INCREASING HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IN BRIDGEPORT

Kristin duBay Horton, Director, Bridgeport Department of Health & Social Services

Michelle McCabe, Director of Food Access, The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport

Chef Raquel Rivera-Pablo, Nutrition Outreach Coordinator, The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport

Cristina Sandolo, Executive Director, Green Village Initiative

The story begins with a partnership• Two hospitals, two community health centers, and one local health department - Primary Care Action Group

• Obesity identified (local needs assessment 2011) as a core issue.

• Coalition to End Obesity in Bridgeport and Stratford was formed in July 2011.

• Expanded to included entire hospital service area in 2012. …that grew into a collaborative.

Use data to define the problem

• Obesity • Food security • 30% of parents have run

out of food or money to buy food in past month.

• 1 in 5 seniors have run out of food or money to buy food in past month.

• Food stamps has been cut twice in past two years.

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BMI Comparisons(obese & overweight)

CHNA Zip Code Data

Conducted Community Health Needs Assessment and develop plan in 2012

• Cardiac and Diabetes• Access to Care • Substance Abuse and Mental Health• Obesity • Smoking• Violence

COPD Requiring Overnight Hospital StayVolume of patients ages 45+ who were admitted to a hospital

Source: CHIME 5

*Those admitted to any (Bridgeport, St Vincent’s , and other) CT hospital from the above towns with a primary diagnosis from the followingClinical Classifications Software (CCS) Category, 127, except for bronchiectasis**Population adjusted per 1,000 population

From September 2012 through October 2013

But even among children place matters…

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3% 4%13%

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21% 22% 26%31%

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Obese Overweight

Normal Underweight

BMI percentages for ages 2-5

And differences increase as they age

6604 6605 6607 6608 66100%

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2% 1% 2% 1% 0%

45% 49%40%

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30% 27%36%

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Obese

Overweight

Normal BMI

Under weight

BMI percentages for ages 6-12

Problem continues among teens

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2% 2% 5% 1% 1%

50% 51% 47%44% 41%

18% 19% 26%

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30% 28%23%

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obese

Overweight

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Underweight

BMI percentages by zip codeAges 13-18 years old

Rates of Grocers – Full service and corner by zip codes

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Rate FSGRate CS

Cardiac and diabetes task force realized they needed to hone their efforts • Go to where there were

people unconnected to care. • February 2014 – conducted

Know Your Numbers Screening in 4 soup kitchens and food pantries

• February 2015 – conducted KYN screening in 10 soup kitchens and food pantries.

• Spring 2015 - expanded to year round effort integrating schools of nursing and linking clients to primary care

Why choose food pantries and soup kitchens?

• Frankly these sites are where the disease is.

• Targets those with little access and who are disconnected from CARE.

And we were absolutely rightSite # part Avg Glucose Avg BMI Avg Chol

1 6 172 32.8 249

2 32 138 30.7 205

3 43 128 33.0 210

4 40 120 27.8 186

5 31 118 30.3 197

6 29 113 28.3 215

7 22 113 31.7 158

8 20 110 27.6 206

9 33 110 27.3 181

10 11 109 29.8 196

11 12 109 28.6 183

12 14 107 30.8 172

13 15 105 28.8 144

14 21 100 28.0 157

15 16 99 30.4 160

16 17 95 29.0 212

17 13 88 26.5 196

How do you grow and sustain a program?

• 2014 – 10 sites (300 people) 2015- 25 sites (more than 700 people)

• How do you achieve this sort of growth with no funding? • Hospital tapped local groups for supply donation• Hospitals and nursing schools supplied staff and institutionalized it• Community health centers supplied nutrition staff and follow up

appointments with scheduling on sight • Hunger outreach network saw results as a way to tie their efforts to

health care reform and the need to make healthy foods available and accessible.

