Things are underway at the statehouse for the new legislative session and one of the first things we are working on is the Department of Social Service’s (DSS) Healthy Bucks program budget request. The Healthy Bucks program allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to obtain additional fresh produce at participating farmers markets. DSS is requesting $5 million in funding for the Healthy Bucks program in the budget this year. The SC House Ways and Means Healthcare Subcommittee is meeting this week to discuss the allocation for the DSS Healthy Bucks request, and we would love for the members of that subcommittee to hear from you before they vote on this request.
Do you live in SC House Districts 74 (Rep. Rutherford), 82 (Rep. Clyburn), 91 (Rep. Hosey), 108 (Rep. Hewitt), or 118 (Rep. Herbkersman, chair)? If you do, please call your representative any time between now and Wednesday afternoon (Jan 25) and let them know that you hope they vote in favor of the DSS Healthy Bucks budget request. If you have personal stories related to the Healthy Bucks program, please feel free to share those.
We’ve created a script to make it easier for you! Talk to your legislator or leave a voicemail and follow-up via email.
Step 1: Phone Call
Call your representative if they are listed below. Use the telephone script below to convey the message. Leave a voicemail, if prompted.
Telephone Script
Hello Rep. [Name], my name is [Your Name] and I am one of your constituents. I understand that the Healthcare Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee will discuss the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks budget appropriation in the coming days and wanted to let you know that I hope you vote to support the $5 million request in the state budget. By expanding the Healthy Bucks program, families across our state will have greater access to nutritious produce, which has long-term health and communal benefits, as well as economic development opportunities for local farmers.
[If speaking directly to the Representative]:
Are you committed to supporting the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks appropriation in subcommittee? *answer* Thank you for your time.
[If leaving a voicemail]:
Again, I hope you’ll consider voting to support the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks appropriation. Thank you. [Feel free to leave callback information if you’d like.]
Step 2: Follow-up Email
Did you leave a voicemail? Follow up with an email to ensure your message is received. Use the message we’ve created for you to send.
Follow-up Email Body
Hello Rep. [Name], my name is [Your Name] and I am one of your constituents. I left you a voicemail today, but am following up via email to ensure you get the message. I understand that the Healthcare Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee will discuss the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks budget appropriation in the coming days and wanted to let you know that I hope you vote to support the $5 million request in the state budget. By expanding the Healthy Bucks program, families across our state will have greater access to nutritious produce, which has long-term health and communal benefits, as well as economic development opportunities for local farmers. Again, I hope you’ll consider voting to support the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks appropriation. Thank you. [Feel free to leave callback information if you’d like.]
Where can I walk or play since my road is so busy and not safe? Don’t have a safe place near you? What if you can’t afford a gym membership or there isn’t a gym in your hometown? Those are questions that community members of Kershaw County no longer have to ask themselves. Options for safe physical activity and safe places to play have increased, thanks to the Open Community Use of School Recreational Areas policy recently adopted by the Kershaw County School District (KCSD).
The school district will begin opening some of its outdoor school recreational areas for community use after school hours, on holidays, and on weekends when the facilities are not in use with school-related activities. The board defines open recreational areas as “the playgrounds at our elementary schools and parking lots for walking.”
KCSD will post signage at the open community use sites that will include district rules and safety regulations for usage of the recreational areas. Children under the age of fourteen must be accompanied by an adult while at the recreational sites.
“This is a win for schools, children, and the community. It provides access for children and community members to play and be active,” stated Kershaw County School District Superintendent Harrison Goodwin. “We know healthy children are better learners. This is a great example of partners working together for a healthier community.”
Many community partners support open community use including LiveWell Kershaw, KC Trails, Wholespire Kershaw County, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC). Wholespire Kershaw County worked closely with Kershaw County partners to advocate for the OCU policy.
“It’s a cost-effective policy adopted by many school districts around the state to increase access to safe places for physical activity,” said Wholespire Community Relations Manager Kelsey Sanders, MPH, CHES. “An important part of the policy is that protects against liability for schools, which is a major concern of administrators.”
SC DHEC Midlands Community Systems Team Member and Wholespire Richland County co-chair Robin Cooper said, “I was grateful for the opportunity to partner with Kershaw County Schools. Physical activity is important for better health outcomes and many don’t have access to places to be physically active. With the adoption of this policy, it offers the residents of Kershaw County the opportunity to engage in physical activity for better health outcomes.”
Thousands of SNAP recipients will get extra help purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables at their farmer’s market, thanks to the South Carolina Legislature and Governor McMaster. In the budget that took effect July 1, legislators approved an increase in the amount of money allocated for the Healthy Bucks program per household from $10 up to $20.
