The Food Access Project
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Transcript The Food Access Project
THE FOOD ACCESS
PROJECT
By: Kathryn Allard, Stephania
Fenelon, Marlyn Frias, Emilie
Rider, & Carla Salvadore
BACKGROUND ON SNAP
“Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program”—Previously known as the
Food Stamp Program
Established to fight hunger and
malnutrition
Eligibility for SNAP benefits depends on
income
Less than 185% of the federal poverty level
Benefits are used for food to be purchased
and prepared at home
Currently SNAP benefits cannot be used to
purchase prepared meals
THE FOOD ACCESS PROJECT
Problem: Individuals that cannot store
and prepare their meals at home cannot
make use of their SNAP benefits.
Homeless
Those without kitchens
Elderly
Disabled
Solution: Allow high risk populations to
purchase prepared meals with their
SNAP benefits.
PROJECT MISSION STATEMENT
“To decrease hunger and food insecurity
for homeless individuals and others who
do not have a way to prepare food in
Rhode Island.”
Short term goal: Access food for those
without kitchens and cooking facilities
Long term goal: Improve nutrition and
the health of the homeless population
PROPOSED PILOT PROGRAM
Two strategies to increase food access
to high risk populations:
Strategy 1: Outreach
Understanding health and nutrition problems
Establish rapport between target population and
nursing students
Key informant interviews
Focus group meetings
Health fairs
Strategy 2: Work with restaurants and
markets to establish contracts for use of
SNAP benefits
THE NURSING STUDENTS
5 URI senior nursing students
Diverse backgrounds
Caucasian
Native American
African American
Hispanic
Age range
22-26 years old
All female
WITH FUNDING FROM SOUTHERN RI
AHEC…
As a team we participated in focus
groups, analyzed data, conducted a
literature review, and organized health
outreach events.
Agencies we worked with:
Warm Shelter
Rhode Island Center Assisting those in
Need (RICAN)
Welcome House
McKinney Shelter
Lucy Hearth
FOCUS GROUPS
Common Themes:
Transportation is a problem
Primary source of food include soup
kitchens and food pantries
Nutrition is important
Access to water is a concern
Salt intake was not a concern
SNAP benefits do not help homeless people
because there is nowhere to prepare or
store foods
Being able to get prepared food specifically
at subway with food stamps would benefit
people who are homeless
HEALTH PROMOTION
Blood pressure screenings
Risk assessment quizzes
Hypertension risk
Skin cancer risk
Summer health tips
Hand hygiene
Blood glucose readings
Body mass index screenings
Dental hygiene
Nutrition education
Healthy eating on a budget
Provided nutritious snacks
SNAP outreach applications
Health related giveaways
Raffle
BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS
Assessment quiz to determine patient’s
risk of developing hypertension
Exercise, diet, alcohol intake, smoking,
weight, age, medications etc.
Prior history
Screened blood pressure
Education
Pamphlet
Explanation of their reading
Lifestyle modifications
Referral to primary care provider
Answered questions
HEALTHY SUMMER TIPS
Skin cancer risk assessment
Sunscreen use
Skin tone and color
History of sunburns
Family/prior history of skin cancer
Skin self assessment education
Warning signs of skin cancer
Asymmetrical, irregular borders, color,
diameter, elevation, family history
Sun safety
Prevention of vector-borne diseases
HAND HYGIENE
Described the importance of adequate
hand washing
The pathogens commonly found on hands
When hand washing is necessary
Adequate hand washing technique
Alternate washing techniques
Alcohol gel
Hand sanitizers
Gave out hand sanitizers for
participation
BODY MASS INDEX
MEASUREMENTS
Calculated BMI off of height and weight
using a chart from clinical guidelines
Advised clients that BMI is a good
measurement for overweight and
obesity but has limitations
Abnormal BMI
Informed them of normal values
Obtained patient history
Strategies to change lifestyle
NUTRITION EDUCATION
Nutrition pamphlet
Food pyramid guidelines
Health benefits
Tips to healthy snacking
Healthy eating on a budget
Advising clients on how to purchase
nutritious foods in discount supermarkets
and farmer markets
Gave out fruit for healthy snacks
EMPOWERING THE HOMELESS
POPULATION IN RI
Education, education, education!!!
