Inn
 Mass in Motion
 Mass. Public Health
Association
 Pioneering Healthier
Communities
• Pleasant Street
Neighborhood Network
Center
• Worcester Community
Action Council
• Worcester Department of
Public Health
• Worcester Housing
Authority
• Worcester School
Committee members
• Worcester State
University
• YMCA of Central MA
• YWCA of Central MA

7. Project Strategies
1. Improving school meals in Worcester Public
Schools;
2. Increasing the SNAP (formerly Food Stamps)
participation rate;
3. Establishing farmers’ markets in low-income areas
of the city;
4. Increasing the number of school gardens in
Worcester Public Schools;
5. Offering free nutrition-based cooking classes to low-
income families and teens;
6. Increasing communication and collaboration among
organizations, individuals and institutions involved in
this work;
7. Advocating for policies and systems change that
supports this work;
8. Securing on-going funding and support for project

8. School Meals
 Why?
 2005 census showing us that in the 14 low-income
tracts in Worcester, 1 in 3 children lived in a household
that at times did not have enough food.
 Children get up to two-thirds of their calorie intake in
schools and it is important that those calories be
healthy and nutrient-dense. Project Bread, 2006.
 WPS feeds around 15,800 student lunches, 9,500
breakfasts, and 1,400 snacks each day at 60 different
school sites.
 Meal participation rate is at about 70% and roughly
72% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

9. School Meals
Our Focus:
 Universal Breakfast Program
 Now in 16 schools, all have 80% or more
Free/Reduced eligible students.
 General Support & Advocacy
 Locally grown produce
 Improvements to the healthfulness of the school
meals program and snack programs.

10. School Meals
With this community support, the School Nutrition Director
has:
 Increased the number of schools participating in the
Universal Breakfast program, bringing the total to 16.
 Increased the number of schools participating in the Get
Fresh, Get Local snack program, bringing the total
participating schools from 4 to 10.
 Modified her contract with Preferred Meals to require
them to purchase locally when in season, provide fresh
fruit and vegetables at least four days per week, and
ensure that 90% of bread products are whole grain.
 Diversified her procurement to incorporate more local
vendors and more nutritious foods.
 Advocated for Garelick Farms to remove high fructose
corn syrup from their flavored milk lines.

11. School Meals
In addition, Hunger-Free & Healthy has:
 Participated in the School Health Council
subcommittee to revise and update the district
Wellness Policy.
 Advocated for the passage of the School Nutrition
Bill. This legislation also increased the limits of
purchasing locally, allowing school districts to
develop contracts of up to $25,000 per farm.

13. SNAP (formerly Food Stamps)
Why?
 Crucial for low-income families to establish food
security.
 In 2004, of the estimated 659,000 Food Stamp
eligible people living in Massachusetts, 49% were
enrolled in SNAP; this statistic ranked
Massachusetts as one of the poorest performing
states in SNAP participation.

14. SNAP
April 2009 – August 2011
Number of applications submitted 493
Average approval rating 62%
Average benefit procured $185/month
Total benefits:
2009 (May – Dec)
2010
2011 (through August)
$76,764.00
$89,868.00
$86,677.00
Race/Ethnicity
White
Black
Hispanic/Latino
Asian
Unknown/Other
38.5%
8.6%
36.0%
2.2%
14.2%
Children served 261

15. SNAP

16. SNAP

17. SNAP

18. SNAP
 Increasing number of applicants, contacts and site
visits over time.
 Approval rating has stayed steady.
 Cumulative benefits increases yearly.
 Increasing improvement in reaching minority
communities (specifically Black and Latino)
 More children reached each year.
 Massachusetts has risen to 8th in the nation in SNAP
participation rates, with nearly 77.6% of eligible
households participating in the program.

19. Farmers’ Markets
 Why?
 Low-income neighborhoods in
Worcester have more food
insecurity, higher rates of diet-related
disease, less access to fresh foods.
 Existing farmers’ markets were not in
low-income areas and did not accept
SNAP benefits.

