Growing Food Security in Mattapan: The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Vivien Morris Glorie Vital Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition October 10, 2009 Food Policy Council Day Community Food Security Coalition Meeting Des Moines, Iowa

Overview A little about Mattapan Describing the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Defining healthy food access problems in Mattapan Strategies utilized by the MFFC Accomplishments, challenges and lessons learned

A little about Mattapan

Describing the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

Defining healthy food access problems in Mattapan

Strategies utilized by the MFFC

Accomplishments, challenges and lessons learned

Mattapan

Map of US with Boston and Des Moines

Mattapan: A few facts Southernmost community of Boston Population 44,000 18% of families and 25% of children live below the poverty level 91% of residents are people of color Largest Haitian population north of New York 35.7% of population is under the age of 20

Southernmost community of Boston

Population 44,000

18% of families and 25% of children live below the poverty level

91% of residents are people of color

Largest Haitian population north of New York

35.7% of population is under the age of 20

More Facts No full service grocery store lies within the Mattapan boundaries Residents report not being able to shop where they’d like because of distance and high food prices Mattapan has the highest obesity rate of any community in the state

No full service grocery store lies within the Mattapan boundaries

Residents report not being able to shop where they’d like because of distance and high food prices

Mattapan has the highest obesity rate of any community in the state

Mattapan Retail Food Establishments

Obesity in Boston Adults Who are Overweight or Obese by Neighborhood, 2003 and 2005* Boston 50% Allston/Brighten 38% Back Bay** 36% Charlestown 48% Dorchester 64% E. Boston 58% Fenway 32% Hyde Park 64% Jamaica Plain 37% Mattapan 70% Roslindale 60% South Boston 55% South End 44% W. Roxbury 50% ** Boston Sample Only ** Back Bay includes the North End Data Source: Behavior Risk Factor Survey:: BRFSS, Boston Public Health Commission Data Analysis: BPHC Research Office

The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition – History January 2007 , launch of the Mattapan Food and Fitness Initiative 2007 ,first Farmers Market 2008 , first Mattapan Moving for Life Event 2008 , Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Vigorous Youth begun 2008 , conducted community assessment and hosted community wide planning meetings (co-sponsored with the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness) 2009 , Promoting healthier menus in local restaurant 2009 , MFFC Vigorous youth interview mayoral candidates on plans and policies on food and fitness 2009 , Strategic planning process completed

January 2007 , launch of the Mattapan Food and Fitness Initiative

2007 ,first Farmers Market

2008 , first Mattapan Moving for Life Event

2008 , Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Vigorous Youth begun

2008 , conducted community assessment and hosted community wide planning meetings (co-sponsored with the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness)

2009 , Promoting healthier menus in local restaurant

2009 , MFFC Vigorous youth interview mayoral candidates on plans and policies on food and fitness

2009 , Strategic planning process completed

The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition – Who we are Individual Mattapan residents Mattapan Community Development Corporation Mattapan Community Health Center Mattapan Board of Trade Mattapan Cultural Arts Council Mattapan Family Services and ABCD Colorado Street Neighborhood Association Church of the Holy Spirit Jubilee Christian Church Mattapan Civic Association Mildred Avenue Community Center City Natives Nursery/BNAN, Mattapan Nutrition and Fitness for Life Program, BMC Brookwood Community Farm Powisett Farm BOND of Color Boston STEPS, BPHC The Harvard Prevention Research Center Haitian American Public Health Initiative Friends of Young Achievers School Youth and Family Enrichment Services And growing

Individual Mattapan residents

Mattapan Community Development Corporation

Mattapan Community Health Center

Mattapan Board of Trade

Mattapan Cultural Arts Council

Mattapan Family Services and ABCD

Colorado Street Neighborhood Association

Church of the Holy Spirit

Jubilee Christian Church

Mattapan Civic Association

Mildred Avenue Community Center

City Natives Nursery/BNAN, Mattapan

Nutrition and Fitness for Life Program, BMC

Brookwood Community Farm

Powisett Farm

BOND of Color

Boston STEPS, BPHC

The Harvard Prevention Research Center

Haitian American Public Health Initiative

Friends of Young Achievers School

Youth and Family Enrichment Services

And growing

Mattapan Food and Fitness Survey Results 2008 102 surveys conducted July – October 2008 by 15 youth 7 key informant interviews conducted Two focus groups conducted with 16 total participants Part of larger project with Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness

102 surveys conducted July – October 2008 by 15 youth

7 key informant interviews conducted

Two focus groups conducted with 16 total participants

Part of larger project with Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness

Where people shop, Mattapan 19% Do NOT shop at their favorite store because: Time to get there (26%) Cost (21%) Difficult to access (5%)

Factors Influencing Food Purchasing, Mattapan Mattapan residents care most about taste, price, and health.

