June 2023 Nutrition Notes
June 2023 Nutrition Notes
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A Message from our Executive Director
As I reflect on last week’s biannual National Convening for the Nutrition Incentive Hub in Arlington, Virginia, I’m heartened by the continued innovation, dedication and tenacity shown by Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grantees and practitioners. A big shout out to our partners at Fair Food Network and the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), as well as all partners as they remain adaptable to the ever-changing nutrition and food security landscape.
Jointly hosted by the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact (formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition), Fair Food Network and the Nutrition Incentive Hub’s coalition of partners, the 2023 National Convening presented an opportunity to connect with and learn from a national network of nutrition incentive and produce prescription practitioners, GusNIP grantees, funders, policymakers, technology providers, researchers and others. About 350 people attended in person and another 200+ virtually.
What made this Convening so special is that it was the first in-person convening since the Center started serving as the National Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information (NTAE) center for GusNIP in 2019. As the Project Director of the NTAE Center, it was exciting to facilitate national conversations that pushed innovation in research and focused on creating, supporting and expanding programs that promote nutrition and food security.
I helped in kicking off the week with welcome remarks alongside GusNIP NTAE Center Project Lead of Technical Assistance and Fair Food Network Chief Strategy and Program Officer Holly Parker and co-led Learning Session: Evolving the GusNIP Produce Prescription Evaluation with the Center’s Principal Research Scientist Chris Long. I had the opportunity to introduce the USDA panel on the second day, which was an inspiring panel highlighting how USDA is here to help GusNIP grantees in navigating current grants, as well as applicants for new grants.
We also released the GusNIP Year 3 Impact Findings and companion pieces, highlighting some key findings and underscoring that these programs work:
Participants receiving nutrition incentives (NI) and produce prescriptions (PPR) through GusNIP projects reported higher fruit and vegetable (FV) intake than the average U.S. adult.
Food security improved with participation in NI and PPR programs.
There was a tenfold increase in dollar value of nutrition incentives distributed and number of redemption sites available to participants since Year 1.
The Year 3 findings demonstrate continued, collective success of NI and PPR projects. In Year 4, we're hoping to continue seeing increased nutrition security, food security and FV intake. We look forward to continued partnership with USDA and all of our partners, as well as finding new ways to disseminate information and highlight GusNIP.
Pictured above (from left to right): Executive Director Amy Yaroch, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and GusNIP NTAE Center Project Lead of Technical Assistance and Fair Food Network Chief Strategy and Program Officer Holly Parker.
We're proud to share the GusNIP Year 3 results with you and hope you will explore the Year 3 report and companion pieces.