Helps enhance their quality of life and
autonomy
Established rapport with vulnerable
populations
Understanding nutritional opinions and
practices of the population
Important for healthcare professionals
to assess the needs of homeless
“The best way to find yourself, is to lose
yourself in the service of others”
-Ghandi
REFERENCES
Algert, S.J., Reibel, M., & Renvall, M.J. (2006). Barriers to participation in the
food stamp program among food pantry clients in Los Angeles.
American Journal of Public Health, 96(5), 807-809.
Baggett, T., O'Connell, J., Singer, D., & Rigotti, N. (2010). The unmet health
care needs of homeless adults: a national study. American Journal of
Public Health, 100(7), 1326-1333.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Clinical growth charts.
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Skin cancer. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/prevention.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Travelers health.
Retrieved from http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/mosquito
tick.aspx.
Dammann, K.W., Smith, C. (2009). Factors affecting low-income women’s
food choices and the perceived impact of dietary intake and
socioeconomic status on their health and weight. Journal of Nutrition
Education and Behavior, 31(4), 242-253.
Davis, L.R., Holleman, W.L., Weller, N.F., Jadhav, M. (2008). Dietary intake of
homeless women residing at a transitional living center. Journal of
Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 19(3), 952-962.
Department of Health and Human Services (2010). Aim for a healthy weight.
Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public /heart/
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Fournier, M., Austin, S., Samples, C., Goodenow, C., Wylie, S., & Corliss, H.
(2009). A Comparison of Weight-Related Behaviors Among High
School Students Who Are Homeless and Non-Homeless. Journal of
School Health, 79(10), 466-473.
REFERENCES
Rank, M., & Hirschl, T. (2005). Likelihood of using food stamps during the adulthood years.
Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior , 37 (3), 137-146.
Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless (2010). Street sheets. Retrieved from
http://www.rihomeless.org/Resources/StreetSheets/tabid/172/Default.aspx.
Rhode Island Department of Health (2010). Community heath centers in Rhode Island.
Retrieved from http://www.health.ri.gov/disease/primarycare/healthcenters.php.
Richards, R., Smith, C. (2006). The impact of homeless shelters on food access and choice
among homeless families in Minnesota. Journal of Nutrition Education and
Behavior, 38(2), 96-105.
Savage, C., Lindsell, C., Gillespie, G., Dempsey, A., Lee, R., & Corbin, A. (2006). Health
care needs of homeless adults at a nurse-managed clinic. Journal of Community
Health Nursing , 23 (4), 225-234.
Schwarz, K.B., Garrett, B., Hampsey, J., & Thompson, D. (2007). High prevalence of
overweight and obesity in homeless Baltimore children and their caregivers: a
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Stergiopoulos, V., Dewa, C., Tanner, G., Chau, N., Pett, M., & Connelly, J. (2010).
Addressing the Needs of the Street Homeless: A Collaborative
Approach.International Journal of Mental Health, 39(1), 3-15. Retrieved from
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United States Department of Agriculture (2010). My pyramid. Retrieved from
http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html.
Weiser, S.D., Bangsberg, D.R., Kegeles, S., Ragland, K., Kushel, M.B., & Frongillo, E.A.
(2009). Food insecurity among homeless and marginally housed individuals living
with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco. AIDS and Behavior, 13(5), 841-848.
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soup kitchen consumers: Insights for improving nutrition well-being. Journal of
the American Dietetic Association, 106, 921-924.
Yousey, Y., Leake, J., Wdowik, M., & Janken, J.K. (2007). Education in a homeless shelter
to improve the nutrition of young children. Public Health Nursing, 24(3), 249-255.