Transcript www.healthycornerstores.org

Project Overview
In September 2005, The New York State Division
of Nutrition identified state funds to provide WIC
families with children the opportunity to purchase
vegetables and fruits at all 4,400 NYS WICauthorized grocery stores.
This innovative project supported the Institute of
Medicine’s 2005 report, “WIC Food Packages-Time
for a Change,” and the Proposed Rule issued by
USDA in August 2006 that recommend including
vegetables and fruits in the WIC food packages.
The purpose of this project was to:
 support the State’s childhood obesity
prevention efforts;
 promote the consumption of vegetables
and fruits among program participants; and
 evaluate the process in preparation for the
permanent addition of these products to the
WIC food benefits.
From January 1, 2006 through March 31, 2006, more
than 158,000 children (two to five years old) were
issued three WIC checks (with a value of $5.00 each)
specifying the purchase of vegetables and fruits
(fresh, frozen, canned).
Participants shopped with these checks through
June 30, 2006.
Vegetables and Fruits Check
Acceptable Foods
• Most Vegetables and Fruits were allowed for purchase by WIC participants.
• The list of “not allowed” items was small for ease of administration at the store.
Fresh
White Potatoes (all
varieties)
Items from the Salad
Bar
Nuts, including Peanuts
Canned
White Potatoes
Frozen
White Potatoes
Items in Plastic containers French Fries, Hash Browns,
or Glass Jars
Tater Tots, or other shaped
potatoes
Vegetables with sauces
Vegetables mixed with pasta
or rice
The project was well received by participants,
WIC local agencies and the vendor community.
“I am glad to be able to sell new types of foods to
WIC Participants.”
WIC Vendor, New York City
“I really love buying fruits with my WIC checks.
Please continue this special program.”
WIC Mom, Syracuse, NY
Project Evaluation
Evaluation Methods
 Review of Check Utilization Information
 WIC Vendor Surveys
 WIC Participant Survey
Check Issuance
and
Utilization
How Many Checks Did Participants Use?
100.0%
87.8%
81.5%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
56.4%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Regular WIC Checks
Vegetable & Fruit Checks
Farmers Market Checks
How Much Did Participants Spend?
Redeemed Amount per $5.00 Vegetable & Fruit Check
Statewide Average
New York City Area
Upstate New York
$4.69
$4.77
$4.46
Where Did Participants Spend Their Checks?
CLINTON
FRANKLIN
300 Stores
111 Checks per Store
ST LAWRENCE
ESSEX
JEFFERSON
HAMILTON
WARREN
WASHINGTON
LEWIS
450 Stores
105 Checks per Store
200 Stores
111 Checks per Store
SARATOGA
ONEIDA
OSWEGO
FULTON
HERKIMER
MONTGOMERY
SCHENECTADY
RENSSELAER
WAYNE
ORLEANS
ONONDAGA
MONROE
SCHOHARIE
MADISON
NIAGARA
ALBANY
OTSEGO
GENESEE
CAYUGA
ONTARIO
CORTLAND
SENECA
YATES
WYOMING
LIVINGSTON
GREENE
COLUMBIA
CHENANGO
TOMPKINS
ERIE
DELAWARE
SCHUYLER
TIOGA
STEUBEN
3,700 Stores
77 Checks per Store
BROOME
ULSTER
CHEMUNG
DUTCHESS
ALLEGANY
CATTARAUGUS
CHAUTAUQUA
SULLIVAN
PUTNAM
ORANGE
WESTCHESTER
ROCKLAND
SUFFOLK
BRONX
NEW
YORK
NASSAU
QUEENS
KINGS
RICHMOND
Preliminary Vendor Survey
• An initial survey was administered during routine monitoring visits and training
sessions to 885 vendors.
• The survey assessed the vendors’ varieties of allowable products in stock and the
ease or difficulty of accepting WIC participants’ vegetable and fruit checks.
• Highlights:
 89% of the vendors said that accepting
checks for vegetables and fruits was Easy.
 95% of the vendors said that the project
brochures were Helpful.
 91% of the vendors statewide reported that
they had enough vegetables and fruits for
everyone who wanted to buy them.
Product Availability
 The greatest variety available was for canned products, with 80
percent of Downstate vendors and 70 percent of Upstate stores
stocking moderate or several varieties of canned vegetables and/or fruits.
 About 66 percent of Upstate stores had moderate to several varieties of
both fresh and frozen products.
 In the Downstate region, 62 percent of stores had moderate
to several varieties of fresh products, and 59 percent had
moderate to several varieties of frozen products.
Survey of All WIC Vendors
• In July 2006 surveys were mailed to all 4,400 stores enrolled in the NYS WIC
program.
• A total of 1,904 stores responded to the survey, reflecting an overall response rate
of 43 percent.
• Mix of stores responding:
Cash Registers
Small
1-2
Medium
3-10
Large
> 11
Downstate
65.7%
25.6%
8.7%
Upstate
25.7%
41.6%
32.7%
• This favorable response rate most likely indicates the stores’
positive experiences with, and support of, the
demonstration project.
• With this high survey response rate which includes the
feedback from a representative mix of stores, NYS WIC
is confident that the survey results reflect the experiences
and opinions of the entire NYS WIC vendor population.
Would you like to see the NYS WIC Program
continue to allow participants to buy
vegetables and fruits with WIC Checks?
Statewide
7.67%
2.95%
Yes
No
Not Sure
89.44%
WIC Participants were able to buy “Up to $5” of
fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables and/or fruits.
