Transforming to provide good food to all Laura Bohen, MPH - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Laura Bohen, MPH Extension Educator, Health & Nutrition Services, University of Minnesota Extension Nora Gordon, MPH SuperShelf Community Outreach Specialist, University of Minnesota

Transforming to provide good food to all

Transforms food shelves (pantries), creating welcoming environments for communities to access appealing, healthy food.

White Bear Lake Foodshelf

• Create an environment that is client-

centered

• Promote and respect individual choice
• Increase access to a variety of healthy,

culturally appropriate foods

• Apply behavioral economics and create

an appealing environment

• Meet specific standards, methods, and

values

• Make the healthiest choice the easiest

choice for all

• Core of our work = Equity

SuperShelf partners with Food Pantries to:

SuperShelf Movement

NIH

BECR

SUPERSHELF NETWORK

We are stronger together!

Six Steps to Systems Change

• 1. SUPPLY: Increase Quantity of Better Foods
• Food Sourcing Analysis / Food Bank partnership
• 2. STRETCH: Add Variety
• Stocking Standards
• 4. SHOWCASE: Promote/Prompt
• Behavioral Economics
• Signage
• 6. SUSTAIN
• Community and

volunteer engagement

• Culture change
• 5. SURVEY
• Client feedback
• Evidence-based

Evaluation INCREASE APPEAL: Behavioral Economics INCREASE ACCESS: Stocking Standards

Foundation- SuperShelf Values: Good Food, Respect for All, Collaborative Partnerships, Evidence-based Practices, and Systemic Thinking

• 3. SHIFT: Organize by Food Group
• Food Categories
• Shelf layout / design

SuperShelf Values

We believe reliable access to healthy, appealing and culturally appropriate food will promote overall health in our communities. We believe client-centered, welcoming, and positive approaches create dignified experiences that further equity in our communities. We believe mutual trust and fully-engaged partners build strong, connected communities working toward sustainable systems change. We believe excellence comes from thoughtful, rigorous evaluations, and replicable solutions. The food system is complex, interconnected and dynamic; We believe action at all levels is critical for transformational change.

Good Food Respect For All Collaborative Partnerships Evidence-based Practices Systemic Thinking

• Being client-centered is a way of thinking and doing things

that sees the people using the food shelf as partners in decision making and puts them in an active role of the services they receive to meet their needs.

• Client-centered environments are welcoming to promote

positive and dignified experiences

• Furthers equity in our community
• Embedded in everything from operations, to culture, to

environment!

FOUNDATION

Client-Centered

Food Pantries: Then and Now

THEN

• Provided food for acute,

emergency needs

• Power disparities,

polarized mindset = perpetuation of system- wide inequities

• Distrust between “giver”

and “receiver”

• Any food is good enough;

should be grateful for what they get

NOW

• Fills an ongoing food need
• Harder for families to make

ends meet each month

• Population and needs are

changing

• Shift to operating from

place of abundance (vs. scarcity)

• Create dignified, welcoming

experiences with culturally appropriate choices

• Lead with respect for all

SuperShelf Consultants

Consultant-based model

• Every SuperShelf works with a

consultant to transform

• Walk alongside manager to

provide coaching and consultation for methods

• Consultants from: UMN

Extension, local public health, and food banks

• Change-agent
• We have to do this work

together!

Does SuperShelf work?

SuperShelf Pilot Evaluation

• BECR funded study 2016-2017
• UMN SNAP-Ed Educators trained

to deliver intervention

• 2 intervention food shelves &

2 control

– Nutritional quality of client cart food (n = 70 pre, n = 71 post) – Nutritional quality of inventory (compared with 2 controls) – UDSAs Healthy Eating Index-2010

Pilot Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) Changes

Intervention Control

Pre Post

65 61 69 67 73 80 65 64 20 40 60 80 100 Site A Site B Site C Site D

Food Shelf HEI-2010

Pre Post

54 57 66 56 20 40 60 80 100 Site A Site B

Client HEI- 2010

* *p < 0.0001

SuperShelf NIH Evaluation

“A multi-component intervention in the hunger relief network

to improve diet among adults experiencing food insecurity”

5 Year Evaluation Grant - 2017-2022

• First NIH-funded study on the hunger relief system
• 16 selected food shelves
• Assesses client diet
• Group-randomized study to assess whether changes can be

attributed to the transformation

Before and After

Community Action Center – Northfield, MN

BEFORE AFTER

Aliveness Project – Minneapolis, MN

BEFORE AFTER

ACBC – Anoka, MN

BEFORE AFTER

How to Get Involved

• Learn more at: www.supershelfmn.org

– Join our mailing list – Resources page