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Table of Contents Preface 3

Introduction 3

A Note on Lobbying 5

Engagement Phases 6

Recruit: Potential Allies 9

Recruit: Recruitment Basics 10

Recruit: Recognition Plan 13

Engage: Engaging With Diverse Audiences 15

Engage: Social Media Resources and Tips 16

Engage: Using Social Media to Reach Journalists 22

Mobilize: Action Alerts 24

Mobilize: The Value of Phone Outreach 25

Mobilize: Hosting a Media Event 30

Mobilize: Media Training Tips 33

Mobilize: Why Op-Eds Matter 36

Mobilize: Meeting with Legislators 37

Mobilize: Days at the Capitol 39

Appendices 41

Lobbying vs. Non-Lobbying Checklist 42

Sample Emotional Op-Ed 43

Sample Rational Op-Ed 44

Action Alerts 45

Social Media Sample Messaging 47

Newsletter Blurbs 49

Sample Blog Post: Letters to the Editor 50

Case Studies 51

Content Articles 53

Index of Potential Allies 58

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Preface Voices for Healthy Kids®, a joint initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and American Heart Association (AHA) works to help all young people eat healthier foods and be more active. Nearly 1 in 3 kids and teens are overweight or obese. By engaging, organizing and mobilizing people in communities across the United States, Voices for Healthy Kids will make the healthy choice the easy choice in the places where children live, learn and play.

Our vision at Voices for Healthy Kids is to see every child with healthy foods and drinks at home and in school, safe streets for biking and walking, and places to play after school. We are working to ensure that the places where children live, learn and play make it easy and enjoyable for them to eat healthy foods and be active. This toolkit is designed to help coalitions educate their communities on ways to make this vision a reality.

In order to ensure the most successful community education possible, we encourage everyone using this toolkit to engage the staff and partners of Voices for Healthy Kids. Stay connected to our work on Facebook, Twitter, and on www.VoicesforHealthyKids.org or you can reach us directly at VoicesforHealthyKids@heart.org.

Introduction According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an estimated 29.7 million people in America live in lower-income communities with limited supermarket access. Individuals and families living in food deserts often rely on corner stores for their food—stores that do not typically carry the nutritious food they need. Research shows that adding a grocery store that provides access to healthy food can have a significant impact on the health of people living in those neighborhoods.

But things don’t have to be this way. Healthy food financing—a term that encompasses a variety of state and local policies and programs that provide capital to expand communities’ access to healthy foods, build grocery stores and revitalize economies—can help solve America’s food desert problem.

Healthy food financing initiatives attract investment in underserved communities by providing critical loan and grant financing. These resources help healthy food retailers overcome the higher initial barriers to entry into underserved, low-income urban and rural communities, and support renovation and expansion of existing stores so they can provide the healthy foods that communities want and need.

Together we can help bring grocery stores to the areas that need them most. We have made it easy to raise awareness in your community by creating model tools to help you raise awareness about why these resources are important and the different ways to provide them. In this kit are guides to identifying and recruiting volunteers, spreading the word online, alerting local media, holding events and meeting with state and local public officials to encourage policies that enable all communities to have access to healthy food choices at supermarkets.

Your activities can be as simple or as in-depth as you want them to be, depending on your resources and those of the partners you engage to help. Even small actions can make a dramatic difference.

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To get started:

Review the contents of this toolkit and think about the types of activities that would work best in your community. What, if any, existing financing options are in place? What state or local laws are in place? What stakeholders might support improved access to capital? Could a pilot program pave the way?

Identify your core planning team and think about the type of activity that will make the biggest difference for your state or community. Does your core planning team reflect the diversity of the communities most in need of healthy food financing? Would an event that features a well-known community member attract media attention? Does it make sense to activate—and educate—government leaders, schools and community members through social media?

Consult the volunteers section of this toolkit for specific tips for recruiting, engaging and recognizing volunteers who will help you achieve your goals.

Customize the sample outreach materials included in this toolkit for your activities.

Healthy food financing efforts offer viable, effective, and economically sustainable solutions to the problem of limited access to healthy foods. These efforts improve the health of children and families, create jobs, and stimulate local economic development in low-income communities. Let’s work together to make sure that What’s in Store for our communities, and especially our children, is access to the foods we all need to grow up strong and stay healthy.

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A Note on Lobbying It is always important to understand whether any activities you are planning could fall under the IRS definition of lobbying. This is especially true if you receive a Voices for Healthy Kids (VFHK) grant to support your efforts, because no VFHK funds can be used to support lobbying. Generally, any activity or communication that takes a position on specific pending or proposed legislation—for Congress, a state legislature, a city council or a town meeting—could be considered lobbying in some circumstances. Below are some examples of opportunities that may be considered lobbying or non-lobbying.

Lobbying Non-Lobbying

“Contact your legislator and ask him/her to support bill number XXXX.”

“Click here to sign the petition to support bill number XXXX.”

A communication that supports bills not yet introduced: “New Jersey should adopt Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing law.”

“Ask your legislator to support healthy food choices for our children!”

“Sign up to attend the walk for healthy foods in St. Louis!”

“As a concerned member of the St. Louis community, I ask all my neighbors to join me in supporting access to healthy food for our children.”

Look for the following icon throughout this toolkit, which identifies areas where lobbying may come into play:

When you engage in activities that may involve lobbying, consult your lawyer, as well as the checklist in the appendix of this toolkit, to help you determine whether you need to use lobbying funds for any of your efforts. Lobbying efforts must be supported with other funds, and these costs must be tracked separately from non-lobbying efforts. All types of activities, both lobbying and non-lobbying, can be valuable in helping to promote healthy lifestyles in your community. However, if your ultimate goal becomes the passage of legislation, you will probably need unrestricted funds to conduct some of your work. This toolkit is written for organizations that are legally able to lobby and have lobbying and non-lobbying funds available. (Public charities are able to conduct a limited amount of lobbying, private foundations are not. Governmental entities are subject to different rules; check with your lawyer for details.) Along the way in this toolkit you will find important tips to understand the distinctions between lobbying and non-lobbying activities, as well as when to use lobbying funds versus non-lobbying funds. We have provided examples to help you understand the distinctions between lobbying and non-lobbying activities so you can plan your activities strategically, without violating restrictions on your non-lobbying funds. Please also be aware that some states have rules that may be relevant to your activities and may have registration and other requirements; this guide does not address those state rules.

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Engagement Phases No matter what the issue or which organization leads it, there are four key phases to each campaign: recruit, engage, mobilize and evaluate. The plan below outlines each of these phases; as you plan your campaign, make sure you have designated time for each one of these key steps.

Phase 1: Recruit This first phase of the campaign is where you lay the groundwork that will ensure your success. It’s where you recruit key advocates to your cause. Think about these questions: Who can be your spokespeople? Are there families in your community who would be willing to share their story through an op-ed or a letter to the editor? Where do members of different communities regularly congregate? Are there any alliances with community developers, doctors, dietitians, nurses, researchers or academics that could be explored? Who do you want to be your “everyday advocates,” the large group of people who speak out about the issues at hand? Do these “everyday advocates” represent the diversity of the communities most affected by the need for policy change? Reach out to these people via all channels available to you: social media, existing member databases, personal emails, blogs, paid advertisements, community outreach, tabling at street fairs and festivals, public announcements at places of worship, etc. Be sure to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate materials, too; the wider you’re able to cast your net, the more likely you are to recruit a diverse audience that cares about the changes you want to make. Once you determine who is on your side, start thinking about how to garner support from public officials and other important leaders. In many cases, you will want to share your message with supporters and ask them to send a letter to their representatives or key officials. You can do that through letters, e-communications, blogs, public service announcements, letters to the editor, op-eds, social media, etc. Check the appendix of this toolkit for examples of many of these tactics. Finally, before you execute on any of the tactics in this toolkit, make sure you establish your metrics of success. Determine how you’ll measure the effectiveness of your communications: Media impressions? Likes? Comments? Open and click-through rates? Offline actions taken, such as signing up for educational opportunities or to volunteer? Set these parameters before you get started so you can measure your success throughout the campaign. More information on how to implement the Recruitment Phase is found in the sections on Potential Allies, Recruitment Basics and Recognition Plan.

Phase 2: Engage Phase 1 is for making introductions; phase 2 is for educating. This is when your introductory/educational email, initial media outreach (both traditional and social) and event planning takes place. This is the perfect time to start building relationships. Stay in regular communication with your activists, keeping them engaged, informed and ready to take action when you need. Start working with the media, who tend to respond best to people who are organized, clear, polite and have newsworthy things for them to write about. Media engagement should include ethnic and mainstream press. This toolkit provides you with intro language for your social media and e-communication efforts directed at advocates and media.

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Additionally, this is the time to start working with spokespeople. Use the media tips in this toolkit as a place to start and make sure your spokespeople are familiar with your talking points so they are confident when speaking in public or with media. Schedule your press conferences and events so that you give reporters and community members ample notice. More information on how to implement the Engagement Phase is found in the sections on Engaging with Diverse Audiences, Social Media Resources and Tips for Using Social Media to Reach Journalists.

Phase 3: Mobilize Now that your planning is done, it’s time to act. Reach out to your advocates, your spokespeople, the media, etc., and let them know your campaign is in full motion. Make sure you keep a pulse on your evaluation metrics of success so you can deploy different communication methods to increase engagement as needed. Keep in regular touch with community members to keep them informed and engaged. During all stages, but especially this one, make sure you track the movement of the policy at hand so you know how to instruct your supporters. You may need them to do educational outreach at local gatherings to build popular support in the community. At other times, a social action may be best to help bolster recruitment. They may need to write letters to their legislators because a vote in the statehouse is just around the corner. (The costs of planning and conducting these types of activities will require lobbying funds.) As for media, this is the phase where you want to follow through on the relationships you established in phase 2. By this time, you have made connections over phone or email with reporters and local bloggers. Keep in regular touch with reporters to keep them informed and give them ideas for covering your campaign. If you’re planning media events like press conferences, this is the time to execute. Get your spokespeople ready to lead events (for more details on media training, take a look at the Media Training Tips section of this toolkit). Set up opportunities for new advocates to sign up to join the cause. Let media know the event is happening and give them special incentives to cover the story, like a behind-the-scenes press pass that grants them an interview with your spokesperson and photo opportunities. To learn more about planning a media event, check the Hosting a Media Event section of the toolkit. More information on how to implement the Mobilizing Phase is found in the sections on Action Alerts, The Value of Phone Outreach, Hosting a Media Event, Media Training Tips, Why Op-Eds Matter, Meeting with Decision Makers and Days at the Capitol.

Phase 4: Evaluate Don’t forget about evaluation—it’s just as important as the rest of your campaign. Start by taking a look at the metrics you put into place at the beginning of the campaign. That will help you determine what worked and what didn’t, and help you make changes for next time.

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In whatever ways your campaign has been successful, make sure you let your advocates know so you can celebrate the wins together. Advocates need to know that their efforts meant something to the campaign, especially if they are going to return to your organization or to the cause to see how they can help out again.

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Recruit: Potential Allies Creating local support for healthy food financing initiatives will be key to their success, and working with partner groups is one of the best ways to build that support. Consider the below list of tips as you begin outreach to other organizations and consult the appendix for a detailed list of potential allies and possible detractors.

Who Can Help There are many organizations fighting food deserts and childhood obesity. Some are singularly focused on food deserts, while others look at broader issues, including school lunch programs and increased physical activity. While some groups may not perfectly align with your healthy food financing goals, it’s still worth reaching out to them—they may be valuable partners for other programs you are pursuing or some of your long-term organizational goals. Below are some suggestions for potential partners.

Groups focused on social justice and civil rights in communities of color

Local faith leaders

Groups that want to eradicate food deserts

Groups interested in increasing healthy food options in grocery stores

Groups committed to reducing childhood obesity

Groups looking to improve school lunch options

Groups looking to expand urban farming

Groups focused on hunger for low-income families

Groups focused on health and wellness for historically underserved communities

Groups focused on child welfare

Manufacturers of healthy foods

Ethnic and mainstream Chambers of Commerce

Groups working on economic development

Potential Challenges Healthy food financing initiatives are a divisive issue for some organizations. As you begin your efforts, you should be aware of potential opposition, including:

Organizations that have criticized the link between food deserts and childhood obesity

Groups opposing federal support for nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Food manufacturing organizations that may not want to change current marketing practices (e.g., food and beverage and marketing trade associations)

Although some potential allies and opponents will be publicly outspoken about their opinions on healthy food financing options, others will take a more subtle approach. Before making a decision on any potential partner or opponent, make sure you look at their goals, mission statement, programs and activities.

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Recruit: Recruitment Basics Deploying a campaign isn’t just about mobilizing your supporters to take action or helping to solve the immediate problem of access to healthy food options at grocery stores. It’s an opportunity to draw more supporters to your cause and, hopefully, retain them for future campaigns to improve the health of your community. The following recruitment guidelines will help you accomplish these goals. Note that these tips are suggestions, not requirements. Choose the approach and tactics that work best for your organization and your community. Regardless of how you decide to recruit new supporters, make sure you acknowledge the diverse needs of the audience you hope to engage. For instance, if you are hoping to reach Latino audiences, consider the need for translators and translated materials; if your target group does not have access to or utilize the Internet, emphasize offline recruitment opportunities.

Recruiting at Events Every event your organization initiates and those events you attend should include an easy way for people to join your efforts to support healthy food financing in your state. There are several ways to collect information at events; a few ideas are listed below.

Bring tablet computers. Easy to use and extremely portable, tablet computers can be a simple and effective way to collect names and emails on site.

Offer sign-up forms. Tried and true, this option is easy and cheap to initiate. Asking people to fill out a pre-written postcard to an elected official can provide a compelling reason for people to share their personal information. Remember that transcribing these names into a computer-friendly format will take time.

o Asking people to write their legislator about a general policy issue is not lobbying, unless the request is tied to specific legislation or a specific legislative proposal.

Try business card recruitment. The less effort it takes to sign up, the more people will do so. For example, if you’re hosting an event with key business leaders in your community, ask everyone to leave their business cards behind to join the cause. You may pull in more names than with a traditional sign-up form campaign because this sign-up process is so easy.

Recruiting around Issues It is important to show potential advocates that joining you will make a difference. Potential recruits are much more likely to take action when they believe that doing so will have an impact.

Expand the ask. When recruiting, ask for more than just a name. Ask your potential advocates to take part in an action like signing a petition or sending a letter to their legislators about expanding access to healthy food choices in communities of need.

o Asking people to write their legislator about a general policy issue is not lobbying, unless the request is tied to specific legislation or a specific legislative proposal.

Address issues head-on. Don’t be afraid to use conflict or controversy where appropriate. People like to engage on issues where there are strong opinions.

Recruiting Online

Don’t limit yourself to recruiting via in-person events. There may be a large pool of new advocates you can reach online.

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Engage social media friends and followers. If you have affiliate or state online properties, use posts to ask your fans to tell their friends about your organization and healthy food financing, or ask your followers to retweet invitations to join your efforts.

Add a sign-up form to Facebook. If you add a special tab to your Facebook page, fans will be able to take advocacy actions without leaving the Facebook platform.

Use Facebook advertising. Advertising on Facebook can be inexpensive, targeted and effective. Studies have shown that nonprofits use this medium to get people to sign petitions, volunteer and/or attend free events, as well as generate awareness for a campaign. You can even narrow the reach down to the city level and localize content to make engagement more likely.

Recruiting via Word-of-Mouth

Are your advocates telling their friends and families about healthy food access and financing that would improve options? Healthy living is not just a volunteer opportunity, it is a way of life—so encourage advocates to mention it at the other groups in which they participate (e.g., civic organizations, fitness classes, etc.). Be sure to include culturally and linguistically appropriate materials for these recruitment opportunities.

Ask parents to bring healthy food financing to the local PTA. Other parents may see the benefit of increasing healthy food options in the community and become advocates for your cause.

Ask professionals to mention healthy food financing to the regional Chamber of Commerce. A business-minded group may see an economic benefit to bringing more grocery stores to the area.

Ask faith leaders to get involved. Leaders of the faith community are a great way to connect with community members, especially in under-resourced communities.

Reach out through prominent organizations in your community. Ask to speak at a meeting or luncheon of the Junior League, Kiwanis Club or other local organizations.

Recruiting via Competition Some healthy competition among your existing advocate base can help bring new followers to your organization.

Challenge your existing advocates to recruit friends and family. Then, host a celebration to welcome new advocates to your organization.

Offer a prize to whoever can recruit the most new friends and followers online. Create pre-written tweets and Facebook posts and then count shares and retweets. When possible, make sure the prize is health-related or at least does not send an unhealthy message.

Recruiting in the Community

What does your target audience like to do? Instead of creating new events, meet them where they currently gather.

Attend community festivals. Host booths at street fairs, cultural festivals or carnivals, and ask attendees to sign up.

Partner with universities. Host a table at school fairs and encourage students to form a healthy food financing club.

Reach out to local places of worship. Recruit members to attend local events and organizing meetings through bulletin advertisements and in-person announcements.

