NACDD is dedicated to supporting our Members and strategic partners with the tools, resources, and training and technical assistance needed to impact change in alignment with the National Strategy. Between March and October 2023, NACDD’s Center for Advancing Healthy Communities offered a learning and discussion series that supported the implementation of chronic disease prevention and health promotion activities that align with the White House National Strategy for Hunger, Nutrition, and Health (National Strategy). The goal of the seven-part series was to provide updates on the White House’s progress towards National Strategy goals, share resources related to each Pillar of the National Strategy, and create a space where attendees could learn from one another and exchange challenges and lessons learned.
Throughout the series, 10 organizations presented their innovative efforts in alignment with the National Strategy. Attendees were also given the opportunity to contribute to a working document—States and Partners in Action—that captured their specific activities. Below are some examples that were shared for each Pillar of the National Strategy.
PILLAR 1 – Improve food access and affordability
- Connecticut: Partnering with Connecticut Foodshare to develop and implement a series of trainings for food pantries/anchor organizations to improve equity and nutritional quality of foods through Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) and client choice implementation; as a result, five additional pantries have adopted SWAP.
- Maine: Permanently passed Universal Free School Meals.
PILLAR 2 – Prioritize the role of nutrition and food security in overall health
- Illinois: Conducted food insecurity screening for patients in clinics and created a food resource guide to distribute to those identified as food insecure.
- Oregon: Leveraging the Medicaid 1115 Demonstration Waiver with the overarching goal of addressing the food and health related social needs of Oregonians and advancing health equity; through the 1115 Waiver, Oregon also plans to increase access to food resources such as fruit and vegetable prescriptions and medically tailored meal delivery.
PILLAR 3 – Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices
- Washington: Developed and adopted food service guidelines, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections and Special Olympics Washington, to increase access to healthy food and beverage options for underserved populations (i.e., people who are incarcerated and people with disabilities).
- West Virginia: Working to increase the number of feeding sites using the Healthy Eating Research Nutrition guidelines to encourage healthier choices by making them the easier choice.
PILLAR 4 – Support physical activity for all
- Michigan: Conducting walkability assessments to help determine barriers and identify potential solutions for safe walking and biking.
- Ohio: The City of Columbus is developing and implementing a Transportation Ambassador program system in two high priority neighborhoods; Transportation Ambassadors are trained and compensated community members who support bicycle and bus rides for other community residents and increase awareness and use of active transportation resources and individual confidence in traveling around Columbus without a car.
PILLAR 5 – Enhance nutrition and food security research
- North Dakota: Conducting research to examine the impacts of Federal Indian policies on the Indigenous Food System, post colonization.
- Oklahoma: Examining social networks and their impacts on community food systems.
Learn more about how other states are carrying out activities that align with the National Strategy.
Although the series concluded in October 2023, NACDD is excited to provide ongoing support to its Members in 2024 by sharing innovative strategies and resources on the NACDD In Action – National Strategy Webpage.
How is your health department or organization supporting the National Strategy? Please share your story about how your work supports and aligns with the National Strategy.