Around the Corner to Better Health: A Milwaukee Corner Store Initiative

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1353-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Staci Young ◽  
Melissa DeNomie ◽  
JoAnne Sabir ◽  
Eric Gass ◽  
Jessie Tobin
Keyword(s):  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Food Justice ◽  
Food Storage ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Corner Store ◽  
Corner Stores

Purpose: To discuss successes and challenges of a collaborative pilot project to increase healthy food availability in corner stores in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Lindsay Heights Healthy Corner Store Initiative aimed to help corner stores sell high-quality produce by increasing supply of healthy foods and funding minor store upgrades to facilitate change. Design: Evaluation research. Setting: Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Participants: Corner stores; youth and adult community members. Intervention: (1) Supporting businesses in purchasing equipment to stock fresh produce, (2) connecting stores with produce sources, and (3) community outreach and marketing. Measures: Partnership capacity, youth engagement in food justice, and community members’ usage of corner stores. Analysis: Qualitative analysis; descriptive statistics. Results: Storeowners reported more sold produce items per week and increased noticeable fresh produce upon entrance into the store. There was increased or improved store redesign, fresh produce signage, in-store cooking demonstrations, and small business development resources. Conclusion: Youth learned about new vegetables, increased kitchen skills and proper food storage, and the effects of obesity on overall health. Similar interventions must address infrastructure costs, cooperation with property owners, and local policies and regulations affecting business practices.

scholarly journals Local Farmer Perspectives on Improving Produce Distribution Networks in Low-Income Urban Settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 149-149
Author(s):  
Kelley Koeppen ◽  
Dahiany Zayas-Toro ◽  
Nina Martin ◽  
Lisa Poirier ◽  
Emma Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Urban Settings ◽  
Market Expansion ◽  
Corner Store ◽  
Corner Stores ◽  
The City ◽  
Local Farmers

Abstract Objectives The Baltimore food system includes small hyper-local urban farms within city limits, larger local farms surrounding the city, and ubiquitous corner stores particularly in low-income neighborhoods of the city. In this system, farmers mainly reach consumers through farmer's markets that are only open for a limited number of hours per week, seasonally, and may not be adequate for meeting the needs of low-income households with low access to fresh produce. To address this gap, our team is working to develop a mobile application (app), called the Baltimore Urban food Distribution (BUD) app, that will provide a platform for farmers to sell their produce directly to corner stores for resale. Our present aims were to: (1) understand farmer's current interactions with corner stores; (2) explore perceived challenges that the BUD app may pose to farmers; and (3) pinpoint how the BUD app can sustainably expand farmers’ market base to include corner stores. Methods After designing a BUD app prototype based on formative research, 1-hour in-depth interviews were conducted with hyper-local and local farmers. Farmers were asked about their current distribution practices within Baltimore and perceived challenges in adopting the app. Farmers were then shown the prototype and asked to provide input on user-friendliness, and interest level in future use of the app. Results Local farmers currently have little to no interaction with corner stores. Interviews revealed that local farmers did not want the responsibility of delivering produce to corner stores due to long travel times. Choosing a central location for pickup by corner store owners, such as a farmer's market, could address this. Farmers liked app features such as product info pages and alerts for deals to support market expansion to corner stores. Social networking opportunities within the app can help foster sustainable relationships among local farmers and corner store owners. Conclusions A stronger distribution network is needed to facilitate increased access to fresh produce in low-income urban settings and strengthen connections between local farmers, corner stores, and consumers. Mobile technology offers a promising approach to improve food distribution between local farmers and corner stores and should be further explored. Funding Sources NHLBI, NIH, award number R34HL145368.

scholarly journals Improving Food System Connectivity: Using Mobile Technology to Leverage Community Partnerships and Strengthen Local Food Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 569-569
Author(s):  
Dahiany Zayas Toro ◽  
Kelley Koeppen ◽  
Emma Lewis ◽  
Lisa Poirier ◽  
Nina Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Corner Store ◽  
Corner Stores