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Recruiting via Politics Leverage the response of your state legislators to encourage advocates to recruit more friends to the cause. For example:

Send emails with subject lines or topics featuring legislator opposition or support—and encourage existing advocates to recruit their friends and family. For example, “We need more people to tell Senator Jones that we care about access to healthy and affordable food!” or “Please thank Senator Smith for supporting healthy foods!”

o This email would not be lobbying unless “access to healthy and affordable food” or “supporting healthy foods” clearly refers to legislation pending in Senator Smith’s or Senator Jones’s statehouse. Usually, general statements about accessing healthy, affordable food aren’t lobbying, although urging the adoption of specific aspects of healthy food financing initiatives may be.

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Recruit: Recognition Plan Recognition: we all want it. It’s no surprise that happy advocates are more likely to submit a letter to the editor, sign a petition or attend a rally. As you conduct your campaign, recognizing your advocates for their contribution to your efforts will be crucial in gaining and retaining your support base.

Volunteer Recognition Recognize New Volunteers A strong campaign starts with a strong recruitment push. By creating a foundation of supporters early, you will have them ready to activate when the time comes. Consider the following ways to grow your base of support and recognize new advocates.

Small gifts branded with your organization’s logo (for example, water bottles or USB drives) can be a fun reward for signing up. To make resources stretch a bit further, consider offering incentives to the first 50 or 100 people who sign up on a specific day or giving prizes to advocates for recruiting the largest number of new supporters..

Recognize Existing Volunteers Gaining new advocates is never the end of the story. It’s also important to maintain a good relationship with your existing supporters, making sure they know how valuable they are to your cause. One of the best ways to show appreciation is through recognition. Consider offering the following:

Exclusive opportunities, like the chance to meet with your organization’s leadership or serve on a volunteer advisory panel.

Certificates or trophies, especially when presented at a public event.

Invitations to attend volunteer after-hours, receptions or trainings. Choose the Right Time Whether you’re reaching out to new or existing advocates, we suggest taking advantage of specific times of the year when engagement is traditionally high.

Leverage local festivals. Consider creating recognition pieces around local street fairs or festivals, like free entry or food tickets.

Speak up when it’s time to vote. If the local government is voting on measures pertaining to healthy food financing, this is a key time to recognize existing and potential advocates. If you have the lobbying resources to do so, asking advocates to contact their legislators to vote for the measures you care about—and then thanking the advocates when they do—is an important step.

o This will be grassroots lobbying, because it’s a communication to the public that reflects a view on legislation and contains a call to action. Make sure you have the resources to pay for these activities and track them appropriately.

Use the calendar to inspire you. Create recognition pieces around key health observances taking place throughout the year (e.g. National Nutrition Month in March or National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in September) where you spotlight and thank advocates for their efforts to improve community and school nutrition.

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Staff Recognition Volunteers aren’t the only ones who make a campaign a success. As you thank your volunteers for their efforts, make sure to also thank the staff members who keep the campaign running every day.

Celebrate them publically. If you hold an annual celebration, highlight the good work the staff has done over the past year. Offering awards or opportunities to publically acknowledge good work lets employees know their work has been noticed and is valued.

Ask your strongest recruiters of new advocates to lead a call or webinar, so they can share their tips with other staff members.

Conduct a staff contest to see which members can bring in the most new advocates over a specified period. In return, offer a day off or a gift card as an incentive.

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Engage: Engaging with Diverse Audiences No matter the issue you’re working on or the policy goals you’re trying to advance, engaging with diverse audiences should be a core part of your campaign. This is especially true if you’re working on an issue that will have a direct impact on communities that are different from the ones in which you or your team lives. Engaging with diverse audiences makes good sense: the most successful campaigns are often the ones that speak to and engage as many different people as possible. Priority populations (people living in high-poverty urban areas, particularly African-American and Latino; people living in high-poverty rural areas; people living in the South; and people living on Native American reservations) are particularly important to engage as partners and advocates. Below are some questions designed to make you think about who you’re reaching out to and how. (They are intended to be thought-starters, not an exhaustive list.)

Who’s on our team? Take a look at your volunteer base, your advisors and your staff. Are your teams made up of leaders and advocates representing priority populations? Do they represent the communities where you want to have the most impact—particularly if those communities are historically underserved? If not, where are the opportunities to do more?

How are we recruiting and engaging? If your teams are less diverse than they could be, consider expanding the ways you recruit and engage volunteers. For instance, not everyone has access to the Internet; if your campaign is heavily based online, you may be limiting who is able to join your efforts. Pen-and-paper recruitment and offline volunteer opportunities can help make sure more people are able to get involved.

Where are we recruiting and engaging? When it comes to getting people involved, location is just as important as technique. Are you reaching out to local faith communities and the ethnic small business community? If you aren’t already, try having a presence or table at events that draw a diverse crowd or partnering with a local ethnic Chamber of Commerce.

Who are we talking to? Make sure you’re working with non-mainstream news outlets in your area. There may be newspapers, radio stations or television networks geared towards diverse communities, particularly non-English-speakers and people of color. Ethnic media coverage can both provide new and different angles on your campaign and encourage diverse audiences to get involved with your work.

Is language a barrier to access? If there are non-English-speakers in your area, consider having your materials translated and easily accessible at events and online. If you’re planning on hosting phone banks, engage multilingual volunteers. And if you’re planning on having a presence at events where people are likely to speak another language, make sure you have people staffing your table or booth who speak those languages.

Do our team members feel welcome and listened to? Getting people to sign up or take action is one thing; fostering a welcoming, affirming environment is another. Listen to what your volunteers, advisors and staff members say about your campaign, and strive for an environment where everyone has a seat at the table.

Are we considering unique cultural perspectives? Every culture has their own nuanced way of thinking and talking about issues. Try to learn what these issues are ahead of time. For instance, if you are supporting walk to school efforts, the salient issues for one neighborhood might not be focused on childhood obesity, but rather a neighborhood safe from crime where kids can walk.

What else can we do? Throughout your campaign, keep asking yourself the types of questions listed above. There are always opportunities to open your doors wider and expand your reach further.

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Engage: Social Media Resources and Tips It’s going to take community support to bring healthy food financing to your area. Fortunately, social media allows you to share your message with a wider audience than traditional door-to-door grassroots work can. With a few clicks, you can access the right people at the right moment, making them aware of the issue and garnering their support. The following tips were created to help you do just that: extend your community of advocates online to create an even bigger groundswell of support for healthy food financing. Your national experts may already have example resources you can model or tailor for use in your campaign.

Using Images and Videos Posts with multimedia drive higher engagement rates and increased reach—people like looking and clicking on images and video. Below is a quick overview of how you can best put multimedia to use on Facebook and Twitter.

Images

Choose a diverse range of people. It’s important that different groups see people like themselves in the images you use.

Only use content you own. The images, videos or graphics you post should be either created by your team or purchased on stock photography sites. If your organization has an existing photo library, search to see if anything can be repurposed.

Ask your advocates to sign release forms. Photos of real-life advocates are always ideal. Just remember that anyone you spotlight online—whether in stories, photos or videos—must sign an authorization release form. Ask your organization for the appropriate forms.

Repurpose print materials online. The postcard, flyer and fact sheet included in this toolkit can easily be posted or linked to on Facebook and Twitter.

o The postcard is especially useful as a featured image to supplement your Facebook posts.

o Invite advocates to print the flyer and post it at work or around their neighborhood. o Save a PDF of the fact sheet and link to it from your post, inviting advocates to read and

learn more or share it with friends and family.

Videos

Highlight your advocates. If you have access to a video camera or even a smartphone, consider creating a video of advocate stories. Ask your advocates to talk about their role in the campaign and why they support healthy food financing.

o Stories of real-life advocates can be one of the most effective measures for swaying decision makers, because they represent actual constituents’ opinions on the policies you care about.

Create mini-documentaries. A short film (keep in mind that the most viewed and shared videos are less than 90 seconds) following someone doing their grocery shopping in a food desert can highlight the reality of how difficult it is to find healthy foods in communities without grocery stores. This can emphasize the importance of enacting healthy food financing legislation.

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Facebook Especially if you already have an established presence, Facebook can be an excellent way to engage your existing advocates and recruit new ones. Below are a few tips for spreading the word on Facebook.

Use your existing account. Don’t create a new page just for healthy food financing. This way, when new people “like” your page because of healthy food financing, they will also stay in the loop on your other initiatives.

Recruit new members right from Facebook. Consider creating a registration app on your page so users can sign up to be a part of the effort without even leaving Facebook. You can point potential advocates to the registration app through Facebook ads and posts on your wall.

Highlight key posts. Facebook allows you to select posts you would like to draw specific attention to and expand them across your page to catch your readers’ eyes. See the following graphics for an example.

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Use images to help advocates identify with your cause. The postcard in this toolkit can be repurposed to create an image advocates can use on their own profiles. Consider using the front side of the postcard to do the following:

o Make it your page’s cover photo and ask advocates to tag themselves and their friends in the image. That way, their tags show up on their newsfeed and in their friends’ notifications.

o Encourage advocates to make the postcard their cover photo or profile picture as well. The advocates’ friends will see the images on their profiles, helping to raise awareness about the issue. Make sure to give advocates a caption to go with their post telling viewers to go to your site to help out.

o On Twitter, encourage advocates to make the postcard their banner picture so their followers will see the image.

Share the message with decision makers. Many states’ decision makers have an online presence, which can be an effective venue for them to hear from advocates.

o As advocates tag themselves in your cover photo, encourage them to tag their decision makers as well. Note that some decision makers may have set their privacy to restrict this.

o Encourage advocates to tag their decision makers in their Facebook posts about healthy food financing. Check the appendix for examples of what these posts could look like.

A post that tags a legislator should be considered a direct communication to that legislator, so it will be lobbying if it reflects a view on specific legislation. A post that does not tag a legislator is a public communication and will be lobbying only if it reflects a view on specific legislation and it includes a call to action. Note that if a social media post constitutes lobbying, the staff time related to writing the post is attributable to lobbying, however small the cost of that staff time may be.

Ask advocates for a response. Create posts that encourage advocates to interact. o Ask questions: “What do you know about food deserts?” “What percentage of people in

America do you think lack access to healthy foods?” o Encourage story-sharing: “What does the food selection at your grocery store look like?

What would you change?” o Keep them accountable: “How have you helped to bring healthy food to your

community?”

Highlight partners. There may be other community organizations that are also working to bring healthy food options to communities.

o Consider working with them to highlight each other’s work in Facebook posts. That way, your mention will show up on their social media channels (and vice versa), giving you leverage to reach their community for recruitment purposes.

Take online actions offline. There are many creative ways to share several items in this toolkit—the poster, flyer, fact sheet, etc.—on Facebook and encourage people to distribute them in their communities.

o Ask advocates to print the flyers and hand them out at events in their town or post them on community message bulletin boards in parks, libraries or coffee shops.

Bring the action back online by asking advocates to post a picture of themselves putting up the flyers.

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o Post the decision maker fact sheet on your Facebook page so that it is available to advocates to use in their own meetings with decision makers. And of course, ask them to come back to the Facebook page to report on what they are doing, and how their own meetings went.

Ad Campaigns

Promote your posts. Promoted posts take highlighted posts one step further by elevating them in your fans’ feeds. Promoted posts have a nominal cost and their benefits are far-reaching. In this toolkit, we have provided a suggested image for a promoted post. Use the image and then assign corresponding text to it, such as: “Every day, millions of people in America go without the foods they need to stay strong and healthy. Act now to help make sure all communities have access to healthy food by visiting [INSERT URL].”

o Promoted posts come with a range of pricing options, depending on how many fans your page has and how many people you would like to reach with your post. You will have the option to elevate your post in your fans’ newsfeeds, or in both their newsfeeds and their friends’ newsfeeds. On top of this, you can target promoted posts by age, gender and location.

o You can promote posts right from your Facebook page; look in the lower right-hand corner of the post you want to elevate. Click on “Boost Post,” select your dollar amount and audience reach, and then enter credit card details for payment.

Create an ad campaign. You can also turn promoted posts into a wider Facebook advertising campaign, which will allow you to target specific audiences in a way not feasible from your Facebook page.

o Visit https://www.facebook.com/ads/create. o Select your destination page (this should be your organization’s Facebook page)

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o Select the Promoted Posts option:

o Select the page post you would like to promote:

o Now you are ready to choose your audience. First, select age and gender targeting and then type in interests. Remember to include broad interest topics to reach as wide an audience as possible.

For targeting based on location, workplace, behavior, school, relationship status or languages, click the appropriate button and add in targeting criteria. Consider groups of people who may have a natural interest in fighting childhood obesity—parents or teachers, for example—and target them based on related interests like local parenting groups or the PTA.

You can also target audiences based on whether they are already fans of your organization on Facebook.

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o Finally, select your budget. Even a small amount can help you get results.

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Engage: Using Social Media to Reach Journalists With more than 6.9 million active users on Twitter every day and 552 million daily active users on Facebook, social media can serve as a powerful tool to amplify your message and reach highly targeted audiences. Just as consumers are increasingly turning to social media for news, so are journalists. While they use social media to follow items of personal interest and to interact with their own networks, they also use it to research stories and follow trends.

Reach Media through Social Channels Start with research. Before you begin engaging with journalists, make sure to research their

backgrounds. This will help you personalize your messages, reference relevant past articles and explain why you have contacted them.

Try email, too. Most journalists prefer to be contacted through email, not on social media. If you do not have an existing relationship with a journalist, a well-written email may be more effective than a tweet. You can also post a comment on the news outlet’s webpage under the online version of a news story.

Don’t begin with a pitch. Though it is generally not appropriate to pitch over Twitter, you can use it to get on a journalist’s radar. Start by following the reporter on Twitter and retweeting or commenting on content you find interesting.

Be respectful. It is important to be mindful of journalists’ time and to remember that all interactions are public. Don't mass tweet pitches to several reporters and outlets.

Be careful with direct messages (DMs). Don't ask a journalist you aren’t following to send you a direct message. Only people who follow one another can send each other direct messages.

Sample Tweets Below are a few sample tweets designed to build relationships with journalists and get on their radar as a thought leader on healthy food financing.

In response to a journalist tweeting an article on a related topic/issue: “@[JOURNALIST] Really interesting take on #fooddeserts. Love your point on XXX.”

Sharing an article by a journalist: “[INSERT QUOTE OR PARAPHRASED TEXT] via “@[JOURNALIST] [LINK TO ARTICLE] #healthyfood”

Sharing an article by the journalist and generating discussion among your followers: “Read [ARTICLE TITLE] via “@[JOURNALIST] [LINK TO ARTICLE]. How can we bring healthy food to US kids both today & tomorrow?”

In response to a journalist tweeting an article on a related topic/issue: “@[JOURNALIST] - Loved this piece, such an important topic! Would love to chat about our program sometime. [RELEVANT HASHTAG]”

In response to a journalist tweeting an article on a related topic/issue: “@[JOURNALIST] - Really interesting points! Have you thought about financing programs like [LINK TO SITE]? #healthyfood”

Social Media Engagement Tips & Tricks Be transparent and disclose your job/purpose/association in your bio.

Employ a conversational tone and avoid buzzwords.

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Always begin by listening to the existing conversation.

Identify opportunities to be current and relevant.

Be human.

Be timely.

Be prepared.

Include hyperlinks for additional information.

Use relevant hashtags when appropriate to help your comments show up in larger conversations.

Use handles of people (e.g., policymaker, organization, reporter) whose attention you are trying to garner.

Focus on facts and avoid entering editorial disagreements or arguments.

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Mobilize: Action Alerts Your existing database of supporters is perfectly positioned to become an army of grassroots activists. By joining your email list, these individuals have already indicated they want to learn more about who you are and the issues important to you. The next step is converting their interest into a deeper level of commitment to your mission—and to helping kids across America—by getting your supporters to complete an action, such as signing a petition, communicating directly with policymakers and other decision makers or attending events.

As you begin a conversation with your supporters through email, keep these goals in mind:

Educate them through issue updates or updated Web content. Communications like this allow you

to:

o Provide advocates with information, and cultivate their interest in an issue.

o Identify the message areas that resonate best with subsets of the audience, allowing

you to better tailor outreach.

o Keep individuals engaged and updated during periods where critical action is not

required, making it easier to engage them when the time comes.

Engage them in opportunities to deepen their activism through surveys, “share your story”

opportunities or social media engagement. These activities give people actions to take that help

you:

o Learn more about what type of participation people want to have.

o Train activists how to be good stewards of issue messages.

o Expand your reach by amplifying your message through individuals’ social networks.

o Show activists the importance of their participation, so they are ready to respond in

times where urgent action may be needed.

Activate them with new and varied calls to action based on the way their unique voices can make a

difference. Your advocates can reach the public through:

o Participation in public dialogue on key issues by commenting on news articles, blog

posts or polls.

o Recruitment of new individuals to join the cause.

o Attendance at public meetings, town halls or hearings in support of your position.

o Contacting decision makers via email, phone, postal mail or in person to contribute their

opinions.

If your request reflects a view on specific legislation, asking advocates to

contact their legislators will be lobbying.

Email action alerts also allow you to communicate with supporters personally, measure their interest through open rates and track their support through clicks on the links in your email. Because email communications have the capacity to be uniquely micro-targeted to recipients, sending alerts to your audience can be one of the most powerful ways to inspire mobilization around healthy food financing.

