Policy Advocacy for Nutrition and Healthy Eating

1. Policy Advocacy for Nutrition and Healthy Eating Food Providers Can Advocate for Better Nutrition in Tough Economic Times MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger California Nutrition and Healthy Eating Initiative Public Policy & Advocacy Subcommittee January 25-26, 2010

2. Public Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee Frank Tamborello, Hunger Action LA Steve Diaz, LA CAN/CHAC Betsy Edwards, Alameda County Community Food Bank/CHAC Ken Hecht, California Food Policy Advocates Eric Manke, California Association of Food Banks Colleen Rivecca, St. Anthony Foundation Tia Shimada, California Food Policy Advocates Marla Feldman, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

3. Workshop Overview • Presentation • Food Providers Advocating for Nutrition & Healthy Eating Through Policy Change • Discussion • State Budget and Child Nutrition Reauthorization • ENACT and Hunger Action Day • Engaging Clients in Advocacy • Case Study • Tool Kits

4. Workshop Goal To discuss and develop strategies leading to successful policy advocacy for nutrition and healthy eating in 2010.

5. How Did We Get Here? • What • Informative interviews with a small but varied selection of grantees. • To learn • What grantees are doing now to engage in policy advocacy. • How MAZON can help.

6. Grantees’ Responses • Goals and Current Activities • Varying degrees of engagement in policy advocacy. • Desire to be more engaged in policy advocacy. • Varied definitions of “advocacy”. • Barriers and Challenges • - Limited resources • - Time • - Funding • - Staffing • - Experience & expertise

7. Grantees’ Responses • What works and what is needed for your policy advocacy efforts? • Supportive internal leadership. • Policy updates & connections to policy organizations. • Prioritization of policy issues. • Current, local data. • Anything quick, simple, and self-explanatory. • Best practices for: • Building relationships with media & policymakers. • Engaging clients in advocacy.

8. Why Nutrition and Healthy Eating? • Malnutrition • Insufficient/excess calories • Inadequate nutrient intake • Healthy foods are less accessible to our clients. • Cost • Availability • Obesity and related chronic diseases negatively impact quality of life, productivity, academic achievement, and health care costs.

9. Roles for Food Providers in Nutrition & Healthy Eating • Leaders in the fight: healthy food for all. • Systemic change to help our clients. • Comprehensive approach to support healthy choices. • Food donations and distribution • Nutrition education (staff & clients) • POLICY ADVOCACY

10. Nutrition & Healthy Eating Successful Local Policy Advocacy • LA Unified School District School Board policies: • Improved nutrition standards. • Appropriate portion sizes. • Second Chance Breakfast requirement. • County option to waive the face-to-face interview for food stamps.

11. Nutrition & Healthy Eating Successful State Policy Advocacy • Healthy Purchase Pilot. • Removal of the Food Stamp asset test. • Food Stamp Program rebranding. • SB 12 and 965 to regulate competitive/junk foods in schools.

12. Nutrition & Healthy Eating Successful Federal Policy Advocacy • Denial of the quarterly reporting waiver. • New WIC food package. • Funding for Farm to Family. • Stimulus funds to increase FS benefits. • California Child Nutrition Snack Pilot.

13. Menu of Policy Advocacy • Appetizers: • Send emails and faxes and make calls. • Send position letters. • Participate in local, state and federal coalitions. • Lunch Specials: • Conduct regular visits and communication. • Build relationships with legislators/government officials and their staff. • Optimize opportunities with legislators/government officials and their staff. • Entrees: • Gather Stories. • Involve Clients. • Build a strong network of advocates among staff and clients of member agencies.

14. Engaging Clients in Policy Advocacy • A means to an end and an end itself. • Requires deliberate effort, but even simple efforts are important. • Use service delivery models to create opportunities for client engagement. • Everyone has something to offer at all points in the advocacy spectrum. • Strive for a client voice in all aspects of advocacy.

15. Gathering Stories • Gather client stories to communicate the need for policy change. • Share these stories with: • Legislators, administrators, and their staff. • Media contacts. • Fellow advocates who connect with decision makers and the media.

16. State Legislation • Placeholder for key issues and action steps

17. The State Budget • Placeholder for key issues and actions steps

18. Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010 • Placeholder for key issues and action steps

19. Key Questions • Placeholder for key questions to facilitate a focused and productive discussion

20. Your Take Away Tool Kit • Look for policy updates from CAFB, CHAC, and CFPA. • Updated local data available on 2/18 at www.cfpa.net(2010 County Nutrition Profiles). • CFPA sends regular Alert updates: www.cfpa.net • Food Research and Action Center: www.frac.org , also has regular alerts. • Center for Weight and Health: http://cwh.berkeley.edu/