Key Findings from the Michigan Fitness Foundation Farmers Market SNAP-Ed Food Navigator Pilot Project

Transcription

1 Key Findings from the Michigan Fitness Foundation Farmers Market SNAP-Ed Food Navigator Pilot Project SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education Programming in Michigan Farmers Markets Thursday, June 29th, :00-4:00 p.m. EST / 12:00-1:00 p.m. PST This project was funded in whole or in part by the United States Department of Agriculture s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Fitness Foundation.

2 Outline Introduction Description of Food Navigator Pilot Methods & Findings Activity Logs Environmental Observations Consumer Intercept Surveys Vendor Surveys Key Informant Interviews Next Steps Q&A Technical Difficulties? Contact WebEx Support: Event ID #

3 Introductions Teresa Zwemer, RD Sarah Jones, MS, RDN Farhiya Hajiabdi, MPH Dru Montri, PhD Amanda Shreve, BS Sydney Debien, BA* Sharon Sugerman, MS, RD, FADA* Suzanne Ryan-Ibarra, PhD, MPH* Kyli Gallington, MPH* *Presenters for today s webinar

4 Overview of the Food Navigator Pilot Program Sydney Debien Food Access Coordinator, Michigan Farmers Market Association June 29, 2017

5 Food Navigator Program Overview 2016 Pilot program in Michigan Began in May Seven participating farmers markets 3 year-round, 4 seasonal

6 2016 Participating Markets Adrian Farmers Market Detroit Eastern Market Downtown Saginaw Farmers Market Flint Farmers Market Fulton Street Farmers Market Historic Farmers Market of Lapeer Kalamazoo Farmers Market

7 Why Food Navigators? Farmers markets can be intimidating Multiple food assistance programs Unfamiliar setting New way to shop for groceries Market managers can t always be a guide to the market Enhancing local partnerships

8 MIFMA s Goals for Participating in the Program Connecting SNAP eligible people to markets and helping them feel comfortable using the market to access healthy foods and increasing their knowledge and skills in how to use that food.

9 Navigator Responsibilities Introduce new shoppers to farmers markets Support food assistance shoppers Connect the farmers market to existing SNAP-Ed programming and partners Lay the groundwork for long-term partnerships Organize a nutrition education activity at least once a month Support and participate in evaluation

10 Nutrition Education Activities can utilize MIHOTM TM resources At least one activity MUST utilize MiHOTM What could an activity look like? Recipe sampling/cooking demo Scavenger hunt Seed Investigation

11 SNAP-Ed Partnerships What could a partnership look like? Bringing SNAP-Ed programming to the market Coordinating with existing events at the market Creating new SNAP-Ed events Children s activities Cooking demonstrations

12 Methods & Findings

13 Methods: Overview Social Ecological Model 1. Individual individual behaviors 2. Environmental partnerships, nutrition supports adopted, social marketing, etc. 3. Sectors of Influence agriculture sales 4. Social and Cultural Norms health beliefs

14 Methods: Overview

15 Methods: Overview Mixed-methods approach Quantitative measures Qualitative measures

16 Activity Logs: Methods Tracked: # of hours worked # of consumers assisted Weather conditions Photo courtesy of Michigan Farmers Market Association

17 Activity Logs: Findings Activity logs completed by each Food Navigator (n=8) Food Navigator Activities: Average # of hours worked: Average # of consumers assisted: 5.43 per day* 25 per day* Total interactions with consumers: 6,196 *Refers only to days that the farmers market was open.

18 Environmental Observations: Methods Collected information about: Farmers market facilities and conditions Number and types of vendors Food Navigator activities Nutrition education materials and activities Food assistance payment options (e.g., SNAP) Photo courtesy of Michigan Farmers Market Association

19 Environmental Observations: Limitations n=6 (not conducted at 1 site) Lack of pre/post observations Conducted late in season Unable to observe all intervention activities

20 Consumer Intercept Surveys: Methods Interviewer administered with Tablets Assessed: Food Navigator experience Use of payments like SNAP Bridge Card Recall of social marketing messages Fruit and vegetable consumption Self-efficacy and attitudes Health beliefs Demographic information n=34, collected at 4 farmers market sites Low-income (SNAP-eligible) consumers Incentives: $5 cash

21 Consumer Intercept Surveys: Findings Top two reasons for coming to this market Number of Responses Fresher produce Support local farmers Better prices Friendly atmosphere Other Quality of the products Variety of the products Produce tastes better Good service Convenient location It is close to home It is close to work Produce is grown with fewer pesticides Consistency of the products

