Apr 17, 2017 | News
By Hannah Walters, MPH, Senior Manager for Policy and Community Initiatives
On Tuesday, April 4, nearly 40 partners from around the state gathered in Columbia to learn how to create healthy, more inclusive communities for people living with disabilities. Co-hosted by the SC Disability and Health Project and Eat Smart Move More SC (ESMMSC), the day-long training was led by experts at the National Center for Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD).
Attendees learned how to use the Community Health Inclusion Index (CHII)—a set of tools to help communities assess the inclusivity of their healthy living resources—as well as how to identify and prioritize strategies to make their communities more accessible. For example, maintaining and repairing paths and sidewalks as well as ensuring transportation stops are in accessible, safe locations are two important strategies to ensure all individuals—particularly people with disabilities—can travel safely and access services.
Currently, one in four adults in South Carolina has a disability. Adults living with disabilities are three times more likely to have heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, and are more likely to smoke, be obese, and be inactive. ESMMSC is committed to working with our partners to help remove barriers for people with disabilities to create healthier, more inclusive communities in our state. For more information contact Hannah Walters at hannah@eatsmartmovemoresc.org.
Apr 17, 2017 | News
By Jamie Gibson, Hub City Farmer’s Market SNAP Champion
The Hub City Farmers Market (HCFM) in Spartanburg, SC, works to increase the supply, demand, and access to healthy, locally-grown food by providing low-income residents two ways to make the most of their SNAP benefits. One of the ways that we increase access and affordability for low-income residents of Spartanburg County is by offering two SNAP-matching nutrition incentives at our market. The incentives come in the form of a Double SNAP match of up to $40 each market day and the SC SNAP Healthy Bucks match.
- Double SNAP Program for New Customers: On customers’ first visit, they can get up to a $20 match. On the second visit, they can get up to a $30 match. On their third visit and all future visits, they get a dollar for dollar match. Returning customers receive a full match at every market visit!
- Healthy Bucks Program: Spend $5 in SNAP and get $10 in tokens for fruits and vegetables from HCFM and the SC Department of Social Services.
Local farmers benefit from these programs through an increase in customers and sales. By providing these nutrition incentives, we put more money into their pockets and into our local economy. For the 2016 season, this equated to over $42,000.
One of the great things about using SNAP at the farmer’s market is that our SNAP customers can buy more than just fruits and vegetables. HCFM has other SNAP-eligible products like bread, cereal, sauces, spices, jams and jellies, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, and even seeds and plants that produce fruits and vegetables.
We encourage all markets throughout South Carolina who are interested in creating a Double-Bucks program to contact our organization or seek out informative resources that are readily available from other markets across the country. SNAP at the farmer’s market really is win-win for the market, the farmers, and the SNAP customers.
Jamie Gibson is the SNAP Champion at the Hub City Farmers Market. She works to increase SNAP participation and create innovative programming which can be used to increase SNAP participation at farmer’s markets across South Carolina. She can be reached at jgibson@hubcityfm.org or (864) 585-0905.
Apr 17, 2017 | News
One of Eat Smart Move More’s (ESMMSC) core values is partnerships, something that is needed to implement and sustain healthy eating and active living initiatives throughout the state. The founding members recognized this core value and pulled together their resources to form a sustainable organization that would drive these initiatives into the future.
One of ESMMSC’s founding partners and inaugural Board of Directors members, Lynn Dabney Hammond, knows the importance of partnerships in the development of an organization and the direction of its work. In 2007, she was the SC Healthy Schools Program Director at the SC Department of Education, and in charge of implementing the CDC School Health Cooperative Agreement, which focused on improving physical activity and nutrition among school-age youth in the school setting.
Hammond was also one of the original members of the SC Coalition to Promote Physical Activity’s (SCPPPA) Board of Directors. She served on the SC Obesity Prevention Efforts (SCOPE) group, which was chosen to develop the first SC Obesity State Plan. These two groups merged to form Eat Smart Move More South Carolina, and Hammond was on the transition team. Her experience and background in physical activity helped establish partnerships that would establish ESMMSC as a reputable organization and leader in healthy eating and active living.
We recently talked to Hammond about ESMMSC’s 10th Anniversary:
This year we celebrate ESMMSC’s 10th Anniversary. What thoughts and emotions come to mind when you think about that?
It is hard to believe it has been ten years! Some of us have been serving on SCPPPA, SCOPE, and ESMMSC for longer. It is good to know that the organization has continued to move forward and to provide support to communities across the state to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
What were your visions during your service?
My vision was that ESMMSC would be the convening organization in the state for setting a vision for obesity prevention, particularly childhood obesity. It would become the entity that could engage both public and private organizations and funding to support making policy, systems, and environmental changes that would help South Carolinians make the healthy choice the easy choice! While government agencies can bring resources, including best practices and funding, they cannot do it all alone! ESMMSC, as a private non-profit, has the opportunity to bring together the various partners, create synergy with a shared vision and collective outcomes to reverse the trends in childhood and adult obesity.
What do you see as ESMMSC’s biggest accomplishments since 2007?