Beggars can be choosers • Know your numbers demonstrated

that health needs of people being served in soup kitchens and food pantries had chronic diseases and that many of the foods – both donated and purchased were not good for those chronic disease. 1. Educating those running the pantry

2. Offering education to those giving to pantries

3. Educating clients of pantries on how to stretch dollars and use food pantry staples

Sometimes corporate donors offer choices – make the smartest choice

When Dinty Moore calls offers cases of product ask if they have low sodium available?

Educate participants to wash canned vegetables to remove sodium before heating.

So how can you ask for healthy foods?

THE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES OF GREATER BRIDGEPORTHealthy Food Drive Shopping List

When possible, buy canned goods with pop-top lids

•Low-sodium, no-salt canned vegetables•Low sugar, low sodium pasta sauce•Canned fruit packed in 100% juice or water•Unsweetened applesauce•Unsweetened dried fruit (such as raisins, not fruit leather or roll ups)•Shelf-stable milk, such as Parmalat•Almond or Soy milk•Whole wheat pasta•Brown rice•Canned or dried beans•Canned tuna/ canned salmon•100% fruit spread•Natural peanut butter (no sugar, no hydrogenated oils – just peanuts)•Salsa•Low-sodium or no-salt canned soups•Low-sugar cereals, such as Cheerios, Chex, or Shredded Wheat•Whole wheat tortillas•Taco shells•Unsweetened oatmeal•Dried herbs and spices•Honey •Olive oil •Canned tomato products (low sodium diced/pureed or crushed)•Non-creamy salad dressings/vinegars •Frozen vegetables •Low sodium chicken/vegetable broth or stock•Canned unsalted nuts

Look for the Heart-Check mark to quickly and easily spot heart-healthy foods.

Be specific in what you requestDonors want to help the people they are giving to – sharing common health concerns with them can personalize the experience – e.g. they also have hypertension or diabetes. It gives a gentle reminder of how we all should be eating.

I have no idea what to do with this?

How can you help people experiment with new foods that can stretch their food budget?

Case in point – kohlrabi, gardening, and adding callilou to farmers markets.

Recipes and engaging in the processA Pinch of Salt

Add Flavor and Simplicity to Your Kitchen.

OATMEAL TWO WAYS

Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal (Stovetop Version) Serves: 1 to 2

Ingredients:

1 cup milk, whole or 2%

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ Tbs. – 2 Tbs. of Non-sweetened pumpkin puree

1 ½ Tbs. – 2 Tbs. of maple syrup or agave

½ cup rolled oats

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place a stock pot over medium heat and warm milk, cinnamon, pumpkin puree and maple syrup.

2. Once mixture is almost a soft boil add oats. Stir and cook until thickened. Shut off heat and add

vanilla. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve warm!

Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal (No-Cook Overnight Version) Serves: 1

Ingredients:

2/3 cup milk, whole or 2%

½ cup of rolled oats

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ Tbs. – 2 Tbs. of Non-sweetened pumpkin puree

1 ½ Tbs. – 2 Tbs. of maple syrup or agave

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a small mason jar. Stir well and refrigerate overnight or at minimum 8

hours. If the oatmeal is too thick, add more milk. Oatmeal can be made a week ahead. If you

prefer warmed oatmeal, remove cover and microwave for 30 seconds-1minute and enjoy!

Chef Notes:

*Mix it up, add sliced bananas to this recipe. Or exchange the pumpkin puree for your favorite nonsweetened

fruit puree. Or try plain oatmeal with peanut butter mixed in a great way to add protein and

flavor! Feel free to replace the milk with almond milk, coconut milk or your favorite milk substitute!

Chef Raquel Rivera-Pablo

347-746-SALT (7258)

www.apinchofsalt.com

Raquel@apinchofsalt.com

Programming provided by The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport

Integrating Community Gardens into the scheme• Reservoir Community Farm and 25

school and community gardens in Bridgeport• Provide healthy food to high schools• Offer a pillar of food security • Engage children in the growing process

and increase willingness to try new foods

So a health director, a chef, a gardener and an hunger advocate walk into a bar….