Last Wednesday, February 26th, well over 100 people gathered in the Levi Lincoln Room of Worcester City Hall to celebrate one year of implementing Worcester’s Community Health Improvement Plan (the “CHIP”).
The CHIP is a one-of-a-kind plan in the public health world, the only one in the state, or perhaps in the country. It is a plan to address a number of community issues from a public health lens. It breaks down silos between organizations, sectors, departments and communities and strives to look at root causes and broad systems based solutions.
The CHIP has 5 Domains, one of which is Healthy Eating and Active Living. The Policy Council is chairing that domain and pushing forward current work as well as new projects to address issues of healthy food access, obesity, and active community environment.
Several speakers started the evening off – Mayor Petty, City Manager Augustus, John O’Brien, and Councilor Sarai Rivera. It was a true Public Health love fest where all declared the importance of public health efforts to a vibrant, thriving, economically successful city. And it felt like more than mere lip service to the efforts, but like a true realization that the interconnectedness of these issues – obesity, violence, mental health, substance abuse, racial equity – is at the nexus of Worcester’s success as a city.
You can read more about the CHIP here, some press coverage of the event here and here, and here’s a sampling of the outcomes FALPC has contributed to thus far:
17 mobile farmers’ market stops, 3 days per week
— sale #s: $128,427 in total sales, up 114%
–SNAP sales up 119% to roughly $35,000
— 52% of sales were with SNAP, WIC or senior coupons, clearly reaching low-income demographic
— Over 9,000 unique customers
–76% of customers surveyed said they eat more fruits and vegetables because of the market, and 82% people cited convenience as the number one reason they shop at the market
–Market survey also shows that customers reflect the racial, ethnic and economic diversity of Worcester
Mass in Motion Healthy Markets Initiative launched
–Gets produce and other healthy options into corner stores that can’t afford to do so now
–300 stores assessed
–2 stores in Worcester on board, selling new produce
–1 store in Millbury
–Partnership formed between WDPH, REC, and Maines Produce Express to source produce throughout the year
Early Childhood Obesity Work Group formed
–Has pulled together dozens of partners from early childhood
–3 childcare centers are implementing the 5-2-1-0 program messaging, have switched from serving juice to serving water, and instead of cupcakes on birthdays are doing a book donation to the classroom.
–3 television spots highlighting 5-2-1-0 and the importance of addressing healthy diet and activity for young children
–Partnership with Simmons college graduate students is also underway to look at best practices
Safe Routes to School task force launched
–Surveyed parents at six schools to identify pilot schools
— Working with Canterbury Street School, Grafton St. School, and Vernon Hill School to increase walking and biking of students and identify safe routes for students to use
–Task Force formed with representation from several school offices, school committee, regional planning, state offices, police, planning, and public health
WalkBike Worcester
–Tremendous amount of work educating advocates, city employees, elected officials and others on Complete Streets
–Have built great support for Senator Chandler’s Active Streets legislation, which could help bring funds to Worcester for more implementation of Complete Streets
–Monthly meetings have attracted great numbers of people who feel passionately about making Worcester more walkable and bikeable for all
–Held their first “social” at Urban Smokestack BBQ and it was a great success.
And this is all just our big wins! Stay tuned for more work from FALPC to help Worcester become the healthiest city in the region by 2020!