In your opinion, the $5 amount was:
Statewide
1.14%
40.17%
Too Much
Just Right
58.96%
Too Low
How often did WIC participants exceed the $5
‘Not to Exceed’ amount of the check at the register?
Upstate
Downstate
70%
70%
60%
60%
64.84%
50.82%
50%
50%
40%
40%
26.91%
30%
17.75%
20%
10%
30%
18.26%
20%
10%
4.51%
1.60%
0%
0%
Always
Very Often
Not too much
Never
15.30%
What is your opinion about giving participants
such a large choice of products?
Statewide
100%
88.25%
80%
60%
It made redeeming the
vegetables and fruits
checks EASY.
40%
It made redeeming the
vegetables and fruits
checks DIFFICULT.
20%
0%
11.75%
For CANNED and FROZEN vegetables and fruits, would it have
been easier for you to redeem these checks if the specific amounts
and sizes were listed on the checks
(for example: 5 Cans Vegetables and/or fruits, 14-16 oz cans)?
Downstate
Upstate
60%
60%
56.09%
50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
47.57%
39.60%
30%
24.41%
20%
19.50%
20%
12.83%
10%
10%
0%
0%
Yes
No
Not Sure
Does your store have scales for weighing fresh produce?
Downstate
Upstate
5.83%
10.60%
22.03%
37.46%
3.46%
43.11%
68.68%
8.83%
Yes, in the fresh produce section AND the register
Yes, in the fresh produce section
Yes, at the register
No
Did you need to help WIC participants weigh fresh
produce and figure out the cost?
Downstate
Upstate
50%
50%
40%
40%
47.97%
31.93%
30%
24.51%
20%
30%
25.09%
18.47%
19.37%
20%
12.61%
10%
10%
0%
0%
Always
Very Often
Not too much
Never
20.05%
The WIC program gave participants a shopping guide
that included a chart to help figure out the cost of
fresh produce. In your opinion, was the chart helpful
to participants?
Upstate
Downstate
80.00%
80.00%
74.05%
60.00%
60.00%
55.21%
39.69%
40.00%
40.00%
21.44%
20.00%
20.00%
5.10%
4.50%
0.00%
0.00%
Very Helpful &
Somewhat Helpful
Not Helpful at all
Not Sure
What kind of vegetables were purchased most?
Downstate
Upstate
70%
70%
60%
60%
56.69%
50%
50%
40%
40%
35.81%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
66.89%
25.17%
7.94%
10%
7.50%
0%
0%
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
What kinds of fruits were purchased most?
Downstate
Upstate
80%
80%
70%
79.04%
70%
65.67%
60%
60%
50%
50%
40%
40%
32.41%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
20.05%
1.93%
0%
1.14%
0%
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
WIC Participant Survey
• Local agencies were given surveys to distribute to a sample of participants who
were issued vegetable and fruit checks.
• Each agency was provided with a number of surveys approximately equivalent
to 1% of its average monthly child caseload.
Would you buy more vegetables and fruits if it
were allowed in your WIC Food Package?
Statewide
1.35%
1.48%
Yes
No
Unsure
97.18%
Did you use the check to buy a vegetable or fruit
that you have never tried before?
Statewide
2.57%
32.35%
Yes
No
Unsure
65.21%
Did you use the vegetable & fruit checks?
Statewide
70%
60.99%
60%
Number o f
checks
used
50%
None
40%
1
2
30%
22.19%
14.89%
20%
10%
1.93%
0%
3
How helpful were the vegetable & fruit informational
handouts you received from the WIC office?
Statewide
1.16%
1.03%
23.83%
Very Helpful
Helpful
Not Helpful
Unsure
73.99%
Was the price chart on the Acceptable Foods List
handout helpful?
Statew ide
3.90%
2.47%
Very Helpful
Helpful
40.29%
53.35%
Not Helpful
Unsure
Did the cashiers know how to handle the vegetable &
fruit checks?
Statew ide
1.54%
24.34%
Alw ays
Sometimes
Never
74.12%
Did the stores you shopped at have most of the
vegetables and fruits you wanted?
S t a t e wi de
0.64%
18.37%
Always
Somet imes
Never
80.99%
Vegetables purchased
with the $5 Checks
Fruits purchased with
the $5 Checks
Statewide
Statewide
100%
80%
100%
82.59%
77.59%
80%
Fresh
60%
Fresh
60%
Canned
40%
Frozen
Canned
40%
Frozen
22.86%
20%
15.36%
0%
20%
14.47%
8.51%
0%
What did you buy with your $5 vegetable & fruit check?
What did you buy with your $5 vegetable & fruit check?
Guiding Principles
for
Designing a Vegetable & Fruit
benefit for WIC Participants
 The benefit design needs to be easy for participants to understand and simple for
vendors to administer. Input from the vendor community on the benefit design is
critical to its success
 Program information and educational materials designed for WIC local agencies,
participants, and WIC vendors must be effective and easy to understand.
 Promoting the benefit using a variety of methods to successfully reach key
stakeholders is important.
 Participants should be authorized to purchase processed alternatives (canned and/
or frozen) in addition to fresh produce with cash-value food instruments
(checks/vouchers).
 Fresh produce needs to be made widely available. Scales for weighing fresh produce
should be available to enable participants to determine the price of their purchases
prior to reaching the cash register.
Project Report
Describes:
Project Development & Implementation
Details:
Project Outcomes
Is available on the NYS DOH Website:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/prevention/nutrition/wic/docs/vegetable_fruit_demo_project.pdf
Questions ?