CNY Health Bucks: Connecting Low-Income Households to Local Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

A 2009 Center for Disease Control report stated 15-20% of adults in New York State consumed the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. At the same time, FoodBank of Central NewYork employeeswere receiving requests for fresh fruits and vegetables from emergency food program (EFP) guests. In response to community needs, Food Bank began the CNY Health Bucks program that gives pantry guests access to their local farmers market. Would providing Health Bucks and nutrition education to low-income households create access to produce, increase nutritional knowledge and support local farmers’ markets? From 2010-2011 Food Bank conducted 36 nutrition education sessions outlining the benefits of fruits, vegetables and purchasing from a localmarket. At the endof each session, $10-$20 inHealth Buckswere given to each guest. A pre and post-test was used tomeasure an increase in nutritional knowledge. From 2010 -2011 data was collected on 820 guests. Results found that 78% of the coupons were redeemed with participating NY farmers and there was a 19% average increase in short-term nutritional knowledge. The Farmers Market Federation of NY surveyed participating farmers and found “90% of the responding farmers engagedwith consumers thatwere new to the market and driven by their desire to use their CNY Health Bucks”. Overall, the CNY Health Bucks program in 2010-2011 created accessibility to local produce and supported 16 farmers’ markets in central and northern NY. The nutrition education did increase short-term nutritional knowledge; however the long-term effects were not studied.