22 Consumer Intercept Surveys: Findings What is the primary purpose of your trip to this market today? Number of Responses Purchase fruits and vegetables 25 Purchase meat, poultry or fish 7 Other 6 Purchase cheese, dairy items Hang out Visit with friends Purchase baked goods Eat a meal 0 0

23 Consumer Intercept Surveys: Findings As a result of shopping at this farmers market, has the amount of fruits and/or vegetables that you eat changed? Do you eat Number of Responses Less fruits/vegetables 3 No change 5 A little more fruits/vegetables More fruits/vegetables A lot more fruits/vegetables 0 This is my first time at this market Response

24 Consumer Intercept Surveys: Findings Recall of Social Marketing Messages During your visits here, do you remember? Hearing about Michigan Harvest of the Month from a Food Navigator? 29.4% Receiving Michigan Harvest of the Month materials? Seeing signage about They Learn From Watching You? 38.2% 41.2%

25 Consumer Intercept Survey: Findings SNAP-Ed Evaluation Interpretive Guide Metrics MT1c Usually eats more than 1 kind of fruit 91.2% MT1d Usually eats more than 1 kind of vegetable 100%

26 Consumer Intercept Surveys: Limitations Low sample size Conducted late in season Not conducted at all farmers market sites

27 Vendor Surveys: Methods 50% of vendors at 6 farmers market sites (n=69) Self-administered, pen-and-paper surveys Assessed: Interaction with Food Navigators Perceived effect of intervention on sales Attitudes Use of SNAP Bridge Card, etc.

28 Vendor Surveys: Findings 42% reported >1 personal interaction with Food Navigator What type of interaction did you have with the Food Navigator? Check all that apply.

29 Vendor Surveys: Findings

30 Vendor Surveys: Findings Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. The process of accepting food assistance and getting reimbursed is worthwhile for the additional sales I gain Consumers who use food assistance use it to buy healthy foods at this market Consumers who use food assistance are as pleasant as other shoppers I would like to have more consumers who use the SNAP Bridge Card, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC Project FRESH, Senior Market FRESH or other food assistance 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree N/A or Don't Know

31 Key Informant Interviews: Methods Telephone interviews Participants: Food Navigators (n=6) Market Managers (n=6) MIFMA Staff (n=3) SNAP-Ed Partners (n=4) Collect: Insights Feedback Recommendations

32 Key Informant Interviews: Preliminary Findings High satisfaction with Food Navigator activities Innovative and creative uses of MiHOTM Photos courtesy of Michigan Farmers Market Association

33 Key Informant Interviews: Findings SNAP-Ed Evaluation Interpretive Guide Metrics ST5c Readiness and Need Market managers expressed readiness and need ST7 Organizational Partnerships Regular collaborative meetings Shared decision making Cross-collaboration among Food Navigators Active engagement with Farmers Market managers and vendors Cross-pollination with existing local SNAP-Ed programs

34 Key Informant Interviews: Findings SNAP-Ed Evaluation Interpretive Guide Metrics MT5 Nutrition Supports Adopted MT5a: # of sites that make at least one change in writing or in practice to expand access or improve appeal for healthy eating MT5b: Total number of policy changes MT5c: Total number of systems changes MT5e: Total number of promotional efforts for a PSE change 7 Farmers Markets participated in the Food Navigator Pilot Project 1 - Policy that food for nutrition education activities should be purchased at the market, if possible. 3 - The introduction of the Food Navigator into the markets, distributing MiHOTM materials, and hosting food demonstrations 1 Point-of-purchase pop-up tables, signs, and sandwich boards.

35 Next Steps

36 Next Steps Expand Food Navigator Program Food Navigators should complete community outreach activities Adapt MiHOTM recipe resources for farmers markets Track unique consumer interactions Photo courtesy of Michigan Farmers Market Association

37 Next Steps (continued) Develop promotional materials (e.g., brochures, talking points) Strengthen partnerships with SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educators Improve communication and engagement with market managers and vendors Further evaluation is needed to assess outcomes Photo courtesy of Michigan Farmers Market Association

38 Questions & Discussion Please type your questions into the Q&A box on the right-hand side of the screen.

39 Thank You! Contact Us MFF: Teresa Zwemer MIFMA: Sydney Debien PHI: Sharon Sugerman