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Mobilize: The Value of Phone Outreach Even in today’s digital era, person-to-person contact remains one of the most effective means of relationship building. Below is an overview of how to train volunteers, as well as two different types of phone outreach: phone banks and phone patch programs.

Phone Banking Operating a phone bank connects your organization’s volunteers with new potential advocates—people you hope will want to learn more about your issues, get involved with your campaign and act to achieve your goals. In order to host a successful phone bank, make sure you address the steps below. Recruit and Train Volunteers

Enlist your team. Find people who would be willing to make calls on a regular or semi-regular basis. Current staff at your organization or existing volunteers are the best resources.

Identify your manager. Designate someone from your team to manage the call center. Train them to lead the volunteers and ensure program success.

Train your callers. Be sure volunteers are briefed on the issues, can discuss these topics with callers and exercise cultural sensitivity whenever appropriate. Conduct a training session where they can learn your talking points and practice making calls to familiarize themselves with the process.

Identify any unique language needs. Does your community include non-native English speakers? Be sure to recruit bilingual volunteers or enlist the help of volunteer translators.

Find a Location and Supplies

Decide where people will call. Before moving forward in this process, you must determine if you want callers to work from a centralized location or not. People can make calls from their homes, but without supervision they might not stick to the script and could damage potential or existing relationships. Your offices could be a good location for local, targeted calls.

Equip yourself. Make sure your call center has enough lines and telephones for volunteers.

Set time limits and provide refreshments. Establish how long you want the call center to be open. If it is open for a long period of time, make sure you provide food and drinks to volunteers.

Create a Call List

Develop your list. A call list is essential to any successful phone bank, but like all communication it must be targeted. You should target individuals based on a known or potential interest in healthy food financing—people living in food deserts, past attendees at healthy living events, members of coalition partner organizations, health professionals, etc. A number of resources are available to help discover target audiences, including U.S. Census data.

Start with existing advocates at your organization. You already have their information, and it will make sense to them when they hear from you because they have expressed previous passion for related issues.

Consider buying lists. It’s also possible to buy lists with phone numbers and other advocate information. Prices vary based on the amount of targeting and number of people in a list, but InfoUSA (www.infousa.com), Caldwell List Company (www.caldwell-list.com) and Dataman Group (www.datamangroup.com) can be good resources if you wish to purchase a list.

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Develop a Script

Prepare a script and some one-pagers to be sure volunteers have the materials they need for effective and informative conversations. Make sure your script includes the following information.

Introduction: Provide a brief introduction of who you are and the organization you represent. There’s no need to begin explaining the issue at this point. Ask the caller if they have time to talk about the issue.

Outline of the Issue: If the caller has the time, explain the issue and why it is important. This is the point where targeting is most important. Increasing healthy food access through new financing opportunities will affect people differently. Be sure you know the person you’re talking to, and tailor the conversation to them.

Request for Assistance: Following the explanation of the issue, ask the advocates for another point of contact, e.g., their email or mailing address. Having this information will allow you to follow up later and provide further details about the issue.

Closing: If someone declines to hear about the issue, ask if there would be a better time to call back. And whether advocates want to speak or not, always thank them for their time.

Below is a sample phone banking script. Feel free to customize it for your needs, and be sure to enlist your bilingual volunteers.

Hi [ADVOCATE NAME]. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m calling on behalf of [YOUR ORGANIZATION].

We’re working to help ensure all children and families across the nation, including in [ADVOCATE CITY], are able to buy healthy food. Do you have a few minutes to talk about how this initiative will help you?

IF YES

Great! Healthy food financing aims to increase access to healthy foods for the 29.7 million people living in communities without grocery stores across America.

The Ask: If you join us, we will keep you up-to-date on all the issues and progress being made in your area and nationally. Will you join us in this mission?

o IF YES: Wonderful. Let me get your [EMAIL, MAILING ADDRESS, ETC.] so we can keep you updated.

o IF NO: Well, thanks for your time, and if you want to learn more about the program, you can visit [WEBSITE]. Have a great [DAY, EVENING].

IF NO

Is there a more convenient time I can call you back? (If yes, write when to call back and make a note. If no, then skip to…). Thanks for your time, and if you want to learn more about the program, you can visit [WEBSITE]. Have a great [DAY, EVENING].

IF ANSWERING MACHINE Hi [ADVOCATE NAME]. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m calling on behalf of

[YOUR ORGANIZATION].

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We’re working to help ensure all children and families across the nation, including in [ADVOCATE CITY], are able to buy healthy food.

The Ask: We’d love your help to improve the quality of life for millions of people. Please call us at [PHONE NUMBER] or visit our website at [WEBSITE] to learn more and improve the lives of the more than 29 million people in America with limited access to healthy food.

Thank you and have a great day!

Compile Data

You’ll want to make sure you track the data garnered from these phone calls—who you’re calling, how many people are reached, how many volunteers sign up, how often people are called, etc.

o Set standards and guidelines for recording data, and be sure volunteers are trained on the proper way to record information.

o Consider creating a template in Excel for volunteers to record the data. Determine what you want to know about each person. You should at least have first name, last name, phone number (home or mobile) as well as whether they picked up or you left a message and whether they wanted to talk or not. If possible, try and record their email address and mailing address.

Maintain the Relationship

Phone calls are the beginning of a relationship, not the end. In order to keep working with these advocates, you must follow up with them, either with another call or via email.

Phone Patches A phone patch, as opposed to a phone bank, connects advocates with their elected officials. In order to host a phone-patching program, you’ll work with a third-party organization that calls advocates, explains the issue and asks if the advocates would like to be connected with his or her representative to voice support for a cause or issue. This is a supplemental method to the phone bank program and should target existing advocates, not new ones. If you ask advocates to contact a legislator to support or oppose specific legislation, your phone patch calls will be considered grassroots lobbying. Make sure you budget lobbying funds to cover these costs. You can use non-lobbying funds for phone patches by avoiding references to any specific legislation, but that may dilute the calls’ impact.

Select a Vendor

Find a company that will call individuals on your behalf. Some companies that can assist in the program implementation include:

o Mobile Commons

o Winning Connections

o Stones’ Phones

o Strategic Consulting Group

Create a Call List

As with phone banks, you will need to create a list of contacts to provide to the vendor. The vendor will use this list during the outreach process.

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Develop Scripts for Messages

When individuals answer their phones, they will hear a prerecorded message and will be connected to a representative by pressing a designated number. A script that highlights the importance of the initiative should be written to serve as this recording. There should also be an option for non-English speakers to press a number to hear in their language.

An additional message could be written to record on an answering machine if the person misses the call.

o Script for Initial Recording Hi! I’m calling on behalf of [YOUR ORGANIZATION]. Our nation is in the midst of

a food crisis. More than 29 million people in America are living without access to healthy food options. We’re working to help ensure all children and families across the nation, including in [ADVOCATE CITY], are able to buy healthy food. If you’d like to learn more about this issue and how you can help this effort, please press one.

o Script for Leaving a Message Hi [ADVOCATE NAME]. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m calling on behalf of

[YOUR ORGANIZATION]. We’re working to help ensure all children and families across the nation, including in [ADVOCATE CITY], are able to buy healthy food. We’d love your help in advancing the quality of life for millions of people in America. Please call us at [PHONE NUMBER] or visit our website at [WEBSITE] to learn more and improve the lives of the more than 29 million people in America with limited access to healthy food. Thank you and have a great day!

o Script for Phone Operator Hi. How are you? Thanks so much for agreeing to take the next step to help

bring healthy food to your community. To implement this change, we need advocates to speak with their

representatives in support of efforts to expand access to healthy food at grocery stores by ensuring financing for stores is available. (Note: Advocates will have varying degrees of knowledge about this issue, so at this point it’s good to let them ask questions.) Before I connect you with your legislator, what questions can I answer for you about these policies or about the process?

o Script for Connecting Advocates with Representatives Now that you have all the information, I can connect you with your

representative. Just so you are aware of the process, I will transfer you to your legislator [LEGISLATOR NAME], and someone on [HIS/HER] staff will talk with you. You will need to tell the person who answers the phone your name, that you’re a constituent and that you support expanding healthy food choices for people in [STATE] by attracting more supermarkets to areas that need them.

Note: Your phone bank operator will need to be trained to answer frequently asked questions and know where to refer questions he/she is unable to answer.

Record the Results

Typically, a phone patch operator will provide a daily report with the results of the program. Collect that data and keep it for your records to help you strengthen future outreach efforts.

Additional Things to Consider

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Whether you’re phone banking or phone patching, there are some tips to keep in mind to help the process run smoothly.

Avoid using computer or auto dialing systems, as some states prohibit these. Instead, have people

dial numbers by hand. Hand dialed phone banks also have a higher completion rate (50 percent compared to 15 percent with automated dialing systems, according to The Voices of America).

Hybrid systems also exist. These systems allow you to download to the phone so that you just hit “dial.” Volunteers can record the answers to the survey on the phone, which can then be downloaded to a computer. It also allows you to record a voicemail, so the volunteer can push a button that automatically plays your recorded message after the beep without having to stay on the line.

Try to make your calls between the hours of 6 and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, as these are the hours you will most likely find people at home.

Make sure volunteers know how to react in different situations, e.g., leaving a message on a machine or speaking with a hostile individual.

Be sure the efforts of the campaign aren’t limited by do-not-call lists. o Typically, these apply only to telemarking sales calls. At the federal level, the do-not-call

provisions do not cover calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors, or companies with which a consumer has an existing business relationship.

o Most states follow the standard set by the federal government, but state laws can vary. Check state government websites to ensure compliance with these laws.

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Mobilize: Hosting a Media Event

Working with local media is a key way to raise awareness about your campaign, priorities and goals. Media coverage can help you educate communities, create conversation and recruit new advocates. But before you can do any of these things, you must first thoughtfully develop and carefully plan how you want to present healthy food financing to reporters. Building relationships with media and pursuing media advocacy well in advance of hosting a media event will help to ensure your message frame is understood and you are well-positioned by reporters.

Start by thinking about what you want to accomplish and who you want to reach. Do you have news to release, such as a report or study? If not, what is your media hook? Do you want options in healthy food financing to appear on the nightly news? What about in your local paper? Would you be better served by engaging with community bloggers? Be sure to include ethnic media in this outreach. Once you decide this, you can start identifying opportunities that match up with your goals. One way to engage members of the media is by inviting them to an event. A well-run media event—one with compelling speakers, stories, clear facts and easily explained goals—will give reporters the tools they need to amplify your story in newspapers, on-air and online.

Where and Who?

Hold your event in a food desert or somewhere people are actively working to build new grocery stores. Choose an outdoor public location where there are only unhealthy food options or no grocery stores. Other options include a meeting room in a city hall or other municipal building, or in a place of worship where leaders are calling for a grocery store for their community. Be careful not to conflate the issue with a setting that brings in other issues, such as hosting a meeting in a school or on a playground. As you structure your event, consider speakers who can talk compellingly about the importance of access to healthy food and the role this plays in nurturing the health of our future generations. This can include executives from your organization, but don’t be afraid to think beyond the obvious. Consider bringing in a local mother who wants healthier food choices for her children or a local doctor who can speak about the real impact better food choices could have on a community’s health. A diverse mix of speakers who can speak in all languages spoken in the community will provide your media attendees with a range of perspectives about healthy food financing and the importance of bringing healthy food to every community in America.

Event Tips The following tips cover some of the basics of event hosting. However, the list below is not comprehensive—every event is different, and you’ll need to adapt your planning to each event’s unique requirements.

Establish a point of contact. Your event point of contact should manage all logistics. This person

could be a paid staff member or a trusted volunteer. Whoever you choose, make sure they have experience with event coordination and execution.

Send invitations. For some media events like salon dinners or press conferences where you will focus on specific issues, make sure key influencers are in the room. Even if they aren’t speakers, their presence can lend an air of credibility to your efforts. Make sure to issue personal invitations to these influencers and follow up with them if necessary to secure their confirmation.

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o If someone on your staff has an existing relationship with these influencers, ask that person to try calling them on the phone or sending a personal email. People are more likely to respond to messages from names they recognize.

Create briefing packets. Prior to the event, you will want to share briefing packets with media and key influencers who will be in attendance. Consider sharing your organization’s policy position statement on healthy food financing, the fact sheets from this tool kit and relevant news articles.

Media Engagement Research recent media stories—newspaper articles, TV segments, radio shows, etc.—to determine

which media figures or outlets might be most friendly to healthy food financing programs. Be sure to include ethnic media. Based on this research, you can reach out to the media you would like to cover the event.

Once you have established your media list, you can immediately begin pitching editorial board meetings. As the editorial board makes significant decisions on media placement, meeting with them in advance of major stories can ensure your story is not only included, but is elevated for greater reach. This work should start at least one month prior to the event.

Distribute a media advisory to all your selected media outlets and pitch print and radio two weeks out from the event. Make sure to follow up with reporters to confirm coverage and/or attendance.

Distribute a press release in the days leading up to the event and include an embargo to ensure media adhere to your event date for releasing any new data.

If you are planning a TV spot, follow-up with the producer two days prior to the event and the morning of the event. Also reach out to unconfirmed print reporters two to three days prior to and the morning of the event.

Depending upon media interest, coordinate media availability on-site before or after the event to facilitate media questions and interviews.

Prepare an op-ed to submit to a target newspaper about the event and the news you are releasing. Take a look at the sample op-eds provided in this toolkit for ideas on how to shape yours, but also make sure to include information that is relevant to your community.

Blogger Engagement If you have local bloggers in your town or city, consider inviting them to the event, especially if they

write about topics relevant to healthy food financing like obesity, community development or healthy food access.

As with any other media, develop an outreach plan and engage bloggers accordingly. Make sure your outreach is personal and calls out direct reasons why that specific blogger should come to the event.

Track confirmations/declines, and shape your outreach accordingly.

Monitor for and report on any mentions of the event by targeted bloggers, both leading up to the event and after.

Database Growth On the day of your media event, set up a table where people can sign up to learn more about

healthy food financing. Because they are already attending the event, it’s logical to assume they may want to join the campaign.

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Transcribe the sign-up forms and upload your new advocates to your organization’s database. Send them a follow-up e-mail welcoming them to your email list, thanking them for their attendance and asking how they want to be involved in the future.

Post-Event Activities Leverage the event by posting the speeches, photographs and videos to all relevant websites and

social media platforms as appropriate.

Follow up with local influencers and potential advocates as appropriate to gauge their interest in further involvement.

If there are media, including bloggers, who could not attend the event, provide them with information and an event synopsis with photos so they can cover the event retroactively.

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Mobilize: Media Training Tips Speaking to the media can seem a bit daunting, but it presents a prime opportunity to tell a compelling story that brings home healthy food financing to all audiences. Unlike any other tactic for your campaign, an interview with key media could allow you to access a wide audience in a personal manner. In many cases, your media team will have pitched the healthy food financing story to local media, offering your spokesperson as an expert who can weigh in on their story. Remember to reach out to media who have natural connections with the issue at hand (e.g., health or food section reporters as well as statehouse reporters) so they’re more likely respond to your pitch, and you’re more likely to reach targeted mainstream and ethnic audiences. With the appropriate preparation and practice, your speaker will become comfortable with your messaging and able to speak articulately and passionately about the issue. The guidelines below will help you prepare a speaker for success.

Choose Spokespeople Develop a small cadre of spokespeople whose perspectives are especially important to the cause and who the media might be interested in interviewing. For all of these, strive for diversity that represents your community and be sure to include spokespeople who can speak on your behalf in other languages as it makes sense for your community.

Advocates with stories about living in food deserts can provide a personal appeal that no one else can.

Doctors who see the impact of obesity on their patients will add an air of credibility.

Researchers who can share data on obesity’s impact on a specific city or state will add quantifiable evidence to your stories.

Finally, top-level executives from your organization are always important faces to add to your campaign. They can speak specifically about your efforts to bring healthy food financing to your state.

Reach out to these types of spokespeople, ask if they would be interested in speaking on behalf of your organization about healthy food financing, and begin preparing them for the task.

Develop Content Begin preparing your speakers for interviews as soon as possible. The more your speakers prepare, the more comfortable they will be, the better their delivery will be, and the more effectively your message will resonate with the right audience. But before you compose your responses, make sure you answer the following questions.

Who is your audience? Before developing your messages, it’s important to consider the audience you’ll be reaching through the publication conducting the interview.

o What media outlet will your speaker be presenting to? o What is the media outlet’s readership or viewership? o What are the demographics of the readership or viewership?

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What should you say? Speakers will need to know your talking points about healthy food financing, but these core messages are just a starting point. Make your content more relevant by considering the following questions.

o Are there specific facts you want to highlight during the interview? o What is the central theme you want to discuss—the core statement you return to over

and over? o What would success look like? Provide numbers, statistics and milestones if healthy

food financing came to your state. o Can you make your interview more tangible? Consider adding comments about specific

communities. o Are there other groups or individuals taking part in the interview? What are their

positions likely to be, and will you have to comment on them?