20. Farmers’ Market
 Main South Farmers’ Market
 Piloted 2009, Full season 2010, 2011
 Great Brook Valley Farmers’ Market
 Full season 2010, 2011
 Transitioned to mobile market in Sept. 2011

21. Farmers’ Market
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
2009 Total Sales 2010 Total Sales 2011 Total Sales
TotalSales
Year
Total Sales 2009 - 2011

22. Farmers’ Market
$-
$2,000.00
$4,000.00
$6,000.00
$8,000.00
$10,000.00
$12,000.00
$14,000.00
Saletotal
Year
SNAP, WIC, Senior Coupon Sales
2009
2010
2011

23. Farmers’ Market
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Eat more fruits and vegetables because of
the market
Prices are lower or the same as the
grocery stores
Shop weekly or monthly at the market
PercentageResponse
Survey Highlights 2010

24. Educational Gardens
 Why?
 Growing food is a self-sufficiency strategy
 Increasing disconnection with where our food comes
from.

25. Educational Gardens
1. Fanning Adult
Learning Center
2. Jacob Hiatt
3. Columbus Park
4. May Street
5. Grafton Street
6. Belmont Elementary
7. Greendale Head Start
8. South High
Community School
9. Worcester Technical
High School
10. Doherty Memorial
High School
11. Mill Swan Head Start
12. Quinsigamond Village
Community Center

26. Educational Gardens
 Engages students, teachers, staff across subjects
and grade levels in hands on learning.
 Used both during school and in after school
programs.
 Produce incorporated into school meals.
 Creates partnerships with surrounding
community.

28. Cooking Classes
 Why?
 Knowledge of cooking and nutrition can improve health
and save money.

29. Cooking Classes
 Partnership with Cooking Matters/Share Our
Strength, nationally renowned nutrition-based
cooking curriculum for adults, teens, children.
 Free 6-week class for low-income participants
includes weekly bag of groceries and other
incentives.
 Meals based on $10/meal for a family of four.
 Taught by volunteer professional chefs and
nutritionists.

30. Cooking Classes
 155 adults and youth have graduated since 2008.
 Fanning Adult Learning Center
 Plumley Village
 Worcester Housing Authority
 Girls and Boys Club
 YouthGROW
 Dynamy Youth Academy
 Participation rate of 80%.

31. Cooking Classes
From a random sample of students that participated
during 2009 and 2010, survey data shows that by the
end of the course, graduates reported that:
 73% are eating more vegetables
 62% are eating more fruits
 80% are eating more whole grains
 47% are eating more low-fat or fat-free dairy
 49% are eating more lean meats
 90% improved their cooking skills
 93% made an Eating Right Recipe at home
 100% would recommend Eating Right to a friend

33. Sustainability
 School Meals
 Director of Nutrition’s commitment
 Strengthened Wellness Policy
 Participation in Health Council
 Legislation: MA School Nutrition Bill

34. Sustainability
 SNAP
 Ongoing outreach through Project Bread and
Worcester County Food Bank
 USDA matching funds for outreach
 SNAP Working Group
 Local SNAP advisory council
 Strong relationship with DTA
 Advocacy for increased state funds for admin at
DTA

35. Sustainability
 Farmers’ Market
 REC’s commitment
 USDA Community Food Project Funding
 Continual growing success will leverage funds
 Advocacy in Farm Bill for Farmers’ Market
Promotion Program funds

36. Sustainability
 Educational Gardens
REC AmericorpsVISTA position
Building capacity of school garden
groups
Strong partnerships to leverage funds

37. Sustainability
 Cooking Classes
REC is a satellite partner and has
Mass Promise Fellow
Cooking Matters Massachusetts
Central Mass Coordinator
Growing partnerships with grocery
stores

38. Moving Forward
Food &
Active
Living
Policy
Council
HFH

39. THANK YOU!
All our community partners
Health Foundation of Central MA
Evaluators Lynne Man and Stewart
Landers
Project Directors Jean McMurray &
Dennis Irish