Increasing Access to Healthy Foods in North Carolina BETSY VETTER - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Increasing Access to Healthy Foods in North Carolina

BETSY VETTER SENIOR DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION/AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION

Advocates working to build a healthier North Carolina The Mission of the AHA: Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The Mission of NCAH : The North Carolina Alliance for Health is an independent, statewide coalition advocating for policies that promote wellness and reduce the impact of obesity and tobacco.

What is a Food Desert? A food desert is defined by the US Department of Agriculture as a low-income census tract in which at least 33 percent or a minimum

• f 500 people live more than a mile from a supermarket or grocery

store in urban areas, or 10 miles from a supermarket or grocery store in rural areas

• North Carolina has at least 349 food deserts across 80 counties, impacting
• ver 1.5 million of North Carolina residents. Food Deserts exist in both

rural and urban areas.

• About one in every five North Carolinians is “food insecure” and will not

have access to enough food this year.

• Communities without access to healthy foods are disproportionately

impacted by obesity and diet-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

• Healthy Corner Store Initiatives
• Healthy Food Financing Initiatives

Addressing Food Deserts in North Carolina

• HB 957: Food Desert Zones introduced by

Representative Yvonne Holley (D-Wake)

• House Study Committee on Food Desert Zone
• HB 1051: Authorize DHHS/Cooperative Extension Contracts

introduced by Representative Chris Whitmire (R-Henderson)

Addressing Food Deserts in North Carolina

• NCAH applies for and receives a Voices for Healthy Kids Grant
• Grant focus: improve access to healthy foods through healthy

food retail initiatives (healthy food financing & healthy corner stores

Advocacy Step One: Education

• Members of the Food Desert Study Committee
• NCGA Fiscal Research Staff
• The Media
• Grassroots
• New Partners
• Lawmakers
• NCAH Launched Resolution: http://www.ncallianceforhealth.org/Resolution-in-

Support-of-Access-to-Healthy-Food.as

Advocacy Step Two: Action

• Engage more partners
• Grassroots - Advocacy Training Events: Asheville, Winston-

Salem and Charlotte

• Working with Representative Holley for next legislative steps
• Engaging more decision makers – Secretary Decker and

Commissioner Troxler

Getting Involved:

• Organization can join NCAH and attend membership meetings
• Sign the Resolution
• Be an active advocate – (Join You’re the Cure)
• Attend an upcoming training
• Letters to the Editor
• Meet with lawmakers

QUESTIONS