What matters most? Spend some time thinking about how your speakers can best portray themselves and the issue.

o How should the interview begin and end? The most important parts of an interview are the introduction and conclusion, because they’re what your audience is most likely to remember.

o Are there more ways to restate the main goal of the campaign? People need to hear things at least three times to remember them, so make sure to keep bringing the messaging back to your core points.

o Is this still relevant? Reread talking points the day before the interview to be sure the proof points are still relevant. Read local news of the day and reference anything that makes sense.

What questions do you expect? Spend some time anticipating questions and developing direct responses or ways to turn the conversation back to your key message.

Rehearsal No matter how familiar spokespeople are with your talking points, it is important to have them rehearse multiple times before the interview. Ask your spokesperson to rehearse your talking points in the following ways, and work alongside them as they do. Be sure to let your spokespeople know what the most appropriate attire is given the media format and interview location.

Read the text alone silently. Read the content with a critical eye. Do all proof points support the overall story? Is the central theme clear?

Read aloud alone. Spokespeople might be surprised to hear themselves speaking aloud, especially if it is their first time participating in an interview. Watch your speakers talk and make note of places where they take natural pauses or get tripped up on words.

Stand and read in front of a mirror (if the interview is on television). When spokespeople read the content aloud standing, they will begin to get a feel for their natural body movement and non-verbal cues that will help bring the content to life.

Stand and read in front of peers. Gather your colleagues to listen to the spokespeople deliver their talking points. This can help increase speakers’ confidence and provides a safe place for them to receive feedback. At this point, they should be able to deliver their content without reading directly from papers.

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Record their delivery and learn from it. One of the best ways to rehearse is to make a video recording of your spokespeople presenting. This allows them to see what the interviewer sees, and will make speakers aware of any distracting movements or phrases they may unknowingly use.

Rehearse in a comparable setting to where the interview will be held. You may not be able to take your spokespeople to the actual interview location, but try to create a setting that feels similar. Spokespeople can practice their movement in this similar space, developing a sense of how to move and talk effectively when they are in the interview room.

Interview Delivery As your spokespeople arrive for the interview, they should be friendly and engaging, greeting reporters and producers confidently. This confidence is especially important when the spokesperson is a top-level executive from your organization.

Own the space. When you are on-site in the room, remind your speakers of the movements they practiced. If it’s the right setting, encourage them to move around.

Engage the interviewer and the audience. Remind spokespeople to maintain eye contact with the reporter as often as possible. They are the window to the viewers who are watching or listening. If there is an audience present, make sure spokespeople speak directly to them.

Relax and enjoy. By this point, your spokespeople will have mastered their text and be comfortable with their delivery, so remind them to relax and enjoy their time on stage.

Say thank you. Thank the reporter at the end and suggest meeting with them at a later date for a follow-up interview.

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Mobilize: Why Op-Eds Matter Public commentary has long been one of the most powerful ways to broadly communicate ideas. By having an opinion editorial, commonly called an op-ed, published, you’ll be able to convey your campaign’s essential messages to legislators, journalists and the community. In the past few years, competition from expanded news and information sources like blogs and social media has made publication easier, but competition for attention tougher. This means that you’ll have to offer your best thinking and most influential voices in order to maximize your chances of having a newspaper print your op-ed—and have people care who you are and what you have to say.

Op-Ed Tips and Tricks Choose your signer carefully. To ensure the best chance of earning placement on a news platform

or gaining people’s attention, enlist a high-profile influencer to sign and submit your op-ed. Ideally, this influencer should be well-known within your community, such as a doctor, researcher, teacher, store owner or politician. Also consider that the influencers in the part of the community most impacted by the issue may or may not be the right messenger for an op-ed to all audiences.

Ask yourself: “Who cares?” Make sure your piece will clearly resonate with or be meaningful to the public. Start by writing from the reader’s point of view.

Keep things tight. News outlets have limited space, so keep your opinion editorial to 500 words or so. Some outlets have even shorter limits, while a few will accept up to 700+ words, so check your paper’s requirements before submitting.

Speak conversationally. Avoid jargon, fancy words and slang. Your op-ed must be comprehensible to the general public, including people with no knowledge of healthy food financing.

Get to the point. Make your key points early and often, and back them up with facts and examples.

Offer a short, snappy headline. A good headline gives readers a preview of what your op-ed has to say. (Keep in mind that some news outlets will write their own headlines, regardless of what you submit.)

Be prepared to be edited. Op-ed submissions are subject to revisions, editing and fact-checking. Editors usually do NOT need your approval to make revisions or edits to accommodate space limitations, provided they do not change the context of your position. Sources for factual statements should be listed at the bottom of your op-ed to expedite review and placement processes.

Include your contact information. Be sure to include your name, title, organization (as needed), email and phone number in case the editors want to contact you.

Two samples of op-eds are available in the appendix. A rational op-ed appeals to reason; an emotional version appeals to the heart.

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Mobilize: Meeting with Legislators Some advocates may be willing to visit elected officials. Whether you meet with representatives in local home offices or take a special trip to the state capitol, you can have a strong impact when you can look legislators in the eye and answer their questions about the problem of healthy food access in your community, as well as proposed solutions. Decision makers want to know what’s important to their constituents, so when your representative is available, take advantage of that time by scheduling an in-person meeting. Here are some helpful tips to make the most of your meetings.

Save the Date Making an appointment is easy—simply call your legislators and talk to the office’s scheduler. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Be flexible with the date and time. Legislators have busy schedules and meetings usually last 15 to 45 minutes.

You may end up meeting with a staffer rather than a legislator, which is fine. Many legislators rely heavily on staff to keep them informed and make decisions about issues.

Choose one to two issues to discuss so you can talk about them comprehensively in even a short amount of time.

Feel free to bring a colleague or an advocate with you who can also offer their insight on the issues. Be cognizant that bringing an advocate to demonstrate diversity can come across as a token appearance. Be sure to have a strong role for each person engaged in the meeting.

Research your legislator’s stance and voting history on the issues you plan to discuss, as well as opposing viewpoints, to help you frame your talking points.

Essentials for Success Nervous about how the conversation will go or what to say? Bring these essentials to the meeting to help it run smoothly.

A pen or pencil to take notes during your meeting.

A business card to leave with your representative.

Cameras, so you can share appropriate photos from a local underserved community or take a picture with your legislator while you're visiting his or her office.

A customized version of the decision maker fact sheet in this toolkit.

A clear “ask” for the meeting—for instance, a site visit, newspaper column or op-ed to move the conversation forward.

Make the Most of Your One-on-One Dress professionally when visiting your representative.

Introduce yourself and talk about your position on the issues you’ve prepared to discuss.

Share personal stories and examples to illustrate how the issues affect you and your community.

Listen to your legislator's response and be prepared to answer questions. If you can’t answer his or her questions, jot a note down and get back to him or her.

Even if you don’t see eye-to-eye, always be respectful and polite.

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Thank Your Legislator After taking time out of his or her very busy schedule, your member will definitely appreciate a brief

thank-you note or email.

It’s also a great opportunity to remind them of the stories you shared, your stance on the issues you discussed and how their actions affect people in your community.

Based on the response to your request or “ask,” determine what appropriate steps are for following up with your legislator.

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Mobilize: Days at the Capitol Individual meetings can go a long way towards making a difference with your legislator—but sometimes, there’s strength in numbers. If you’re looking to combine a media event and a legislator meeting, you may consider hosting a day at the state capitol where advocates hold a rally and then attend scheduled meetings with decision makers. Here are some things to think about as you plan your own day at the capitol.

Choose the Right Day Planning a day at the capitol takes a lot of time and work. It’s a large investment for one short day. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you schedule the rally for when it will be most effective.

There are certain points in the rhythm of legislation when a day at the Capitol could be particularly helpful. If a vote is coming up or a particular committee is viewing the legislation, legislators may be more focused on your issue. By talking to them at this point, you can grab their attention and remind them why this issue matters to you. If you talk about the legislation with a legislator and reflect a view on the bill, it will be lobbying.

o If you choose to refer to specific legislation in this type of meeting, make sure you have ample unrestricted dollars to cover both the costs of planning and hosting such an event. These activities will be lobbying expenses, since they involve communicating directly with legislators about specific legislation.

The legislative calendar lends itself to slightly different opportunities for meeting. Try to attend at a time when things are slower at the capitol, not at the start of a new legislative session. That way you may be able to secure more quality face-to-face time with your legislator.

o If you focus your message more generally on the need for better healthy food access, it may be possible to use non-lobbying funds for this activity. When using non-lobbying funds, you must stick to educating legislators on the problem of food access, securing their general backing for your issue or obtaining support for non-legislative projects like endorsing new supermarkets that want to open in underserved areas. Alternatively, if you want to use your visit to influence legislators to introduce or support a specific healthy food financing bill, you must use lobbying dollars to pay for these activities.

Invite the Right People When you schedule these types of events, remember that legislators and their staff want to hear from constituents and people with direct experience with the issues at hand. It’s important to bring advocates who have experience with food deserts or those who are deeply educated about and invested in bringing healthier food options to the area. And don’t forget to bring people who can talk about the positive fiscal impact. This can be a key issue when it comes to improving the health of a community, especially in under-resourced communities. If you have existing relationships with your advocates, try to choose those with particularly engaging stories who can tell them well.

Help Advocates Attend If you have the resources, make plans to help your advocates get to the capitol, especially those

with financial limitations. Consider offering gas money or assistance in paying for their plane

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ticket. An investment like this, to get the right people on the front end, can help ensure a successful visit. If the capitol is within reasonable driving distance, identify who can drive and who would like or need to carpool with others.

If overnight travel is necessary, settle on a hotel and send out the booking information well in advance of the rally so people can get the cheapest rates (this may be another opportunity to help individuals out with the costs, if you’re able). Always ask the hotel if they have group discount rates.

Make sure your accommodations are pleasant and have sufficient space for group training meetings. They should also not be too far from the capitol so it doesn’t take long to get there from the hotel. We recommend visiting the hotel in advance to make sure it’s suitable for your advocates. Remember—you want people coming back next year, and comfort—even modest comfort—is important!

Ask advocates if they have any barriers to participating, such as transportation or child care, and brainstorm ways to help overcome these issues to ensure full participation.

Create a Schedule Plan a clear itinerary that you distribute to advocates when they arrive; you can even place it in their hotel room with a gift bag to make them feel welcome. An itinerary will communicate that this trip is important, purposeful and they are going to get something out of it. On the itinerary, note the key message for advocates and emphasize what the common ask and next steps will be for follow up. Be sure to schedule time at the end of the day to receive immediate feedback and debrief on key conversations.

Build Time for Fun Beyond meeting with their decision makers, this is an excellent time for advocates to connect. Connected advocates are often more committed and inspired to support the issue at hand. Although your advocates are connecting online, they may have few opportunities to connect in person so they can learn from each other. Make sure to schedule intentional times for this to happen in the form of meetings as well as fun outings.

Create a Leave-Behind Make sure your advocates are armed with tools that will help drive the point further home to decision makers. That could be the decision maker fact sheet in this tool kit or something more, like a petition from advocates in their community or some symbol of the need to implement healthy food financing in their state. If your visit is a lobbying visit, the materials you create specifically for the visit are likely to be considered lobbying materials and should be supported with unrestricted resources.

Follow up with Successes After the day at the capitol is finished, make sure you follow up with advocates about the meetings, reporting any successful interactions or resulting legislative movement. The important thing here is to let advocates know their efforts were worth it so they will continue to be active for your cause.

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Appendices

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Lobbying vs. Non-Lobbying Checklist The following questions may help you determine whether your efforts might be considered lobbying under the IRS rules and therefore must be paid for with separate, lobbying-approved funding. Each organization’s lobbying requirements (and the registration rules that may apply to them) may be slightly different, so make sure you consult your lawyer to share your plans and address any questions. In general, the IRS lobbying rules apply to communications with members of Congress, state legislators, city council members and potentially other elected officials and their staff. In some cases, communication with the general public is considered lobbying too.

Will you be communicating directly with a legislator—or to legislative branch staff, executive branch officials or any staff involved in formulating particular legislation or ballot measure?

Exception: Communicating with school boards and zoning boards does not qualify as lobbying.

If so, will your communications reflect a point of view on specific legislation, such as the following?

Bills or ballot measures that have been introduced

Specific legislative proposals not yet introduced (e.g., “New Jersey should adopt Pennsylvania’s healthy food financing law”)

Budget bills Think strategically: If you are not conveying a viewpoint on specific legislation, your communications with public officials or their staff are not lobbying. One example: telling a legislator that you want to promote healthy lifestyles in the community is not a form of lobbying.

Will you be communicating to the general public about a view on a particular ballot measure or

piece of legislation—through op-eds, social media, email newsletters, advertisements, speeches, etc.?

If so, will your communications to the general public include a call to action, such as the following?

Asking the public to contact a legislator

Identifying someone’s legislative representative

Providing contact information for a legislator

Providing a vehicle for contacting the legislator (e.g., form email, petition)

Identifying a legislator’s position on the legislation or identifying the legislator as sitting on the voting committee

Think strategically: If communications to the general public do not include a call to action, they are not lobbying unless the legislation discussed is a ballot measure. For example, you may simply want to educate the public about available resources in your community or about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

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Sample Emotional Op-Ed The crunch of a celery stalk. The crisp sweetness of a red bell pepper. The warmth of a freshly baked loaf of bread. We don’t just eat healthy food because we know it’s good for us—we eat it because it makes us feel good too.

But for 29.7 million people living in the United States, enjoying healthy food is difficult at best and impossible at worst. That’s because they live in “food deserts,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s term for areas without easy access to grocery stores. And although the term “desert” conjures up faraway places, food deserts are all over America: in cities and in rural areas, from coast to coast, and not too far away from [INSERT AREA].

Not having a local grocery store can have far-ranging impacts on people’s lives. Families who live in communities where they can’t find a bag of apples or a head of lettuce are at greater risk of becoming overweight and obese. Studies show that the closer we are to neighborhood supermarkets, the more likely we are to have healthier lives and lower body weight too.

We can’t sit back while tens of millions of people in America lack access to the kinds of foods that keep us all healthy. Now is the time for families, community leaders, health advocates, business owners and elected officials to come together and find ways to improve access to healthy, affordable foods.

Right now, in many places across the country, public-private partnerships that support healthy food financing initiatives are working to bring full-service grocery stores or supermarkets into the communities that need them most. These efforts are addressing the immediate need for quality produce, low-fat dairy, whole grains, lean meats and other nutritious foods, and they’re helping evaluate just how food access impacts the future for our children and our communities.

Join me in taking action, and tell your local leaders to support healthy food financing projects in our community. [INSERT LINK HERE] Together, we can ensure that what’s in store for our neighbors across the country is happier, healthier lives.

Note: In the last paragraph, we chose language that made this a non-lobbying communication. By referring to “local leaders” instead of “legislators,” the request is not a “call to action” under the definition of lobbying (see pg. 5). Further, there is no mention of specific legislation. If a legislative vote were imminent, and you had the unrestricted funds to do so, you could make a strategic decision to spend lobbying funds on an op-ed that explicitly urged readers to contact their legislators to ask them to vote for the bill. Alternatively, you could save lobbying dollars by writing an op-ed like the above: one that advocates for policy without including a call to action, or one that includes a call to action without mentioning any specific legislation.

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Sample Rational Op-Ed Going to the grocery store is something most of us take for granted. But for 29.7 million people in America who live in food deserts—areas where it is difficult to buy affordable, healthy food—that trip to the grocery store is anything but easy. Low-income ZIP codes have 25 percent fewer chain supermarkets compared with middle-income ZIP codes. The result? Access to healthy produce, lean protein, dairy and other staples is tough at best, and simply not an option for far too many.

Not having a local grocery store can have far-ranging impacts on people’s lives. Families who live in communities where they can’t find a bag of apples or a head of lettuce are at greater risk of becoming overweight and obese. Studies show that the closer we are to neighborhood supermarkets, the more likely we are to have healthier lives and lower body weight too.

Fortunately, there’s a solution to these problems: healthy food financing. Healthy food financing programs create public-private partnerships that make a real difference for individuals, communities and even entire states. This critical loan and grant financing helps healthy and affordable food retailers overcome the higher initial barriers to entry into low-income and underserved communities—barriers like land acquisition financing, construction and workforce development.

Once grocery stores have been built in underserved communities, the results are dramatic. In Pennsylvania, an initial grant of $30 million created 88 new grocery stores, 5,000 new jobs and $190 million in total investment. What’s more, it brought healthy food choices to 400,000 Pennsylvanians who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access healthy produce, lean protein and whole grains.

It’s time for [STATE] to consider a healthy food financing program. Today more than [NUMBER] of our neighbors live in food deserts—isn’t it time they, and everyone living in our great country, had access to the affordable healthy food that keeps us all happy and healthy?

Join me in supporting a healthy food financing initiative in [STATE]. Learn more about how you can make a difference at [LINK TO WEBSITE].

Note: This is not lobbying because there is no call to action. In the second-to-last paragraph, if it said “It’s time for [STATE] to adopt Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing law,” that would be a reference to specific legislation (as a “specific legislative proposal”). But even if it referred to specific legislation, it would only become lobbying if a call to action (e.g., “Call your state senator”) were added to the op-ed.

