SPOTLIGHT ON:
Community Science Recognized by PBS For Influential Evaluation of Healthy Food Incentive Programs for SNAP Recipients
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SNAP programs at farmers markets improve fruit and vegetable consumption by 80%, study finds
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Led by Community Science Principal Associate Ricardo Millett and Senior Associate LaKeesha Woods, and reported at pbs.org, the Healthy Food Incentives Cluster Evaluation found that when farmers markets incentivize the use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, the consumption of fruits and vegetables increases.
The study looked at "matched-dollar" incentive programs at more than 500 farmers markets in 24 states and the District of Columbia to see if people using SNAP, which provides financial assistance to low-income families, would purchase healthier options.
Four non-profit organizations ran the incentive programs, where SNAP users were able to get $8 of produce for $4, and while they found that consumption of fruits and vegetables rose overall, produce purchases rose by 80 percent at the Fair Food Network and Wholesome Wave programs. The study also found that the incentive programs generated more than $4.3 million in economic activity and saved or created up to 47 jobs.
"The National Healthy Food Incentive Cluster Evaluation developed by Community Science provides critical data that demonstrates that regardless of the setting-urban or rural, small or large-healthy food incentives work and generate significant economic and health benefits, " said Dr. Oran Hesterman, President and CEO of Fair Food Network, which runs the Michigan-based Double Up Food Bucks program. "The timing could not be better. This will be a valuable resource both for the field of practice and for federal policy efforts in developing the new Food Incentive Nutrition Incentive program established by the 2014 Farm Bill."
In addition to influences of incentive programs on consumers, vendors, and markets, the cluster evaluation also identified key factors involved in implementing incentive programs and lessons learned to inform the field of practice. Strategies for effective implementation included:
- Marketing and recruitment: Utilizing multiple methods to inform people about incentive programs and recruit markets, such as distributing online and print materials, meeting with potential partners in the community, and partnering with farmers' networks.
- Program management and staffing: Assessing the capacity of farmers' markets to run incentive programs and providing ongoing technical assistance on recruitment and staffing, advertising, operations, and customer relations.
- Sustainability plans: Such plans comprise considerations for strengthening local and state support as well as securing funding from private, public, and philanthropic sectors.
- Learning community: Establishing a forum to enable program implementers and food advocate organizations to connect to work toward common policy and program changes and share practices to inform the wider field of food incentive practitioners.
To read the PBS article, click here. To learn more about this two-year study, click here.
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| Community Science Gives Back |
Charitable giving, community service, and pro-bono assistance were a big part of 2013
In what has become a twice-yearly tradition - and the highlight of our giving - Community Science staff volunteered both time and effort to A Wider Circle. It's a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Silver Spring, MD that helps move people out of poverty through dignified assistance with professional clothing, toys, home furnishings, job preparation, and relationship building.
Community Science staff assisted with: loading furniture on trucks for needy families; offloading, cleaning and sorting donated items; and assisting with clean-up and recycling efforts throughout A Wider Circle's warehouse. The ongoing partnership provides both perspective and fulfillment.
"This is important for Community Science to do," said David Chavis, President and CEO, to Community Science staff. "Not only because is it essential that we give back to our community, but also to remind us of why we do the work we do."
In addition to volunteering time through two Community Service Days at A Wider Circle, Community Science staff also donated expertise. In 2013, Community Science provided pro-bono planning and evaluation assistance to the organization, as well as providing them with a doctoral-level student intern to assist them in developing their evaluation system this past summer.
While working with and for communities often takes people and action, funding is often a hurdle that is difficult to overcome. In 2013, in addition to donating time and effort to organizations like A Wider Circle, Community Science every year contributes the maximum allowable contribution of 5% of our profits to charitable organizations identified by Community Science leadership and staff. They included:
- Tahirih Justice Center
- Shared Interests
- Asian Services in Action Inc.
- NPR Foundation
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America
- American Cancer Society
- American Heart Association
- Caribbean Youth Club
- Jhamtse International
- Heritage House Co.
- St. Jude Children's Hospital
- Miriam's Kitchen
- American Heart Association
- A Wider Circle
- Identity
- Manna Food Center
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- WAMU 88.5 (American University Radio)
Each of these organizations shares our passion for contributing to their local and wider community with care, compassion, and understanding.
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The People Behind the Science
Community Science represents a network of leading community development practitioners and scientists in the United States and Europe, with offices in Maryland, Italy and Portugal.
That wealth of expertise includes Senior Associate Oscar Espinosa, with over 15 years of federal project management experience, with a focus on program evaluation, including the development, collection, and reporting of performance measures used by Federal agencies.
Oscar has also had a leadership role in federal projects on health disparities, assessing the impact of ACA outreach and education activities, and the evaluation
of capacity building.
Research assistants like Margaret Paek support our associates in their efforts.
In addition to data collection, analysis and reporting, Margaret is part of the Community Science survey, research and evaluation teams on a number of projects, including those addressing immigrant integration, financial literacy, and health disparities.
Want to know more about the other people behind the science? Meet our other associates now.
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Join Us!
If you are a motivated, conscientious professional
who can help us take the practice of social change through science and capacity building to a higher level, Community Science wants
to hear from you.
To learn more about opportunities with Community Science, visit our CAREERS page.
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Information Links
Knowledge is the key to understanding, and the links below offer informative resources from trusted Community Science partners:
Information By Topic Area
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About Community Science
Community Science is an award winning research and development organization that works with governments, foundations, and non-profit organizations on solutions to social problems through community and other systems changes.
Since 1997, our objective has been simple: to develop the knowledge necessary to address social problems in a way that benefits all communities. We provide an integrated approach to building the capacity of organizations and institutions, combining the principled, rigorous use of scientific methods with practical tools to foster learning and improved capacity for social change.
To learn more, visit our PROJECTS page.
To discuss how Community Science can collaborate with your organization, contact us at 301-519-0722 or info@communityscience.com
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