Piloting a community change model that could be replicated in other areas of the state has been one of the biggest accomplishments. This was accomplished with funding from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation for the Colleton Let’s Go! Project. Also, the development and support of local community coalitions are other great achievements — six of which are now using lessons learned from the Colleton project. Community change can be supported by many at the state and regional levels, but the work and ownership has to come from the local community for it to be successful and sustainable.
Where would you like to see ESMMSC in 10 years?
I would like to see ESMMSC continue with its mission to combat obesity through policies, systems and environmental changes by partnering with state-level organizations and with local community coalitions, maintaining the focus of the organization on obesity prevention using effective and sustainable approaches, and staying the course! I would also like to see it be a convener of multiple private and public sector resources to create the synergy of effort and common outcomes to accelerate the reversal of obesity in the state.
“Congratulations to the board and staff and all those people who make up ESMMSC! Stay the course and true to the mission and vision of making the healthy choice the easy choice in SC!” Lynn Dabney Hammond is currently the South Carolina FitnessGram Coordinator at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity.
Founded in 2007, ESMMSC is one of the first non-profit organizations of its kind in South Carolina focusing on both healthy eating and active living. Its roots date back to 1999 when the South Carolina Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity formed and received nonprofit status in 2000. After changing its name to ESMMSC in 2007, the organization merged with the SC Coalition for Obesity Prevention
Feb 21, 2017 | News
The City of Columbia is taking a comprehensive approach to vending and food service at its facilities, meetings and events to improve the quality of health for its employees and all citizens.
Columbia City Council unanimously approved a new policy designed to increase healthy food options in the City at a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 7. “We know how important it is to have healthy lifestyles, and the food we put into our
“We know how important it is to have healthy lifestyles, and the food we put into our bodies is, of course, a major component of that,” said Mayor Steve Benjamin. “I’m excited that our city will be making changes that help our residents collectively and individually.”
The Healthy Vending and Food Service Policy expands the City’s existing vending machine policy to include food and beverages purchased, sold, served or otherwise provided by the City for its employees as well as guests of any program, event or meeting.
“We know that approximately 32 percent of residents in South Carolina are obese and obesity costs the state $8.5 billion each year in health care costs,” Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine said. “This policy will help reduce those numbers, and provide a stronger nutritional standard when it comes to our vending machines as well as the food and drinks that are served at our events, programs and meetings.”
Councilwoman Devine said the policy helps support Council’s new vision for Columbia, specifically the Empowering Our Residents focus area. In January, City Council revealed its Envision Columbia Vision Statement, which is council’s new strategic plan to improve the overall quality of life in the City.
“This policy falls right in line with our goal of changing the culture of health here in Columbia and we can do that by empowering our citizens with the tools they need to be successful.”
he consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages contribute to the development of preventable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Improving the healthy options for the City’s 2,300 employees as well as those who visit City facilities and public events will have a positive impact on one’s eating behaviors. To do so, the City has partnered with Eat Smart Move More SC and the American Heart Association in implementing the policy.
“The City of Columbia has been a leader in our state and nation in ensuring employees and residents have access to healthy, affordable foods and safe places to be active,” Eat Smart Move More South Carolina Executive Director Beth Franco said. “This policy builds upon the great work the city is already doing by providing healthier food and beverages choices in city parks, recreation centers, office buildings, and at city-sponsored meetings and events. Eat Smart Move More SC is excited to work with the city to support successful implementation of this policy, and we hope other municipalities in South Carolina follow Columbia’s lead.”
Dr. Anil Yallapragada, Mid-Atlantic Affiliate board member with the American Heart Association, said the association supports the City in its efforts to lead by example and applauds the significant attention and importance placed on community wellness and health.
“American Heart Association’s mission statement is building healthier lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Working toward that goal, it has been our pleasure assisting council and staff with the City Vending Food Service Policy,” Dr. Yallapragada said.
“Columbia continues to be a leader in our state and nation putting employee health and citizen health first. Once the city implements the comprehensive policy, it will join New Orleans and Washington, D.C. as part of an elite group working to offer better options and increased food and beverage choices not just for city employees, but also for citizens, families, and children who visit public places in our city.”
Highlights of the City Vending Food Service Policy include:
- Establishing evidence-based nutrition and food procurement standards that are consistent with the American Heart Association Healthy Workplace Food and Beverage Toolkit Guidance on Vending Machines and establishing evidence-based nutrition and food procurement standards that are consistent with General Service Administration Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities for meetings, events, on-site vendors, and cafeterias.
- The standards shall be fully implemented by the City within one year for vending machines and three years for meetings, events, on-site vendors, and cafeterias, of the date that the final standards are issued.
- Creation of an employee wellness committee that will plan activities to promote good health and serve as a champion for wellness, and monitor compliance of the policy.
- Future requests for bids and contracts for the procurement or provision of covered food and beverages by or for City agencies shall incorporate the nutrition and procurement standards.
If you are interested in learning more or would like to adopt a healthy vending and food service policy in your municipality, contact Hannah Walters at Hannah@eatsmartmovemoresc.org.