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Action Alerts When reaching out to your advocates about a new issue area or campaign, your first message should be educational. Instead of asking people to get involved right away, spend some time sharing the facts. By laying this groundwork, you’ll ensure that people understand your campaign—and people who “get” your goals are more likely to take specific actions later, like signing petitions or meeting with decision makers.

Issue Introduction Action Alert Dear [NAME], In neighborhoods across the country, it’s easier to buy grape soda than it is to buy grapes. Today’s the day we start changing that. For 29.7 million people living in America, access to “the basics”—fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, seafood and lean meats—is difficult at best and impossible at worst. Without a grocery store in their communities, people are forced to rely on diets made up of fast food, chips, candy and other heavily processed foods that don’t help children grow up strong or adults stay healthy and happy. Every family should have easy access to healthy food. And healthy food financing can help. Start learning about healthy food financing today! [LINK TO INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES] Healthy food financing programs are policy initiatives that help bring healthy foods to communities across the country. A program like this could help families in [STATE] too—click here to learn how. [LINK TO INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES] Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing more about healthy food financing, including opportunities to get involved. We hope you’ll join us in helping to bring healthy food choices to communities across [STATE]. [ORGANIZATION LEADER OR MAIN POINT OF CONTACT]

Contact Your Legislator Action Alert If you want healthy food financing programs implemented in your state, your elected officials need to know these programs are important to their constituents. The following message asks supporters to send letters to their representatives championing the development of stores that provide healthy food options. If a healthy food financing bill is pending in the legislature, the following alert would be grassroots lobbying because it is a communication to the public that reflects a view on specific legislation and includes a call to action. If there is no pending bill and the email is simply asking legislators to support a sensible policy, then it would not be lobbying and you could use non-lobbying dollars to pay for all related costs. Dear [NAME],

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Millions of people around the country—many of them children—don’t have access to the affordable, healthy food that our bodies need to stay well. It’s time to change that. You can help bring healthy food to communities across [STATE], create jobs and revitalize [STATE]’s economy, too—by speaking out for access to healthy food, new supermarkets and new jobs. We need you to tell your legislator to support this vital issue. Join us in the fight to increase access to healthy food. Click here to contact your state representative to take action. [INSERT LINK TO ACTION] Everyone deserves easy access to food that will keep them living long, healthy lives, and sensible food policies can help make that happen. Contact your representative today! [REPEAT LINK TO ACTION] Thank you, [ORGANIZATION LEADER OR MAIN POINT OF CONTACT]

Subject Lines The subject line on your email can help catch your supporters' attention and encourage them to open your email. Here are some suggested subject lines to try with your audience:

What's in store for us?

What do 29.7 million people in America have in common?

Help feed your neighbors

Everyone deserves affordable healthy foods

Hey—we need your help

Take action: increase healthy food access

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Social Media Sample Messaging The following sample messaging can help you spread the word about your campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Some examples are considered non-lobbying messages; however, others may fall under the definition of lobbying and will need to be paid for out of your lobbying funds.

Twitter Non-Lobbying Messages

Millions of people in America can't access the #healthyfood that helps keep us strong. Learn more: [INSERT LINK]

29.7 million people in America lack access to #healthy, affordable food. Together we can fight #fooddeserts: [INSERT LINK]

The evidence is there: people without grocery stores are more likely to be obese. Stand up for supermarkets! [INSERT LINK]

Healthy fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains: everyone deserves the chance to have a healthy diet. [INSERT LINK]

@[LEGISLATOR’S NAME], thousands of people in #[STATE] can’t access #healthy food. Bring grocery stores to our state! [INSERT LINK]

We need more grocery stores in #[STATE] so all children can have access to #healthyfoods. RT this if you agree!

Think it's easy to find fruits & veggies at the store? Think again. 29.7 million ppl in America can’t access #healthyfoods. [INSERT LINK]

Lobbying Messages The following tweets may be considered lobbying messages if they’re sent while the legislature is considering a bill related to healthy food financing, or if the communication refers to a specific law or program from another state):

@[LEGISLATOR’S NAME] hasn’t voted for healthy food financing in [STATE]. Tweet a reminder today! #healthyfoodfinancing

@[LEGISLATOR’S NAME] Bringing grocery stores to #[STATE] helps prevent #obesity AND improves the economy. Support #healthyfoodfinancing!

Facebook Non-Lobbying Messages

29 million people in America can’t access healthy veggies, lean meats and whole grains—and that can threaten their health and lifespan. Learn how #healthyfoodfinancing can help. [LINK TO ARTICLE ON WEBSITE ABOUT HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING]. To restore health, re-store communities. Bring grocery stores to [STATE]. #healthyfoodfinancing

Healthy food financing helps communities access produce and proteins. Learn about how it can work in [STATE] and then share this post with your Facebook friends. [LINK TO ARTICLE ABOUT HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING]

Millions of families in the U.S. live in places where they can’t access healthy produce, whole grains and low-fat dairy options. Learn #WhatsinStore for the families who live in these neighborhoods. [LINK TO INFOGRAPHIC OR OTHER ASSET DESCRIBING IMPACT OF FOOD DESERTS]

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#WhatsinStore for people with no grocery stores nearby? A higher risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Urge your decision makers to support healthy food financing in [STATE] today. [LINK TO ORGANIZATION WEBSITE]

Are you spreading the word about healthy food financing? This flyer will help. Print it and pin it up around your community! While you’re at it, snap a picture of yourself in action and come back here to share it. [LINK TO FLYER]

Help bring healthy food to [STATE]. Make this your cover photo and ask your friends to support healthy food financing. [INCLUDE SAMPLE COVER IMAGE WITH LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE]

It’s not just about food—it’s about jobs, too. Grocery stores bring economic development and new jobs to communities. Support healthy food financing!

Lobbying Messages The following Facebook post is considered a lobbying message if it’s sent while the legislature is considering a bill related to healthy food financing, or if the communication refers to a specific law or program from another state:

In thousands of stores across the country, it’s easier for kids to find grape soda than it is to find a bunch of grapes. Tell [INSERT DECISION MAKER’S NAME] to support healthy food financing initiatives in [STATE]. [LINK TO WEBSITE WITH LETTER TO LEGISLATOR]

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Newsletter Blurbs Newsletters can keep your advocates engaged and up to date about the issues that matter to your organization. If you currently send out a newsletter on a regular basis, use it as a platform to help promote your healthy food financing work.

Below are two sample newsletter blurbs to get you going. They should serve as teasers to longer, more detailed information about healthy food financing held on your site.

Food deserts: an American epidemic (informational) Our nation is in the midst of a food crisis: more than 29 million people in America don’t have access to healthy food options. That’s because they live in “food deserts,” the USDA’s term for areas without grocery stores. For people living in food deserts, it’s often easier to find a can of grape soda than it is to find a bunch of grapes.

Healthy food financing programs can help change all that. These critical loan and grant financing programs helps healthy and affordable food retailers overcome the higher initial barriers to entry into low-income and underserved communities—barriers like land acquisition financing, construction and workforce development.

Learn more about healthy food financing today, and how it can make a difference in our state. Click here for more information and how to get involved.

Take action and support healthy food financing! (advocacy) Each week, grocery shopping in 20 percent of households in America is harder than it needs to be. That’s because people in these communities—more than 29 million across the country—lack access to grocery stores and the healthy produce, lean proteins and whole grains that come along with them.

Whether they’re in big cities or small towns, these families are forced to rely on understocked convenience stores or take inconvenient, hours-long trips to buy the food that keeps us all happy and healthy.

But there’s a solution to this problem: healthy food financing. Contact your legislators today and tell them to support programs that build grocery stores and revitalize local economies.

People without access to grocery stores are more likely to be overweight or obese and have the diseases that come along with these conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease and more. On the other hand, people who live near grocery stores are more likely to have healthier eating patterns and a lower risk of obesity.

We’re working to bring healthy foods to [STATE]. Join us in the fight by contacting your legislators today.

Note: If the legislature does not have a specific bill introduced on healthy food financing, then this blurb would be non-lobbying, because it talks about supporting programs generally without referring to any specific programs. However, if the legislature is considering a bill on the topic, it is considered a communication to the public that reflects a view on specific legislation and includes a call to action—and thus lobbying.

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Sample Blog Post: Letters to the Editor If your organization has its own blog, customize the post below and use it as part of your campaign. The sample post below asks advocates to write letters to the editor of a local newspaper, but you can substitute any action you’d like advocates to take.

FEATURED ACTION: Support healthy food financing by submitting a letter to the editor (LTE) Each week, grocery shopping in 20 percent of households in America is harder than it needs to be. That’s because people in these communities—more than 29 million across the country—lack access to grocery stores and the healthy produce, lean proteins and whole grains that come along with them.

Whether they’re in big cities or small towns, these families are forced to rely on understocked convenience stores or take inconvenient, hours-long trips to buy the food that keeps us all happy and healthy.

Healthy food financing programs can help change all that. These critical loan and grant financing programs helps healthy food retailers overcome the higher initial barriers to entry into low-income and underserved communities—barriers like land acquisition financing, construction and workforce development.

We need your help to make sure new grocery stores come to [STATE]. To help, you could:

Post information about healthy foods on your blog, Facebook or Twitter, or email your friends and family and ask them to support this effort.

Write to your key community leaders and public officials. [LINK TO AN ACTION ALERT]

Write a letter to the editor (LTE) of our local newspaper. It has the chance to reach hundreds, if not thousands of people—and it’ll help create new supporters for bringing healthy foods to communities in [STATE].

If you’d like to draft an LTE, we’ve provided an outline below to help you get started. Before you start writing, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Visit your local newspaper‘s website to learn how to submit your LTE. If necessary, give your editor a call and ask how he/she prefers to receive letters.

Make sure you leave your name and contact information (including phone number) when you submit. The newspaper will need to contact you before publication to verify you truly submitted the letter.

LTEs should be short. Try to keep your message around 100 words.

Share your story! If you have a story about healthy food availability or why our students need these kinds of foods to perform better academically and maintain good health, consider sharing it here so you can make a personal connection from the start.

Make sure you include the purpose of your letter: to get public officials and other community leaders to support healthy food financing initiatives that bring grocery stores to [STATE].

Back up your intent with facts about healthy food financing.

Make sure to direct readers to [YOUR WEBSITE URL] so they can learn how they can get involved.

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Case Studies The following case studies spotlight successful healthy food financing programs around the country. They can help serve as models for your own program or provide inspiration for new ways to approach your work.

MyTown Marketplace, Highland Falls, New York Husband and wife Albert Rodriguez and Lisa Berrios reopened a vacant supermarket in the village of Highland Falls in New York’s mid-Hudson region. The area is home to a large population of seniors and families. When the local supermarket closed in 2010, the mayor and town provided residents with weekly bus service to the nearest grocery store, which was 11 miles away. Financing from the New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund ($300,000 in grant funding) enabled Rodriguez and Berrios to reopen the store and make improvements needed for an expanded produce department. MyTown Marketplace opened in October 2011 and provides eight full-time and 19 part-time jobs to local residents.

Impact

16,000 square feet improved/expanded healthy food retail space

5,300 people served

27 jobs created or retained

HFHC Partners

Empire State Development Corporation

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

New York State Health Foundation

The Reinvestment Fund

Low Income Investment Fund

The Food Trust

Circle Food Store, New Orleans, Louisiana In 2012, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced significant funding from the New Orleans’s Fresh Food Retailer Initiative (FFRI) to reopen the iconic Circle Food Store. The Circle Food Store, incorporated in 1938 as the first African-American-owned store in the country, was a historic mainstay in the community for decades before it closed after Hurricane Katrina. FFRI provided a $1 million loan, including a $500,000 forgivable portion. The financing bridged a critical funding gap for the store’s redevelopment and will create an estimated 75 new jobs for the local neighborhood. “Circle Food served the community for many years, and I look forward to bringing this institution back to serve the community once again,” said owner Dwayne Boudreaux, who is a native of New Orleans. “The city’s support of Circle through the Fresh Food Retailer Initiative and Economic Development Fund will help me do just that.” Circle Food Store is scheduled to reopen in 2013. Projected Impact

17,000 square feet of improved/expanded healthy food retail space

28,600 people served

75 jobs created or retained

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FFRI Partners

City of New Orleans

Hope Enterprise Corporation

The Food Trust

ShopRite Parkside, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Parkside Shoprite is a full-service supermarket located in historic West Philadelphia. The supermarket was opened in 2008 by owner and operator Jeff Brown, a fourth-generation Philadelphia grocer. Financing from Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing Initiative supported development costs and local hiring efforts that led to the creation of 316 union jobs, almost all of which were filled by residents from the surrounding neighborhoods. The supermarket includes a pharmacy and dedicated community gathering room for meetings. Additionally, the supermarket is known for its assortment of ethnic foods, including halal meats and other foods, to match the needs and dietary habits of community members. Brown has opened several other supermarkets in the Philadelphia area with the same degree of community engagement to ensure the stores benefit their neighborhood and fit the needs of their clientele. Impact

17,000 square feet of improved/expanded healthy food retail space

28,600 people served

75 jobs created or retained

Financing

$1 million extraordinary grant from the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, which was used for start-up costs including local hiring efforts

$7.5 million in New Markets Tax Credits financing from The Reinvestment Fund

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Content Articles The following articles are examples of media coverage around healthy food financing programs. Read on to learn more about these programs, as well as the types of articles some journalists have written about healthy food financing.

Philly.com: Two groceries are headed to Chester

Paul Messina , managing director of Fare & Square, at Ninth and Trainer Streets, where Chester's last supermarket, a Shop n Bag, closed in 1998. MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer

By Kathy Boccella July 27, 2013

After a decade with no supermarket, making it one of the nation's most parched food deserts, Chester will soon have two. Groundbreaking for a Bottom Dollar is scheduled for Friday, while construction on Philabundance's Fare & Square, halted for most of July because of changes in the configuration, is ready to resume Monday. "We're back flowing, full speed ahead; all is going well," said Paul Messina, managing director of Fare & Square, at Ninth and Trainer Streets, the site of Chester's last supermarket, a Shop n Bag that closed in 1998.

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The project was delayed because of some problems with Family Dollar, which shares its 21,000-square-foot space. The supermarket, which takes up 14,000 square feet, had to be configured from a traditional square space to one that is long and narrow. "It made it a bit more of a challenge," Messina said, "but I feel we've come up with a really, really good layout that is very shopable and flows nicely." Opening will be late September. While the store will carry traditional products, its focus will be on healthy foods from area producers. Messina said the store plans to buy local produce as much as possible and has already teamed up with some local vendors, such as Buono Bros., a Chester bread company. Meanwhile, about 70 people have enrolled in Philabundance's five-week industry training course, said Cathy Doherty, who runs the program. The course is for a variety of industries, but graduates "will learn what they need to know in order to be great applicants" for supermarket jobs, she said. Philabundance has already hired several managers but plans to hire from 35 to 50 workers who will be paid $8 to $9 an hour with bonuses and differential for working weekends and holidays. After a few years, workers can expect to earn $11 to $12 an hour, Doherty said. As a nonprofit grocery, "we need to keep our prices low and at the same time employ as many people as we can," she said. Philabundance is also holding events to get people to sign up for free memberships. Not far from Fare & Square, the Bottom Dollar market will occupy an 18,074-square-foot building on the northwestern corner of Edgmont Avenue and 15th Street. Groundbreaking is 11 a.m. Friday and construction is expected to continue through early 2014, spokeswoman Christy Phillips-Brown said. Forty to 50 people are expected to be hired. The store is part of a discount grocer with 38 stores in the Philadelphia area. The developer of the property is Richard Soloff. Jacqueline Parker, executive director of the Chester Economic Development Authority, said the fact that the new Bottom Dollar was privately funded proves that "there are viable opportunities for investment in the city of Chester." The bigger picture, she said, "shows that momentum can build for other types of development, not necessarily a supermarket, but other retail endeavors." Link to article: http://articles.philly.com/2013-07-27/news/40817285_1_bottom-dollar-philabundance-supermarket

NBCNews.com: Food for thought: an actor's new role ... in the grocery store

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By Ron Mott April 2, 2013 Wendell Pierce, best known for his roles on "The Wire" and "Treme" is now launching a chain of grocery and convenience stores in places where fresh food can be hard to find. NBC's Ron Mott reports. NEW ORLEANS -- As a boy, Wendell Pierce dreamed of leaving his hometown one day for the world stage. Today, the veteran actor with global credits has returned on a mission: rebuilding neighborhoods, brick by brick, aisle after aisle. After Hurricane Katrina devastated this city in 2005, Pierce seized an opportunity to help his childhood neighborhood -- Pontchartrain Park, an historic enclave for middle-class blacks -- get back on its feet. He started the nonprofit Pontchartrain Park Community Development Corp. with a goal of replacing hundreds of flood-ravaged, 1950s-era houses with new homes. Now, the next item in his recovery recipe is a long-missing ingredient. Pierce, 50, and his partners are investing big in something seemingly so small: convenient access to a grocery store. They have launched a chain of convenience stores, Sterling Express, and a full-service grocery store, called Sterling Farms, the latter just unveiled in what is often described as a "food desert," a neighborhood where residents must travel more than a mile to a store selling fresh food. According to 2011 data, 19 percent of all Orleans Parish households have no access to a vehicle. At last count, in the fall of 2012, there were 26 supermarkets in the city -- nearly as many as the 30 that existed prior to Hurricane Katrina. But "it's not about overall count," says Tulane professor Diego Rose, "it's about distribution." In New Orleans, disparities in neighborhood access to grocery stores worsened after Hurricane Katrina. “The areas that came back first were wealthier,” Rose said. In neighborhoods predominantly populated by African-Americans, access was especially limited -- in 2007 these tracts were 71 percent less likely to have access to more than one supermarket. 'We have a right to be here' To hear Pierce's take on the importance of the neighborhood shopping experience, he's selling more than just bread and milk. "That's what I hope Sterling Farms is -- that neighborhood grocery store where you see your neighbors, where you build that economic engine within your own community and exercise your right of self-determination," said Pierce, who has starred in the HBO hits "The Wire" and "Treme." "We have a right to be here. We have a right to live well and come together as a community." Community drives Pierce's unseverable connection to home. While he maintains residences on both coasts, New Orleans always calls the actor. And he is always keen to answer.