Abstract Objectives In low-income areas of Baltimore, corner stores are common food sources yet often lack fresh produce. Corner stores are uniquely positioned in the urban food system and offer an opportunity to intervene on the supply chain. However, there is a critical gap in our understanding of the local food distribution network and the best strategies for provisioning corner stores with produce. We sought to inform the development of the Baltimore Urban food Distribution (BUD) mobile application (app), which moves fresh produce from local suppliers to corner stores. We sought to: (1) identify existing networks of local food distribution; (2) explore barriers to increasing fresh produce access within the local food system; and (3) evaluate the potential for sustainability of the BUD app. Methods Secondary data analysis of in-depth interviews (n = 17) conducted in 2016 among local food environment experts, corner store owners, distributors, and wholesalers was completed with the purpose of understanding existing networks of local food distribution, and barriers to increasing food access among stakeholders in the Baltimore food environment. Primary data collection was conducted in 2020–2021 with local stakeholders (n = 10) to confirm and expand upon these findings. Results Existing community distributor partnerships with corner stores and producers contribute to local food networks. Community food distributors with an established connection to wholesalers and urban farmers offer more direct access to fresh produce, but delivery is costly for corner stores. The BUD app could facilitate the arrangement of collective delivery services between distributors, urban farmers and corner stores. Potential barriers include a lack of demand for produce from consumers and a need for community engagement to be incorporated into the app. Conclusions Our findings suggest that enhancing community partnerships is a viable method for distributing fresh foods to local corner stores in Baltimore. Further research is needed to identify ways to increase consumer demand for these foods at the corner store level, and to strengthen the local food distribution system in Baltimore. Funding Sources NHLBI, NIH, award number R34HL145368.

The Good Food Box Pilot Project as a Contribution to Addressing Food Accessibility in the Elderly

2014 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-194
Author(s):  
Emily Rose Bell ◽  
Maureen Rose ◽  
Caryn Roll ◽  
Stéphanie Dupont
Keyword(s):  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Good Food

The Good Food Box (GFB) is a program that offers fresh produce to community members. The implementation of a GFB pilot project targeting the elderly in Côte Saint-Luc (CSL) is described. Feasibility is evaluated in terms of partnerships necessary to realize the project and suitability of the GFB among seniors. Outcomes, lessons learned, and future directions are also discussed. GFBs were delivered biweekly for 10 weeks to 14 participants over the age of 65 years. Baseline and final surveys were administered to assess user satisfaction and effects of the project. Overall, participants were satisfied, finding the location convenient and the produce to be of excellent quality. Respondents also indicated an increased quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables in their home and an enhanced connection with the community. Many participants commented on excessive quantity and difficulty preparing certain products, demonstrating that the GFB may not be practical for all seniors. Smaller quantities and volunteer assistance could improve the program. Following the successful pilot project, the GFB was expanded to all members of the CSL community. Using the GFB as a major source of fresh produce will positively impact the health and quality of life for those who reside within the community.

"Got Milk": Bridging the Town-Gown Divide with Evaluation Research in African-American Communities

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-8
Author(s):  
Ruth Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Cancer Society ◽  
Educational Mission ◽  
Collection Data ◽  
Emic Perspective

In 2000, I was asked by the American Cancer Society to evaluate We Care About Kids, a newly funded 18-month community-based pilot project to address cancer prevention needs in urban low-income minority populations. We Care About Kids (WCAK) peaked my interest for several reasons: First, as an applied medical anthropologist working in an academic setting, I seek opportunities to bridge the university's educational mission with service to the surrounding communities. Secondly, service in local community organizations provides opportunities for graduate students to understand how anthropology and anthropologists impact the lives of everyday citizens. Thirdly, this project would involve anthropology at its inception: thus I could incorporate an emic perspective into project activities from the beginning, increasing opportunities for community members' input in data collection, data analysis, and intervention development and implementation.

A Postmodernist Approach to Culturally Grounded Training in Early Childhood Care and Development

2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Ball ◽  
Alan Pence
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Training Model ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Early Childhood Care ◽  
Childhood Care ◽  
Constructions Of Childhood

This article describes a unique approach to involving cultural communities in elaborating curricula for training early childhood educators. This ‘Generative Curriculum Model (GCM) has been demonstrated in partnership programs between the authors and seven Canadian aboriginal communities. Indigenous experiences and culturally-valued knowledge are articulated by tribal Elders and considered alongside mainstream research and theory about child development and care. Ongoing evaluation research has documented the success of this model in facilitating completion of post-secondary training and career development among aboriginal students. The training resonates with the students’ own culture, and community members are involved throughout the training in dialogue and planned actions for delivering services for children and their families based on their own cultural constructions of childhood and effective care. The process and impacts of this training model in seven aboriginal communities in Canada are discussed in postmodernist terms. The legitimacy and potential utility of indigenous knowledge are acknowledged and multiple perspectives are brought to bear in elaborating effective praxis in community-driven early childhood care and education.

