National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference 2024

Remley, D, Jones, T, Shirtzinger, S, Barton, A, Graham, Y, Little, J, Ryan- Adams, D, and Neu- Brown, D.
Food insecure populations are often challenged by limited resources when making dietary
choices, which affect the quality and quantity of healthy foods they eat. Unfortunately, poor
nutrition increases the risks for diet-related chronic diseases. The Voices for Food (VFF)
program was developed by Extension services in six states and aims to improve food insecurity
and healthy food access through the development of food councils and MyChoice food pantries
that promote nutrition and offer client choice. Using a social-ecological approach, food councils
support the work of the pantries by building local partnerships. The components of VFF include
a food council creation guide, a MyChoice food pantry toolkit, and affiliated assessments. Food
councils and food pantries can identify starting points, set goals, and measure progress using
the assessments. Since 2018, seven counties in Ohio have used Voices for Food materials and
received coaching, and four of those received mini grants to support their work and were
required to complete assessments for three years. All four of the counties who received funding
showed progress in their food council assessments, with two showing progress in the MyChoice
food pantry assessment. Three counties that did not receive funding were able to use the guides
and assessments to begin food councils. The products of all these efforts include the
introduction of produce prescriptions, fruit and vegetable SNAP incentives, Farmers Market
SNAP programs, healthy nudges in retail, mobile food distribution, community gardens, and
MyChoice food pantries.