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His dad still lives in the small Pontchartrain Park house where Pierce's parents raised their family. His mom passed away in October. Pierce said she would have been pleased to see his grocery store open, all those years after mother and son became Friday night shopping regulars at Schwegmann's, their old neighborhood supermarket. Mindful of a significant barrier frequently confronted in neighborhoods like Marrero, the New Orleans suburb where the first of several planned grocery stores has opened, Pierce insisted that Sterling Farms provide transportation to customers spending a minimum of $50 who need a ride. 'You can do well and do good' He also made sure his convenience stores stocked up on apples, oranges and bananas as much as candy, chips and soda. "I'm a member of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which is trying to end childhood obesity," Pierce said. "I deal with my own issues of weight. So eating healthy is the focus and part of the mission. The two can co-exist. You can do well and do good." Actor Wendell Pierce explains why he launched a chain of supermarkets and convenience stores in underserved New Orleans neighborhoods. And doing something positive in areas of this city that have shouldered more than a fair share of negative over the years is adding up like the cash registers at Pierce's stores -- landing him warm applause at a recent orientation for some of the five dozen people hired to work at Sterling Farms. "I want to compete with all of the other negativities that are out there, especially for young people," Pierce said. "Give you an opportunity to see what it's like to interact with folks, to build your own self-esteem, to build your own wealth, to build your own quality of life, to build your own skill set, to give yourself the best opportunity out there in the world." It is a role that appears tailor-made for Pierce -- an opportunity, he found, too good to pass up. Link to article: http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/02/17571711-food-for-thought-an-actors-new-role-in-the-grocery-store?lite NBC News producer Leo Juarez contributed to this report.

KSFY News: Tribe improves food access on Cheyenne River Reservation

By Denise DePaolo July 17, 2013

The Cheyenne River Indian Reservation is about 100 miles east to west and about 90 miles north and south, and for many living there, a typical trip to buy food involves a very long drive.

For 22 years, Lakota Thrifty Mart - a tribally owned, full service grocery store - has been exceeding expectations as to what a small town grocery store can be.

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Now, LTM is bringing its brand of quality, community-minded service to more corners of the reservation.

"We're our own tribally owned store, we're the only store within 80-100 radius miles, so this is the core for the reservation for groceries, so this is where everybody shops," said LTM assistant floor manager Cindy Marshall.

Lakota Thrifty Mart was established with three goals in mind - to put revenue back into the tribe, to create jobs, and to raise the bar on the quality of food available in Eagle Butte - all while keeping prices reasonable.

"Even though we have a very captive market here, we're the only store in town, we still we don't take advantage of that," said LTM General Manager Bernie LaPlant.

"We have the 12 departments in the store and everybody contributes. All of the workers, they know their jobs well. They know what our customers want. And that's the good thing about being in a smaller town, too. We get to know personally what they want. A lot of my Service Counter girls, they know exactly what that customer wants before they even ask," said Marshall.

Now, thanks to a recent push for economic development, and approval from the tribal council, money from the Tribal Equitable Compensation Act or TECA is being used to build three new stores - convenience stores that will sell gas and groceries in Takini and LaPlant and a new full-service grocery store in Dupree.

"A mom and pop operation decided to shut its doors and so we purchased their store and tore it down and now we're building brand new," said LaPlant.

A contractor from Blue Earth, Minnesota is heading up the project - and using local labor. The construction jobs and the opportunities created by the new store are crucial for Ziebach County, which is the poorest in the U.S.

"So it benefits all the membership, provides a service for our members, provides jobs for our members, and then generates revenue back to our tribal coffers which, again, helps all the members that need help," said LaPlant, "It's gonna be a beautiful facility. We will manage it. So the people on that end of the reservation will get the same service - the same customer service - same everything that they receive here."

Lakota Thrifty Mart management hopes to celebrate the Dupree store's grand opening by October. Construction has yet to start on the new convenience stores.

Link to article: http://www.ksfy.com/story/22870516/tribe-improves-food-access-on-cheyenne-river-reservation

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Index of Potential Allies The Food Trust

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Berkeley Media Studies Group

Bridging the Gap – University of Illinois at Chicago

Center for Science in the Public Interest

ChangeLab Solutions

Communities Creating Healthy Environments Growing Power

Healthy Eating Research – University of Minnesota

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities

League of United Latin American Citizens

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

National Council of La Raza

National Grocers Association

National Urban League

The Notah Begay III Foundation

Partnership for a Healthier America

Pew Charitable Trusts

PolicyLink

The Praxis Project Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity

Salud America!

The Reinvestment Fund

United Way Worldwide

YMCA of the USA

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The Food Trust

The Food Trust was founded 20 years ago with a simple idea: healthy change. This non-profit’s mission is to ensure that everyone – especially underprivileged individuals – has access to affordable, nutritious food and information to make healthy decisions. Working with neighborhoods, schools, grocers, farmers and policymakers, the Food Trust has developed a comprehensive approach to improved food access that combines nutrition, education and greater availability of affordable, healthy food. One Penn Center, Suite 900 1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 575-0444 ext. 124 www.thefoodtrust.org Positioning The Food Trust stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in education and community development

Involved in activism surrounding research and evaluation of healthy foods in schools, corner stores, community centers, supermarkets and farmers’ markets

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical audiences, namely Congress and the Philadelphia Department of Health

Strength of communication channels

Ongoing public support of the Philadelphia Fresh Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, designed to develop healthier food choices for low-income individuals

o Works with Department of Public Health to increase the access and affordability of healthy foods

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage With a Little Help, Greens Come to Low-Income Neighborhoods By Terry Pristin The New York Times June 16, 2009

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The Pennsylvania [Fresh Food Financing Initiative] program got started five years ago after the Food Trust, a Philadelphia nonprofit organization that was concerned about the high incidence of obesity and diabetes in neighborhoods where fresh food was scarce, began meeting with leaders of the supermarket industry. Lucinda Hudson, who moved to Parkside in 1973, said she had waited more than three decades for a convenient way to buy fresh produce. Now she lives within shouting distance of Mr. Brown’s market. “I walk over there every day for my collard greens, my broccoli, my cabbage,” said Ms. Hudson, the president of the Parkside Association of Philadelphia, a neighborhood group. “When it opened, we had to pinch ourselves a couple of times.”

American Academy of Pediatrics

The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is to attain optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. AAP believes in the inherent worth of all children. Children deserve optimal health and the highest quality health care. Pediatricians are the best qualified to provide child health care. AAP works to advance child health and well-being. 141 Northwest Point Blvd. Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 (847) 434-4000 www.aap.org Positioning AAP stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in health policy and clinical research, community development, pediatric publications and member education

Involved in activism surrounding access to health care for all children, adolescents and young adults

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, designed to promote optimal care for children, adolescents and young adults

o Healthy Active Living for Families (HALF) program works to develop family-focused messages specific to obesity prevention and care during infancy, toddlerhood and early childhood

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids

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Media Coverage Poverty rate, U.S. income stuck in neutral in 2012 By Nathan Porter and Tom Howell The Washington Times September 17, 2013 New census data revealed a particular problem for younger Americans with 16.1 million children (1 in 5) living in poverty last year. “Children have suffered more than any other group in the economic recession and recovery,” said American Academy of Pediatrics President Thomas K. McInerny. “The stress and poor nutrition that afflict children in poverty have lifelong consequences to their health.”

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is the nation’s leading cancer advocacy organization that works to make cancer issues a national priority. Many of the most important decisions about cancer are made by state legislatures, in Congress and in the White House. ACS CAN empowers everyone to be part of the growing national movement that is fighting back against cancer. ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, holds lawmakers accountable for their words and their actions. ACS CAN demands that leaders not only talk about fighting cancer but take real steps toward decreasing the number of people suffering and dying from cancer. 555 11th Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 661-5700 www.acscan.org Positioning ACS CAN stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in nutrition, child obesity and public health

Involved in activism around preventing cancer, through programs supporting healthy eating in communities, schools and worksites

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

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Ongoing public support for the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program and the Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition (active member)

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the promotion of nutrition and physical activity

o Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) provides local communities with resources to combat obesity through policy changes to improve access to healthy food and increase spaces for physical activity

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Public Statements LOOKING FOR AN OASIS IN A FOOD DESERT: Low Income New Yorkers Lack Access to Healthy Food By Elizabeth Whalen, MD and Michael Seserman, MPH, RD October 2011 In New York State, decreased access to supermarkets is associated with a decreased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity. Obesity rates, particularly in children, are associated with increased rates of chronic diseases such as type two diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, stroke and certain kinds of cancer. Treating obesity-related illness costs $7.6 billions each year in New York State. Nutrition, Physical Activity, & Obesity June 2009 Obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity are second only to tobacco as major risk factors for cancer, responsible for approximately 186,000 cancer deaths each year. Being overweight or obese have been associated with increased risk for several different common cancers, including colon, esophagus, kidney, endometrial and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Despite the increased risk, the majority of American adults and children are not physically active or eating healthy diets. While living a healthy lifestyle ultimately is an individual choice, substantial social, structural, economic and cultural barriers exist. Similar to efforts in tobacco control, multifaceted, population-based policy approaches could significantly improve nutrition and physical activity and reduce obesity rates by removing these barriers, changing social norms and increasing awareness.

Berkeley Media Studies Group

The Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding advocates' ability to improve the systems and structures that determine health. BMSG is a project of the

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Public Health Institute. BMSG conducts research to learn how the media characterize health issues. Through media advocacy training and consultation, BMSG helps advocates harness lessons from research and develop the skills they need to shape journalists' coverage of health issues so that it illuminates the need for policies that improve the places where people live, learn, work and play. 2130 Center Street, Suite 302 Berkeley, CA 94704 (510) 204-9700 www.bmsg.org Positioning BMSG stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in nutrition, public health and public policy

Involved in activism surrounding access to healthy foods and food and beverage marketing, with a focus on protecting children from the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Existing relationships with grocery/food industry leaders, healthcare providers and facilities, advocacy groups, media, academia and key opinion leaders

Past public support of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program

Relevant research, advocacy trainings and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the food industry’s marketing strategies and health eating for children

o Provides training and technical assistance to the community-based advocates of The California Endowment's Healthy Eating Active Communities and Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Public Statements Video: Bringing health equity to the message environment: Policy issues Institute of Medicine, Creating Equal Opportunities for a Healthy Weight June 11, 2013 In this presentation, as part of the Institute of Medicine workshop Creating Equal Opportunities for a Healthy Weight, BMSG's Lori Dorfman discusses how our message environment undermines health equity by targeting youth (especially youth of color) with marketing for unhealthy foods. Dorfman says this type of targeting often happens without parents' knowledge and makes recommendations for change, including conducting more research and pushing for policies that strengthen nutrition standards and hold industry accountable. Marketing Sugary Cereals to Children in the Digital Age: A Content Analysis of 17 Child-Targeted Websites By Andrew D. Cheynea, Lori Dorfmana, Eliana Bukofzera and Jennifer L. Harrisb Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives Volume 18, Issue 5 February 19, 2013

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Cereal companies, the third biggest food marketer to children, are using sophisticated online marketing techniques to target kids with unhealthy products and get them to engage with brands in ways not possible through television advertising. In this study, BMSG's Andrew Cheyne, Lori Dorfman and Eliana Bukofzer, along with the Yale Rudd Center's Jennifer Harris, explore cereal companies' digital marketing tactics and implications for public health.

Bridging the Gap – University of Illinois at Chicago

Bridging the Gap (BTG) was created in 1997 to assess the impact of policies, programs and other environmental influences on adolescent alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use and related outcomes. BTG examines these factors at multiple levels of social organization, including schools, communities and states. In recognition of the high rates of obesity among children, adolescents and adults, BTG expanded its efforts in 2003 to include research on the policies, programs and other factors that contribute to physical activity/inactivity, dietary behaviors and obesity. University of Illinois at Chicago Institute for Health Research and Policy 1747 W. Roosevelt Road, Room 558 (M/C 275) Chicago, IL 60608 (312) 413-4884 www.bridgingthegapresearch.org Positioning BTG stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in diet, physical activity and obesity

Involved in activism surrounding research about school policies and soda/snack taxes that drive updating of national rules

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences and thought leaders in academics, research and policy

Existing relationships with organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Childhood Obesity Team, the YMCA of USA and ChangeLab Solutions

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to healthy food access in low-income communities

o 2013 presentation series focused on how zoning and land use laws influence community walkability and healthy food access

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids

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Media Coverage Most public elementary schools don't regulate access to junk food By Mary MacVean Los Angeles Times June 11, 2013 “We found that states and districts can influence the types of snacks and drinks sold at school,” said Jamie Chriqui, the lead author and an investigator at Bridging the Gap, a research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the study. The researchers look at food policies at 1,485 elementary schools in 957 districts and 45 states, and beverage policies at 1,497 schools in 962 districts and 45 states. At-school sales of soda drops, but other sugary drinks remain By Melissa Healy Los Angeles Times/Booster Shots Blog August 6, 2012 In 2010-11, 25% of high school students had access to sugary sodas during school—either at cafeteria concessions or from vending machines. That was down from 54% of high school students in 2006-07. Middle school students' access to sweetened soft drinks also dropped: in 2006-07, 27% had access to sodas and sugary soft drinks; by 2010-11, just 13% did. The study was published Monday in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, and was funded by Bridging the Gap, a research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Center for Science in the Public Interest

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a consumer advocacy organization whose mission is to conduct innovative research and advocacy programs in health and nutrition, and to provide consumers with current, useful information about their health and well-being. CSPI’s primary goals are: to provide useful, objective information to the public and policymakers and to conduct research on food, alcohol, health, the environment and other issues related to science and technology; and to represent the citizen's interests before regulatory, judicial and legislative bodies on food, alcohol, health, the environment and other issues. 1220 L Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 332-9110

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www.cspinet.org Positioning CSPI stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in nutrition, food safety and public health

Involved in activism surrounding access to healthy, affordable and sustainable foods and campaigns for better food policies

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical target audiences, namely Congress, the FDA and food industry leaders

Strength of communication channels

Past public support for the USDA’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative and Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the reduction of food deserts

o Organizes national “Food Day,” a nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable and sustainably produced food and a grassroots campaign for better food policies

Media Coverage U.S. Standards for School Snacks Move Beyond Cafeteria to Fight Obesity By Stephanie Strom The New York Times June 27, 2013 “By teaching and modeling healthy eating habits to children in school, these rules will encourage better eating habits over a lifetime,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which worked on the legislation. “They mean we aren’t teaching nutrition in the classroom and then undercutting what we’re teaching when kids eat in the cafeteria or buy food from the school vending machines.” For Food Day, celebrate a new awareness of nutrition By Ellie Krieger USA Today October 16, 2012 That's why the time is ripe for the second annual Food Day on Oct. 24, a national celebration to "eat real," led by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It is a movement that brings together a diverse coalition of people and organizations that care about food and strive for more healthy, affordable and sustainable food systems. Thousands of events will take place throughout all 50 states, from food festivals, film screenings and cooking demonstrations to campus contests, church suppers and hunger drives.