“SNAP recipients who purchase at least $5 with their SNAP card at participating locations can now receive up to $20 in Healthy Bucks tokens to purchase additional fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Meg Stanley, executive director.
Under Proviso 38.22, the Department of Social Services shall continue the Healthy Bucks program established to provide coupons that allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to obtain additional fresh fruits and vegetables when purchasing fresh produce at authorized farmer’s markets and vendors with SNAP benefits through their EBT cards. Healthy Bucks coupons shall allow the beneficiary to increase the amount of produce purchased, up to twenty dollars per month.
“Healthy Bucks was created with one-time federal funds in 2012 and does not have an impact on the state’s taxpayers. We are grateful to the Department of Social Services and Director Michael Leach for requesting this change and for their commitment to this important program. It’s great working with them to make the increase happen.”
Evidence indicates that increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables can help improve health outcomes, yet thousands of low-income South Carolinians report that they cannot consistently afford to purchase fruits and vegetables. With Healthy Bucks, affordable options become more readily available to our most vulnerable families, children, and seniors.
In addition to aiding in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in South Carolina, Healthy Bucks also supports local farmers by stipulating the funds must be used at participating farmer’s markets. To find a list of participating farmer’s markets visit the SC DSS website.
A special thank you to the Budget Conference Committee members, Senator Harvey Peeler, Senator Thomas Alexander, Senator Nikki Setzler, House Speaker Murrell Smith, Representative Gary Simrill, and Representative Todd Rutherford for adopting the budget proviso continuing the Healthy Bucks program.
Wholespire Kershaw County, formerly Eat Smart Move More Kershaw County, is making a strategic move by teaming up with Livewell Kershaw Coalition, a coalition based on the premise that all people deserve to live well. We’re going to explain their strategy.
Shawn Putnam, the Wholespire Kershaw County chair for the past six years, stated that “throughout the past, we have been successful in having a diverse team,” which keeps diversity, equity, and inclusion top of mind during decision making. The chapter is also very active and has remained so throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, meeting monthly and transitioning to virtual meetings when it became necessary. Teaming up with Livewell Kershaw County to lead their H.E.A.L. Team has made it easier to involve more people working towards accomplishing the same goals since they are not being pulled in different directions.
What exactly is the H.E.A.L. Team?
Livewell Kershaw Coalition recently released a Community Health Improvement Plan that was to be implemented through three committees: 1) Emotional Health Team, 2) H.E.A.L. Team, and 3) Access to Care. Their H.E.A.L. Team shares similar objectives and initiatives with Wholespire Kershaw County. This is where the strategic partnership with Wholespire Kershaw County came from — ensuring all of Kershaw County was focusing on the same initiatives.
Building on a foundation of successes
Before teaming up with LiveWell Kershaw, Wholespire Kershaw County achieved quite a bit of success in increasing access to healthy choices. They put together fitness circuits at local parks, created the road safety program, and supported the mobile nutrition center through the United Way of Kershaw County. The new partnership between Wholespire Kershaw County and Livewell Kershaw Coalition aims to build on this work and do more, including one exciting project, the 5-2-1-0 campaign.
What is the 5-2-1-0 campaign?
The 5-2-1-0 campaign educates kids and their families about the benefits of eating 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, limiting their leisure “screen time” to 2 hours a day, getting 1 hour of physical activity daily, and drinking 0 sugar-sweetened beverages. This campaign is taking place in schools throughout Kershaw County. To add some excitement, the campaign is being turned into a competition to encourage more children and their families to participate.
The competition takes place by having children log their results at the end of each day, then tallies are taken each week, and prizes are given to classes with the highest scores. The 5-2-1-0 campaign was launched in February of 2020 but was halted by the pandemic. The hope is for Wholespire Kershaw County and Livewell Kershaw County to reintroduce this campaign to schools in February of 2022.
Collaborating for a stronger future
Wholespire Kershaw County is a shining example of what can be accomplished when partnering with another organization like Livewell Kershaw County. The projects being conducted now, and those taking place in the future, closely align with the Wholespire mission to “provide communities with proven and sustainable approaches that lead to increased access to healthy choices for ALL people.”
Upcoming projects for the partners include providing advocacy training for their coalition to better prepare them to make policy, system, and environmental change, as well as teaching the coalition how to be involved in project review processes. They’re also planning an expansion of the road safety program that focuses on advocacy for the awareness of cyclists by car drivers and to create safer roads. More projects will be unveiled soon.
If you are interested in getting involved with the initiatives of the Wholespire Kershaw County and LiveWell Kershaw, help is always needed. Active recruitment for the coalition is taking place now for those interested in the mission. There are no dues, just be passionate. To learn more or join the coalition, contact Shawn Putnam at putnam@camdensc.org or find Livewell Kershaw on Facebook.