scholarly journals Digital storytelling in study abroad: toward a counter-catalogic experience

Seminar.net ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Digital Storytelling ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Critical Thought ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Digital Stories ◽  
Study Abroad Program

This article examines a pilot project incorporating digital storytelling into a short-term study abroad program in the small city of Guanajuato, Mexico. After contextualizing the project’s pedagogical and theoretical concerns, the article examines the resulting stories, underscoring their potential for helping students pay attention to specific sites, to think beyond the usual images one is bombarded with and to spark critical thought. It argues that digital storytelling allows both students and host community members to become authors and representers of their experiences, thus creating a “counter-catalogic” study abroad experience, i.e. one that goes beyond the staid images used to market these experiences abroad. Digital stories afford an exciting mode for thinking about how to create critical, intimate and dialogic encounters with others.

scholarly journals Feasibility of Introducing Mobile Point-of-Sale Technology into Urban Corner Stores for Evaluation of Sales

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 716-716
Author(s):  
Emma Lewis ◽  
Kaitlyn Harper ◽  
Joel Gittelsohn
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Electronic Record ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Baltimore City ◽  
Point Of Sale ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Corner Store ◽  
Corner Stores

Abstract Objectives Small urban corner stores are a common venue for public health interventions, but evaluation of these initiatives is hampered by lack of formal electronic record-keeping. Previous research in Baltimore City, Maryland found that corner store owners would be interested in having access to a mobile application which offers point-of-sale features. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of using a simple mobile point-of-sale tablet (POST) application to track sales of healthy foods and beverages in Baltimore City corner stores. Methods POST is an interactive Android tablet mobile application developed for use by small corner store owners to track unit sales of 14 foods and beverages. Selected items were chosen to represent a balance of healthy and unhealthy options. POST is designed to be intuitive and can be adapted for use in multiple languages. A sample of four geographically and ethnically diverse corner store owners located in Baltimore City were trained to use POST during transactions in which they sold any of the selected items over an 11-day period. The research team elicited user feedback on acceptability, operability, and perceived sustainability. Results Training on the use of POST took five minutes, on average, regardless of store owners’ language differences or familiarity with mobile technology. POST was found to have moderate acceptability, high operability, and moderately high perceived sustainability by corner store owners. All store owners that completed the study reported that POST was easy to use and that they would use it again. Conclusions It is feasible to train corner store owners in low-income areas to use a simplified point-of-sale mobile application for sales monitoring. Future research should explore the value added of POST for public health interventions which rely on formal electronic record-keeping. Funding Sources No funding was received for this research.

scholarly journals Improving community participation in clinical and translational research: CTSA Sentinel Network proof of concept study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-330
Author(s):  
Deepthi S. Varma ◽  
Alvin H. Strelnick ◽  
Nancy Bennett ◽  
Patricia Piechowski ◽  
Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Research Participation ◽  
Albert Einstein College ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Sentinel Network ◽  
The University ◽  
Research Studies

AbstractBackground:Research participation by members of racial or ethnic minority groups continues to be less than optimum resulting in difficulties to generalization of research findings. Community-engaged research that relies on a community health worker (CHW) model has been found effective in building trust in the community, thereby motivating people to participate in health research. The Sentinel Network study aimed at testing the feasibility of utilizing the CHW model to link community members to appropriate health research studies at each of the research sites.Methods:The study was conducted at six Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions (N = 2371) across the country; 733 (30.9%) of the participants were from the University of Florida, 525 (22.0%) were from Washington University in St. Louis, 421 (17.8%) were from the University of California, Davis, 288 (12.1%) were from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 250 (10.5%) were from Rochester, and 154 (6.5%) from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Trained CHWs from each of these sites conducted regular community outreach where they administered a Health Needs Assessment, provided medical and social referrals, and linked to eligible research studies at each of those sites. A 30-day follow-up assessment was developed to track utilization of services satisfaction with the services and research study participation.Results:A large majority of people, especially African Americans, expressed willingness to participate in research studies. The top two health concerns reported by participants were hypertension and diabetes.Conclusion:Findings on the rate of navigation and enrollment in research from this study indicate the effectiveness of a hybrid CHW service and research model of directly engaging community members to encourage people to participate in research.

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