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ChangeLab Solutions

ChangeLab Solutions (formerly Public Health Law & Policy) believes that, to achieve the common good, everyone must have nourishing food; safe places to live and play; opportunities to bike, walk or take transit; fresh water and clean air. Throughout the nation, ChangeLab Solutions works with neighborhoods, cities and states to transform communities with laws and policies that create lasting change. Their unique approach, backed by decades of research and proven results, helps the public and private sectors make communities more livable, especially for those who are at highest risk because they have the fewest resources. 2201 Broadway, Suite 502 Oakland CA 94612 (510) 302-3380 www.changelabsolutions.org Positioning ChangeLab stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community development and health policy

Ability to impact critical audiences, namely community and state level policymakers

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences and the media

Existing relationships with organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Childhood Obesity Team, the YMCA of USA and Bridging the Gap

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational resources, particularly pertaining to childhood obesity and community planning

o Healthy Planning program seeks to bridge the gap between public health officials and regional planning officials

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage Judge Rules Restaurant Law Stifles Ohio Cities By Stephanie Strom The New York Times June 12, 2013 The Ohio judge’s ruling does not have any legal impact beyond the state. But health advocates said it nonetheless was significant. “It will further the national conversation about the responsibility of local

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governments to address public health crises in their communities,” said Samantha Graff, a lawyer who is research director at ChangeLab Solutions, a nonprofit group that works to come up with laws and policies to improve cities and states. “That’s an important principle. It’s about putting the conduct of municipal affairs in the hands of those who know the needs and conditions of their communities.” Letter to the Editor: False Choices on Children’s Health The New York Times July 21, 2010 Re “Whether a Child Lights Up, or Chows Down” (Week in Review, July 11): Setting up a false dichotomy between protecting children from obesity or tobacco addiction is the wrong way to discuss two pernicious public health problems. We need the same policy solutions for both: taxes on unhealthy products to internalize the cost of the harm to society, restrictions on advertising to children, and other policies to make the healthy choice the easy choice for consumers. We need smoke-free air as well as access to fresh fruits and vegetables in every community. There is no need to choose between policy priorities—our children deserve both. Marice Ashe Executive Director Public Health Law & Policy Oakland, Calif., July 12, 2010

Communities Creating Healthy Environments Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE) is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) that sets out to prevent childhood obesity by increasing access to healthy foods and safe places to play in communities of color. The program will advance RWJF’s efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015 by supporting diverse, community-based organizations and federally chartered tribal nations in the development and implementation of effective, culturally competent policy initiatives to address the root causes of childhood obesity locally. 7731 Alaska Ave. NW Washington, DC 20012 Phone: (202) 234-5921 ccheonline.org

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Positioning CCHE stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in childhood health and safety

Involved in activism around preventing childhood obesity by increasing access to healthy foods and safe places to play in communities of color

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Existing relationships with key stakeholder organizations, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Praxis Project

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to increasing access to healthy foods and safe places for children to play

o Addresses obesity epidemic by building public support for community interventions that can help families lead healthier lives, focused on environmental changes that deal with local food and public policy

Through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CCHE will fund twenty groups over six years to do local policy advocacy around healthy environments within communities of color and indigenous nations

Public Statements Communities Creating Healthy Environments: Improving Access to Healthy Foods and Safe Places in Communities of Color: A Progress Report Robert Wood Johnson Foundation April 11, 2012 The 22 CCHE sites have identified policies needing to be changed in order to improve access to affordable and nutritious food and increase opportunities for physical activity. Their advocacy work is underway, focused on land-use strategies, public safety, affordable housing, open space, school-based initiatives, public transportation, strengthening traditional practices on tribal lands, and more. Communities Creating Healthy Environments to Combat Obesity: Preliminary Evaluation Findings From Two Case Studies By Erualdo Romero González, Sandra Villanueva and Cheryl Grills California Journal of Health Promotion 2012 While there is growing faith in community organizing to influence policy as a way to improve the built environment and increase food or recreational equity, relatively little research is available examining the successes and challenges of community organizing in Latino communities attempting to reduce obesity. Using process and outcome evaluation data, we present preliminary findings from a study of two community - based organizations that are making efforts to increase access to physical activity and access to healthy foods in predominantly Latino areas. The organizations are part of Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE), a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to prevent childhood obesity. Both community-based organizations were able to achieve redistribution of public resources to advance their CCHE objectives. We discuss the study’s implications,

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including the need for public policy research around obesity that examines community organizing as an intervention.

Growing Power

Growing Power transforms communities by supporting people from diverse backgrounds and the environments in which they live through development of Community Food Systems. These systems provide high-quality, safe, healthy and affordable food for community residents. Growing Power develops Community Food Centers through training, active demonstration, outreach and technical assistance. 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive Milwaukee, WI 53218 (414) 527-1546 www.growingpower.org Positioning Growing Power stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community development and food security, production and distribution

Involved in activism surrounding access to culturally appropriate, nutritionally sound and affordable food

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the expansion of urban farms and other entities that expand access to healthy foods in low income areas

o Provides on-site workshops and hands-on demonstrations for cultivating “urban farms” o Established satellite-training sites in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts and

Mississippi Media Coverage Taking on Big Agra: Will Allen seeks to build food-secure communities By Lisa Neff Wisconsin Gazette August 22, 2013

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Allen said, “If people can grow safe, healthy, affordable food, if they have access to land and clean water, this is transformative on every level in a community. I believe we cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.” Will Allen – The Good Food Revolution By Tavis Smiley The Tavis Smiley Show June 2012 Urban farmer and Growing Power CEO Will Allen top lines his approach on how to create integrated food systems for local communities, which he details in his book, The Good Food Revolution.

Healthy Eating Research – University of Minnesota

Healthy Eating Research is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The program supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among low-income and racial and ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. Findings will advance RWJF's efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. Technical assistance and direction are provided by the University of Minnesota. Healthy Eating Research is housed in the School of Public Health and is directed by Mary Story PhD, RD and key program staff with input from senior program advisers. University of Minnesota School of Public Health 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015 1-800-578-8636 www.healthyeatingresearch.org Positioning Healthy Eating Research stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in food access

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, the media and thought leaders in academics, research and policy

Existing relationships with organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Childhood Obesity Team, the YMCA of USA and Bridging the Gap

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming, particularly pertaining to research on environmental and policy strategies with potential to promote healthy eating among children

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o Healthy Eating Research provides grants for research that promotes healthy eating and childhood obesity prevention

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage The Checkup: Hand washing and after-school snacks By Rob Stein and Jennifer LaRue Huget The Washington Post October 20, 2009 A study published in Pediatrics shows that elementary-school kids in Philadelphia who stop for snacks at corner stores before and after school largely spend their dollars on high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods. Chips topped the list, followed by candy and sweetened beverages. The study found that for just a dollar, a kid could buy an eight-ounce beverage, a single-serving bag of chips, an assortment of candy and gum, and a popsicle—adding up to hundreds of extra calories in their daily diets. More than half the kids bought after-school snacks at corner stores five days per week; nearly a third stopped in the mornings, too. The study was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Healthy Eating Research initiative. The authors suggest that one way to tackle childhood obesity is to encourage corner stores to provide and promote more-healthful choices.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC), a national program of RWJF and its single largest investment in community-based efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic, focuses on implementing healthy eating and active living initiatives that support healthier communities for children and families across the United States. The program places special emphasis on reaching children at highest risk for obesity on the basis of race/ethnicity, income and/or geographic location. The program seeks to effect lasting and replicable changes to food, recreation and transportation environments by collaborating with other RWJF-funded initiatives to help drive wide-scale change. HKHC also supports experienced local leaders who serve as ambassadors and mentors for communities that are working to prevent childhood obesity; applies research findings and evaluation results to help communities implement the most effective strategies for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition among children; and informs the policy debate on childhood obesity by sharing insight about initiatives with the greatest potential to help reverse the epidemic. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities c/o Active Living by Design Gillings School of Global Public Health The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 400 Market Street, Suite 205 Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (919) 843-2523

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www.healthykidshealthycommunities.org Positioning Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community development and health/nutrition education for children and families

Involved in activism surrounding sustained healthy eating and active living lifestyles

High credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to child obesity o HKHC Learning Network Teleconferences highlight HKHC grantees and outside experts

who share successes, challenges and experiences around topics that pertain to healthy eating and childhood obesity

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids

League of United Latin American Citizens The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was created to combat the discrimination faced by Hispanics in the United States. Established on February 17, 1930 in Corpus Christi, Texas, LULAC was a consolidation of smaller, like-minded civil rights groups already in existence. LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic Organization in the United States. It advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 900 LULAC councils nationwide. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups. 1133 19th Street NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 833-6130 lulac.org Positioning LULAC stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community health and wellness

Involved in activism around addressing health disparities in Latino communities based in the United States and Puerto Rico

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

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Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to healthy environments for the Latino community

o LULAC’s Fact Sheet on Healthcare and its Impact on the Latino Community addresses food stamps and other food focused programs in relation to Latino mortality and economic position in society

o LULAC’s legislative policy addresses many issues, including a great amount of emphasis on Latino communities and health:

LULAC is committed to addressing the environmental injustices that poor Latino families face which prevent them from having complete access to healthy and nutritious foods, safe spaces for physical exercise, and from being able to access medical services in a facility in their neighborhood

Latino mothers should have access to pre-natal care, health and nutrition education, and access to healthy foods, anti-hunger programs, and medical services

LULAC supports guidelines that improve the nutritious quality of meals served in schools and that provide increased eligibility access to Latino children in poverty

Public Statements SNAP & the Farm Bill League of United Latin American Citizens June 29, 2009 Food insecurity is a situational risk where families are unable to access foods due to physical, geographical or monetary constraints. The consumption of these cheap, energy dense foods is oftentimes done in a cycle that includes eating less at, or skipping, other meals entirely especially in families that have reported that they have to decide between spending for food and other essentials such as housing, utilities, or medicine. The practice of chronically cycling your food intake can have disastrous effects on your metabolism leading to biochemical changes that promote the storage of fat and subsequently cause weight gain. This makes your body make you want to binge on food when it becomes available. This cycle is only exacerbated when is done in conjunction with systematically overeating.

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is a national non-profit civil rights organization formed in 1968 to protect the rights of Latinos in the United States. MALDEF strives to implement programs that are structured to bring Latinos into the mainstream of American political and

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socio-economic life; providing better educational opportunities; encouraging participation in all aspects of society; and offering a positive vision for the future. 2013 marked the organization’s 45th Anniversary. 634 South Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 Phone: (213) 629-2512 maldef.org Positioning MALDEF stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in public health and childhood obesity

Involved in activism around promoting healthy eating among Latino communities, especially children, through education and advocacy initiatives

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Existing relationships with advocacy groups, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the promotion of preventing obesity in Latino children

o Parent School Partnership (PSP) Program provides parents with the information and advocacy tools necessary to become more effective advocates in improving their children's educational attainment, their schools, and their community

MALDEF and Sodexo, a world leader in food service and facilities management, forged a new joint venture to deliver an innovative health and wellness initiative for Latino families residing in Chicago, IL, aimed at helping to improve their eating habits

o With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), MALDEF is working to eliminate childhood obesity in Latino communities nationwide, working to educate policymakers at the federal, state and local level about the need for cultural competence and public resource equity in food policy programs and legislative proposals that are aimed at addressing childhood obesity prevention

Public Statements MALDEF and Sodexo Partner to Bring Health and Wellness Initiative to Chicago Neighborhoods Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund June 29, 2009 “Obesity issues adversely affect the health of many Latino families. We are thrilled to partner with MALDEF to help parents create nutritious meals and implement changes that will blend their traditions and culture with healthy recipes and lifestyle choices,” said Sodexo School Services President Lorna Donatone. “As leaders in addressing the importance of student well-being and nutrition in school cafeterias, we are committed to sharing our expertise to give Hispanic children a healthy start to life at home as well as in school.” MALDEF Event Focuses on Improving Quality of Life in Latino Communities By Lisa Pino

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USDA Blog March 22, 2011 Representing USDA on a panel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s (MALDEF) Fourth Annual Latino State of the Union in Washington, D.C. was a remarkable experience. The event examined how American public policy affects the Latino community, and assessed how future policy can lead to a better quality of life for Latinos.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. The NAACP brings its voice to assist in the eradication of racial and ethnic disparities, with a focus not only on disease prevention, but on the social and environmental factors that affect health and wellness. In addition, the NAACP is engaged in the workforce development movement to increase the number of minorities represented in the medical and public health profession, and a leading presence on governmental advisory workgroups and national coalitions developed to provide counsel on cultural competency in the health care system. 4805 Mt. Hope Drive Baltimore, MD 21215 (410) 580-5777 www.naacp.org Positioning The NAACP stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community development and combatting racial and ethnic health disparities

Involved in activism surrounding healthy eating lifestyles and physical activity, specifically tailored to communities of color

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical target audiences

Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to developing healthier environments for people of color and their families

o National health agenda address childhood obesity and health disparities in communities of color

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids

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Public Statements NAACP Childhood Obesity Advocacy Manual National Association for the Advancement of Colored People For the first time in U.S. history, the current generation of young people could be the first to live sicker and die younger than their parents’ generation. Childhood obesity is plaguing African-American populations at a rate that is disproportionately higher than the rest of the country. The NAACP is focusing on three policy areas to address the root causes of childhood obesity.

Built environment: The need to improve community walkability and public transportation, enhance recreational spaces, and allow for better access to school playgrounds outside of school hours.

Food environments: Communities need better access to healthy, affordable foods in corner stores and local grocery stores.

School-based policies: Schools must emphasize increased physical activity during the school day and provide more nutritious school foods and drinks, including what is available at meals, in vending machines, and at concessions.

National Council of La Raza

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Through its network of 300 affiliated community-based organizations, NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. NCLR develops and implements health education and prevention programs and conducts health advocacy activities in partnership with its affiliate network to protect the health and well-being of the Latino community. NCLR works to improve nutrition in the Latino community by increasing access to federal food assistance programs, resources and education to ensure families can meet at the dinner table for a healthy meal. 1126 16th Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036-4845 (202) 785-1670 www.nclr.org Positioning The NCLR stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in education, health and nutrition in the Latino community

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Involved in activism surrounding improved food security and access to healthy and culturally appropriate food throughout the Latino community

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical target audiences, including the Latino community and policy makers

Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to access to federal food assistance programs, resources and education tailored to the Latino community

o NCLR Healthy Foods, Healthy Families program works to improve nutrition in the Latino community by increasing access to federal food assistance programs, resources and education

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage Health Exchange Outreach Targets Latinos By Jenny Gold NPR June 25, 2013 "The takeaway often was that there isn't really anything in the Affordable Care Act for the Latino community," says Jennifer Ng'andu, who heads the health and civil rights policy project at the National Council of La Raza. "Many people forgot to talk about the fact that there are a broad set of Latinos who are lawfully present and who will gain the benefits of the Affordable Care Act."

National Grocers Association

The National Grocers Association (NGA) is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. Also represented are affiliated associations, manufacturers, and service suppliers, as well as other entrepreneurial companies that support NGA's Mission and Philosophy. NGA’s mission is to ensure independent, community-focused retailers and wholesalers have the opportunity to succeed and better serve the consumer through policies, advocacy, programs and services. NGA further strives to promote diversity in the marketplace through a vibrant independent sector, and thereby increase consumer choice in price, variety, quality, service and value. 1005 North Glebe Road, Suite 250 Arlington, VA 22201-5758 (703) 516-0700 www.nationalgrocers.org

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Notable Members

Associated Grocers, Inc.

Campbell Soup Company

General Mills, Inc.

Kellogg Company

Kraft Foods Group

Nestlé Nutrition

Trader Joe’s Company Positioning NGA and its members stand to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in nutrition, food access and distribution, food policy and grocery industry

Involved in activism surrounding nutrition assistance, increased access to healthy and affordable foods, and nutrition programs for underserved communities

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences and thought leaders

Ability to impact critical target audiences, namely Congress, the FDA, the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, and grocery industry leaders

Ongoing public support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Women, Infants and Children Program, Philadelphia Fresh Food Financing Initiative and Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to healthy food access in communities

o NGA Nutrition Program offers resources on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), Healthy Food Financing Initiatives (HFFI) and FDA Tobacco programs

Public Statements NGA Policy Paper Growing Jobs and Eliminating Food Deserts National Grocers Association December 2011 Independent grocers have long been committed to the communities in which they serve, often the same community in which the owner lives and raises his/her family. Independent grocers are true entrepreneurs, always looking for the next opportunity, and having the ability to quickly adjust their business model, including size and product mix, to meet the needs of the community they serve. This entrepreneurial drive and flexibility have made the independent grocer the perfect partner for other like-minded organizations and government agencies to address the critical problem of food deserts. Independent grocers are proud to have been part of the success story in the Pennsylvania Fresh Foods Financing Initiative and are working as part of ongoing projects in New York State, the City of New Orleans, City of Baltimore and California to just name a few.

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National Urban League The National Urban League (NUL), formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the NUL spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. It is the oldest and largest community-based organization of its kind in the nation. Its current President is Marc Morial. The mission of the Urban League movement is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights. 120 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 (212) 558-5300 nul.iamempowered.com Positioning NUL stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in health and health education

Involved in activism around promoting healthy lifestyles among African Americans, improving their health outcomes and their access to healthcare, and influence public policy in favor of community health worker models

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders, the media, and healthcare companies

Strength of communication channels

Ongoing public support for the CDC’s Power of Prevention program

Existing relationships with advocacy groups, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control, NY State Health Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the promotion of encouraging healthy lifestyles in African Americans

o Community Health Worker Program provides African American adults who are at risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health issues address a broad range of economic, social and psychosocial issues, and improves the quality of their lives and by incorporating a holistic approach to health

Public Statements

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What have Community Health Worker participants achieved? National Urban League CHW participants have achieved impressive retention rates and health outcomes in many locations. For example, in 2010, participants in Columbia, SC

improved health indicators: Blood glucose levels of diabetic participants dropped an average of 2 points; several women noted they no longer need diabetes medication. Participants’ cholesterol levels dropped an average of 3 points.

increased awareness of health issues: Knowledge scores increased 15% overall, with greatest increase in knowledge of strategies for healthy eating and exercise.

improved health behavior: Many participants reported increasing physical activity and making exercise more enjoyable. Participants reported drastic changes in food preparation and eating habits including: less frying, substituting turkey for pork and red meat, reducing sugar, using healthier oils, eating fewer sweets and more vegetables, drinking more water.

