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Kentucky’s Work to improve Healthy Food Choices in Food Pantries

Lisa Arvin, RD, LDKentucky Department For Public Health

September 10, 2021

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Objectives:

• Learn of CDC grant requirements and how we came to work with food pantries

• Learn background and statistics of food insecurity in Kentucky• Learn demographics of who we work with and their unique challenges• Learn how COVID19 has impacted our work• Learn of our current work to date and what we anticipate moving

forward

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Grants:

State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program (SPAN)

Funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Starting year 4 of 5 year grant cycle

Building Resilient and Inclusive Communities (BRIC)

Funded by National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)

Originally a 1 year grant ending December 31, 2021 but have just been

awarded funding for year 2 that would end December 31, 2022

SPAN Grant Details:

SPANMulti-prong approach to combat obesity:• Active Living (position state funded)• Early Childhood Education• Breastfeeding • Foodservice Guidelines

Program uses both federal and state funds

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BRIC Grant Details:

BRICAlso multi-prong approach but focused on COVID19 impacts on communities and Racial/health equity:• Safe Routes to Everyday Destinations• Social Connectedness• Nutrition Security

*BRIC designed to augment SPAN funds/efforts

How We Came to Work With Food Pantries

Foodservice guidelines to target work sites and community sites that have cafeterias, micro-markets or vending machines that serves large numbers of people:Hospitals Colleges Community CentersLarger work sites State Parks Corrections

Because of COVID19, virtually all venues either shut down, stopped serving food on site or would not allow non-essential people on site

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Food Pantries

We “pivoted” and felt that food pantries would be a viable option:• Non-profit – Did not have the concerns of a for-profit business• Pantry clientele in need of healthy food as chronic diseases higher in food

insecure population• Pantries welcome help to increase their capacity to provide healthy foods

Background

• Lower income individuals consume fewer fruits and vegetables, more sugar-sweetened beverages and have lower overall diet quality (1)

• 2019 Kentucky Statistics:• 14.4% of the population was food insecure; 19.4% in Fulton County• The childhood food insecurity rate was 17.9% (2)

• Adults reported eating no servings of fruit per day and 30% reported no serving of veg. per day, not including French fries (4)

• Nationally food insecurity increased from 11% to 23% during the pandemic (3)

• Nationally food insecurity for mothers with children 12 and under increased from 15% (before pandemic) to 41%(during pandemic) (3)

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Pantry Needs

• Virtually all pantries need cold food storage

• Many pantries need help with funding pantry staff

• More fresh produce as well as nutrition education

• Unique needs:• Substantial flooding in KY River District (Lee Co.) has damaged city

infrastructure; many pantry resources ruined in flood• KenTenn’s high level of Diabetes & Hypertension; large, low-income

senior population

Funded PantriesFranklin County – St. Vincent DePaul

Jefferson County – Change Today, Change Tomorrow & South Louisville Community Ministries

Lee County – Cumberland Mountain Outreach

Fulton County – Fulton ARK (Alternative Resources for Kentuckians) & KenTenn

Martin County – Appalachian Reach Out and RAMP

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How COVID19 Has Impacted Our Work

• Trouble with clients accessing pantry• Choice pantries converted to box only• Less volunteers for pantries due to infection risk• Virtual only meetings with partners• Not able to be on site and see flow of food pantry

Current Work to Date

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References

1. Walker R.E., Keane C.R., Burke J.G. Disparities and access to healthy food in the United States: A review of food deserts literature. Health Place. 2010;16:876-884. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace. 2010 May

2. Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland; Map The Meal Gap Study 2021. Feedingamericaky.org [(accessed on 17 August 2021)]

3. Bauer L. The COVID-19 Crisis Has Already Left Too Many Children Hungry in America. [(accessed on 17 August 2021)]; The Hamilton Project. 2020 May 6

4. Kentucky Department for Public Health, CDC. Kentucky Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (KyBRFS). Frankfort, Kentucky: Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky Department for Public Health, 2019

Thank you!

Lisa Arvin, RD, LDFood Service Guidelines Program Coordinator

Kentucky Physical Activity & Nutrition ProgramDepartment For Public Health

Cabinet for Health & Family ServicesLisa.Arvin@ky.gov

(502) 263-3867