The Notah Begay III Foundation

Created by Notah Begay III in 2005, the Notah Begay III Foundation (NB3 Foundation) was established as an answer to the overwhelming statistic – one out of two Native American children born since 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. The Foundation’s mission is to prevent type 2 diabetes and its leading cause, childhood obesity, through sports, health and wellness programs that are based on proven best practices. This holistic approach to programming and evaluation addresses Native Americans’ nutrition, physical fitness and community-building needs with the goal of producing measurable, long-term change in the health of tribal communities. 290 Prairie Star Rd. Santa Ana Pueblo, NM 87004 (505) 867-0775 www.nb3foundation.org Positioning The NB3 Foundation stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in nutrition and wellness for Native American children involved in activism surrounding access to healthy foods, physical activity and childhood obesity

Strength of communication channels

Existing relationships with public figures in the sporting community

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Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to healthy food access in low-income communities, promoting physical fitness and combatting childhood obesity

o Conducts research with the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health to evaluate the impact of the NB3 Foundation’s community-based nutrition education and physical activity programs

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage Notah Begay III targets diabetes The Associated Press (via ESPN) April 29, 2011 A four-time PGA Tour winner, Begay is issuing a challenge to Indian youth to follow his example by exercising every day and eating healthy. The challenge is part of the work being done by the golfer's charity, the NB3 Foundation, which has a goal of fighting obesity and diabetes among Native-American youth. The foundation is developing programs aimed specifically at helping native youth and at encouraging more tribal leaders to set an example.

Partnership for a Healthier America

The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of the nation’s youth by solving childhood obesity. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. 2001 L Street, NW, Suite 750 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 842-9001 www.ahealthieramerica.org Positioning PHA stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in public health and childhood obesity

Involvement in activism surrounding access to healthy foods in low income areas

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Existing partnerships with grocery/food industry leaders, healthcare providers and facilities, advocacy groups, media, academia and key opinion leaders, including First Lady Michelle Obama

Strength of communication channels

Ongoing public support for the Obama administration’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the reduction of food deserts

o Building a Healthier Future Summit provides a unique opportunity for business and industry leaders to sit with their nonprofit, academic and government counterparts and address the factors that contribute to childhood obesity

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage How Free-Market Forces Are Fighting Obesity – and Can Be a Model for Industries Far Beyond Food By Hank Cardello Forbes April 15, 2013 PHA is already getting results. Among its most impressive so far: dramatically expanding access to fresh fruits and vegetables in “food deserts,” areas of the country where 23 million people have only convenience stores and fast-food outlets nearby. PHA partners have so far expanded access to more than 500,000 people and opened or renovated 141 stores. They aim to eliminate the food deserts for 10 million Americans by 2016. PHA members have also removed French fries from day care centers and some chain restaurant children’s menus, and started exercise programs for nearly 3 million children. Michelle Obama, grocers join forces on food deserts By Ylan Q. Mui The Washington Post July 20, 2011 James Gavin III, chairman of the Partnership for a Healthier America, said, “Today we move past talking about statistics … and focus on steps toward a solution.”

Pew Charitable Trusts

The Pew Charitable Trusts helps states ensure that all foods served in U.S. schools are healthy. With a long history of informing policy, Pew supports states in improving the nutrition of meals, snacks and beverages available to students across the country. Pew applies a data-driven, analytical approach to

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developing strategies that make government more effective. The institution’s initiatives have delivered results at national, state and local levels.

One Commerce Square 2005 Market Street, Suite 2800 Philadelphia, PA 19103-7077 (215) 575-9050 www.pewtrusts.org Positioning The Pew Charitable Trusts stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in food policy

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical audiences, namely Congress, the FDA and food industry leaders

Strength of communication channels

Existing relationships with grocery/food industry leaders, advocacy groups, policy makers and key opinion leaders

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to healthy food access in low-income communities and reducing childhood obesity

o Partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, which provides nonpartisan analysis and evidence-based recommendations to make sure that all foods and beverages sold in U.S. schools are safe and healthful

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage Small Number of Schools Drop Out of Lunch Program The Associated Press (via NPR) September 30, 2013 Some school nutrition officials have said buying the healthier foods put a strain on their budgets. A study by the Pew Charitable Trusts' Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project, also released Monday, said that 91 percent of school food officials the group surveyed said they face challenges in putting the standards in place, including problems with food costs and availability, training employees to follow the new guidelines, and a lack of the proper equipment to cook healthier meals. Schools switch back to 26-ingredient burger after kids complain By Laura Sesana Washington Times October 7, 2013

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Schools are in a unique position to influence a child’s eating and lifestyle choices, as 31 million students take part in the National School Lunch Program and many children and young people eat up to half their daily calories at school, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by Lifting Up What Works®. PolicyLink connects the work of people on the ground to the creation of sustainable communities of opportunity that allow everyone to participate and prosper. The PolicyLink Center for Health Equity and Place is committed to achieving health equity as an essential component of a society. Specifically, the center seeks to eliminate the social and economic conditions that cause disparities in health outcomes, particularly for low income people and communities of color. PolicyLink recognizes that the environmental factors – including economic, social and physical characteristics – affect health outcomes, and is committed to making changes needed in policy, practice and research to reduce the disproportionate impact on those most affected. 1438 Webster Street, Suite 303 Oakland, CA 94612 (510) 663-2333 www.policylink.org Positioning PolicyLink stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community development and public health

Involvement in activism surrounding access to healthy foods and building local economies

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical target audiences, namely the Department of Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services

Strength of communication channels

Ongoing public support for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, namely the Healthy Food Financing handbook

o Lifting Up What Works program highlights community innovations so other communities can benefit from successful models; engages in local, state and federal advocacy campaigns to help communities eliminate food deserts; conducts research to make the case for change and maximize impact; and supports community-driven advocacy and implementation efforts

Public Statements

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From Advocacy to Implementation: The Healthy Food Financing Handbook The Food Trust “We have a health crisis in this country, in terms of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, that is disproportionately impacting lower-income people and communities of color,” said Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and CEO of PolicyLink. “Nationally, only 8 percent of African Americans currently live in a census tract with a supermarket, and far too many Blacks and Latinos reside in areas underserved by a grocery store.”

The Praxis Project The Praxis Project is a nonprofit movement support intermediary and an institution of color that supports organizing efforts and change work at local, regional and national levels. Focused on movement building for fundamental change, the Project’s mission is to build healthy communities by changing the power relationships between people of color and the institutional structures that affect their lives. 1750 Columbia Road, NW, Second Floor Washington, D.C. 20009 (202) 234-5921 www.thepraxisproject.org Positioning The Praxis Project stands to support healthy food financing based on the following:

Serves as the National Program Office for Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) that sets out to prevent childhood obesity by increasing access to healthy foods and safe places to play in communities of color

Past support for organizations fighting for sources of healthy food in their neighborhoods, including the Philadelphia Food Trust

Alignment of organizational mission with federal policies like the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which emphasize the importance of access to healthy food for children

Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids

Public Statements An Open Letter to First Lady Obama The Praxis Project February 27, 2012

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I must begin with the fact that I am an unabashed fan. As an African American mother and wife, I am deeply inspired and proud of what you are already accomplishing in your Office. Your efforts to turn the nation’s energy to public service, and your focus on the health and well being of our country’s children show unprecedented leadership driven by an obviously deep passion for justice.

Thanks to you and your new “Let’s Move” initiative, issues of childhood obesity are high on the public agenda. Encouraging families to make healthy choices is a good thing – where they actually have choices to make. Yet, for many communities hard hit by crisis and poverty, accessing healthy food and safe places to play is more like tackling an obstacle course than making “choices.”

The Weight of Oppression: Tackling the Black Obesity Epidemic The Praxis Project April 2009

I am in York to help bury my father in law, who like too many African Americans, has met an early death from the triple killers of diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. In the place my children call Big Mama’s house, neighbors drop by bearing covered dishes and envelopes to help my mother in law get through this loss. They bring fried chicken and pies and cakes and banana pudding – all of the things that helped my father in law to an early grave and threaten my mother in law

It would be easy to judge them with my good job and easy access to Whole Foods. In fact, much of the talk about obesity is heavy on blame and thin on solutions that change the conditions that got our communities here in the first place.

Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity seeks to improve the world’s diet, prevent obesity and reduce weight stigma by establishing creative connections between science and public policy, developing targeted research, encouraging dialogue among key constituents and expressing a dedicated commitment to real change. The Rudd Center assesses critiques and strives to improve practices and policies related to nutrition and obesity so as to inform and empower the public; to promote objective, science-based approaches to policy; and to maximize the impact on public health. Yale University P.O. Box 208369 New Haven, CT 06529-8369 (203) 432-0662 www.yaleruddcenter.org/ Positioning

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Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in education and research of public health

Involvement in activism surrounding research, education and advocacy of weight bias and issues with young people, families, teachers, employers and health care professionals

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, academia (Yale affiliate,) thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to the food economics and public policy

o Seminar Series welcomes speakers from different disciplines to present and discuss their work and its implications for the study of obesity and food policy

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage National food policy programs improve access to healthy foods Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity May 23, 2012 Access to healthy food in underserved communities has improved significantly after changes in federal nutrition and food assistance programs, according to a study by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. […] The study shows that the revisions in food packages for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) have increased the availability and variety of healthy foods in WIC-authorized and non-WIC convenience and grocery stores. According to lead author Tatiana Andreyeva, the Yale Rudd Center’s director of economic initiatives, “Stores participating in the WIC program have found ways to deliver new healthy foods when they were required to do so. If the experience in Connecticut is typical of other states, national food policy programs that promote the consumption of healthy foods, but also require changes in stores, can help to improve local food environments for program participants and non-participants alike.”

Salud America!

Salud America! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity among Latino Children is a national online network of researchers, community group leaders, decision-makers and members of the public working together to support healthy policy and environmental changes that can help reverse the Latino childhood obesity epidemic. Salud America! serves as a

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clearinghouse, with news, research, maps, videos, resources and successful stories of change, on making healthy changes in Latino communities across the nation. Salud! America - UT Health Science Center San Antonio The Institute for Health Promotion Research The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 7411 John Smith, Suite 1000 San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 562-6500 www.salud-america.org Positioning Salud America! stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in community development, health and education of children in the Latino community

Involvement in activism surrounding reversing obesity through physical activity and the education of making healthy food choices, especially through multimedia

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, academia (University of Texas affiliate), thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, designed to develop healthier and more active environments for Latino children

o Better Food in the Neighborhood initiative promotes policies that improve the food environment and add more supermarkets and farmers’ markets in underserved communities

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Public Statements Salud America! Spring Newsletter: Research Finds Promising Approaches to Prevent Latino Childhood Obesity Salud America! Spring 2013 Guided grocery store trips, menu labeling at restaurants, community gardens and video-game-based exercise programs are among several promising, culturally-appropriate ways to prevent obesity among Latino children, according to new studies from Salud America! published in a supplement to the March issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The supplement focuses on Salud America! achievements in its first five years and features 19 new studies on effective approaches for preventing/controlling Latino childhood obesity. “This Salud America! supplement is the culmination of several years of diligence, passion, and hard work in identifying and examining the most promising policy-relevant strategies to reduce and prevent obesity among Latino children,” said Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, MPH, director of Salud America! and the IHPR.

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The Reinvestment Fund The Reinvestment Fund (TRF) is a national leader in the financing of neighborhood revitalization. What began in 1985 as a small community development organization in Philadelphia, has evolved into a progressive, results-oriented, socially responsible community investment group that works across the mid-Atlantic region. TRF provides financing for supermarkets, grocery stores and other healthy food retail operators that plan to operate in underserved communities where infrastructure costs and credit needs cannot be solely filled by conventional financial institutions. By improving the food landscape of underserved communities, the programs provide families with increased access to healthy fresh foods. 1700 Market Street, 19th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 574-5800 www.trfund.com Positioning TRF stands to support AHA’s stance on healthy food financing initiatives based on the following:

High impact in community development, public health, public policy, food access and food retail

Involved in activism aimed at expanding access to healthy foods in underserved communities via the Healthy Food Financing Initiative

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Ability to impact critical target audiences, namely local governments, community planers and grocery industry leaders

Strength of communication channels

Past public support for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative and Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to expanding access to healthy foods

o Provides loans and grants to assist in the development, acquisition, construction and maintenance of supermarkets in the mid-Atlantic

o TRF Energy helps organizations reduce their energy costs through financing for energy efficiency improvements and energy conversation practices

o Published research that identifies areas with limited supermarket access and provides data to evaluate projects and prioritize investment areas

Media Coverage Nation's first nonprofit supermarket to open in Chester By Alfred Lubrano The Philadelphia Inquirer

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September 25, 2013 The agency said it would strive to offer fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meats at the lowest possible prices. In a city of 33,000 people where it's nearly impossible to buy a head of lettuce in any of 100 corner stores, that qualifies as a game-changer, said Bill Clark, the agency's executive director, who planned and created the $7 million store with the financial help of numerous partners. These include the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Delaware Valley Regional Economic Development Fund, the City of Chester, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Sunoco, the Reinvestment Fund, and others. Clark also credits the help of U.S. Rep. Robert Brady (D., Pa.) and Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware). In Jeremy Nowak's Philadelphia By Joseph N. DiStefano The Philadelphia Inquirer July 6, 2012 The Reinvestment Fund continues to grow post-Nowak and has played a part in Philadelphia's redevelopment, assisting in neighborhood gentrification and improvement, and long shed of what Nowak's successor calls the "romantic" view of urban poverty. Read more about Nowak's successors and their agenda in my recent column here and blog item here.

United Way Worldwide

United Way Worldwide is the leadership and support organization for the network of nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 45 countries and territories. To advance the common good and mobilize the caring power of communities around the world, United Way rallies millions to give, advocate and volunteer to improve the conditions in which they live; galvanizes all sectors of society to create long-term social change that produces healthy, well-educated and financially stable individuals and families; and raises and invests billions of dollars annually to create and support innovative programs that generate sustained impact in local communities. 701 N Fairfax Street Alexandria, VA (703) 519-0092 www.unitedway.org Positioning

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United Way stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in public health

Involvement in activism aimed at improving child and maternal nutrition

Existing partnerships with leading health, food and grocery industry corporations

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences, thought leaders and the media

Strength of communication channels

Ongoing public support for the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Program and the Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming, particularly pertaining to healthy food access in underserved communities

o Organizes petitions and letters to Congress about campaigns for education, income equality and health policies that serve to strengthen communities

Public Statements Advancing the Common Good United Way Policy Agenda for the 113th Congress Children and adults are healthier and more productive, and communities are more vibrant when their environment is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity. United Way supports policies that improve access to affordable healthful food and beverages and create opportunities for physical activity in schools and neighborhoods. United Way advocates for funding to remain adequate to meet the need, and for policies to help fight the hunger and obesity epidemic in this country. In addition to the prevention policies noted earlier, successful programs and policies include children’s nutrition programs, school and childcare standards, and expanding healthy food and physical activity options in neighborhoods. Specifically, United Way supports:

Strengthening the Healthy Food Financing Initiative to improve the availability of healthy foods in underserved communities and the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Program to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to children in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods

YMCA of the USA

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“The Y” is a cause-driven organization focusing on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Today, the Y engages more than 10,000 neighborhoods across the U.S. as the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to helping people and communities to learn, grow and thrive. By nurturing the potential of every child and teen, improving the nation’s health and well-being, and supporting and serving our neighbors, the Y ensures that everyone has the opportunity to become healthier, more confident, connected and secure. 101 N. Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 (800) 872-9622 www.ymca.net Positioning The Y stands to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative based on the following:

High impact in childhood wellness, nutrition and public health

Involvement in activism surrounding increased access to healthy and affordable foods for underserved communities

High visibility and credibility with its target audiences and thought leaders

Ability to impact critical audiences, namely Congress, the FDA and food industry leaders

Strength of communication channels

Existing relationships with grocery/food industry leaders, advocacy groups, policy makers and key opinion leaders, including First Lady Michelle Obama

Past public support of the Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Alignment of organizational mission with AHA’s policy statement on Healthy Food Financing

Relevant programming and educational initiatives, particularly pertaining to healthy food access in low-income communities, promoting physical fitness and combatting childhood obesity

o Partnered with the Walmart Foundation on the YMCA’s Summer Food Program to bring healthy meals and snacks to 4 million children across the country

o Ongoing participation with Voices for Healthy Kids Media Coverage YMCA serves up summer meals for children with Walmart grant By Jeremy C. Fox Boston Globe June 29, 2012 “At the Y, we are focused on making sure children stay healthy and well-nourished. Thanks to the partnership with the Walmart Foundation, our Y will be able to provide meals to children in the community who need them most.” Y.M.C.A. Adopting Health Policies for Youth By Sheryl Gay Stolberg The New York Times November 29, 2011

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The Y.M.C.A., one of the nation’s largest child-care providers, intends to announce Wednesday that it is adopting new “healthy living standards,” including offering fruits, vegetables and water at snack time, increasing the amount of exercise and limiting video games and television for youngsters in its programs.