Reasons for non-use of neighborhood fitness activities, Mattapan Safety in parks is a big concern in Mattapan

Multiple Approaches to Addressing Healthy Food Access Community engagement in goal setting Improving Healthy Food Access Health Education Leadership Development

Community engagement in goal setting

Improving Healthy Food Access

Health Education

Leadership Development

Community Engagement in Goal Setting Monthly community meetings Community assessment process led by youth (in collaboration with BCFF) Community Report Back and discussion meeting MFFC website: www.mattapanfoodandfitness.org

Monthly community meetings

Community assessment process led by youth (in collaboration with BCFF)

Community Report Back and discussion meeting

MFFC website: www.mattapanfoodandfitness.org

Improving Healthy Food Access Farmers Market Build a Garden (BAG) project with The Food Project Work with local restaurants Political Action Committee (just begun)

Farmers Market

Build a Garden (BAG) project with The Food Project

Work with local restaurants

Political Action Committee (just begun)

Farmers Market Youth visits to farms Special outreach and support to elders Health education at market Harvest Festival Culture (translation/personal shopping assistance)

Youth visits to farms

Special outreach and support to elders

Health education at market

Harvest Festival

Culture (translation/personal shopping assistance)

Efforts to Address Local Concerns in the Mattapan Farmers Market Convenience Market located in heart of Mattapan Square Cost Venders price items with sensitivity to local economic hardships WIC and Senior Farmers Market Vouchers EBT (Food Stamps) accepted and doubled in value

Convenience

Market located in heart of Mattapan Square

Cost

Venders price items with sensitivity to local economic hardships

WIC and Senior Farmers Market Vouchers

EBT (Food Stamps) accepted and doubled in value

Making the Farmer’s Market Mattapan-Specific Culturally specific produce Discussions on local vs. non-local produce How to keep food prices low Youth leadership

Culturally specific produce

Discussions on local vs. non-local produce

How to keep food prices low

Youth leadership

Making the Farmers Market Mattapan-Specific, cont. Using market to build vibrancy in community, educate, and enrich other programs/institutions

Using market to build vibrancy in community, educate, and enrich other programs/institutions

Health Education Partners provide health education at farmers market, and other venues Trips to local farms Brookwood Powisett

Partners provide health education at farmers market, and other venues

Trips to local farms

Brookwood

Powisett

Leadership Development Vigorous Youth (food assessment, work with other youth, video project, etc.) Healthy Communities training program Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness trainings on research methods Anti-Racism and Health Equity trainings Videography training

Vigorous Youth (food assessment, work with other youth, video project, etc.)

Healthy Communities training program

Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness trainings on research methods

Anti-Racism and Health Equity trainings

Videography training

MFFC Highlights and Accomplishments Coordinate the Mattapan Farmers Market , bringing fresh, affordable and locally grown produce and health promotion activities to Mattapan 2007, 2008, and 2009; special elder outreach and transportation in 2009 200 attendees at the Mattapan Moving for Life event in 2008 and 2009 learned about local fitness resources and engaged in traditional and non-traditional physical activities Local teens surveyed community residents to determine their visions for a healthier Mattapan Partnership with other Mattapan organizations to show films on racial equity and health (“Place Matters”) in 2008

Coordinate the Mattapan Farmers Market , bringing fresh, affordable and locally grown produce and health promotion activities to Mattapan 2007, 2008, and 2009; special elder outreach and transportation in 2009

200 attendees at the Mattapan Moving for Life event in 2008 and 2009 learned about local fitness resources and engaged in traditional and non-traditional physical activities

Local teens surveyed community residents to determine their visions for a healthier Mattapan

Partnership with other Mattapan organizations to show films on racial equity and health (“Place Matters”) in 2008

MFFC Highlights and Accomplishments, cont. Successful effort to get local restaurant to cease offering and promoting unhealthy menu option Multiple successful community meetings in 2009 to engage community members in selecting action priorities Partnership with The Food Project to build raised bed gardens at the homes of Mattapan residents Partnership with the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness to affect city wide policy change

Successful effort to get local restaurant to cease offering and promoting unhealthy menu option

Multiple successful community meetings in 2009 to engage community members in selecting action priorities

Partnership with The Food Project to build raised bed gardens at the homes of Mattapan residents

Partnership with the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness to affect city wide policy change

Challenges Limited assets (volunteer organization with no staff, no office or our own meeting space; limited ability to stipend youth) Need to get at root causes, not just symptoms Reaching out to entire community (all ages, organizations, etc.)

Limited assets (volunteer organization with no staff, no office or our own meeting space; limited ability to stipend youth)

Need to get at root causes, not just symptoms

Reaching out to entire community (all ages, organizations, etc.)

Lessons Learned Uncover assets within and outside the community Our youth are our most valuable asset Build relationships through joint action Think big but take doable steps Commit to our goals Be patient and believe

Uncover assets within and outside the community

Our youth are our most valuable asset

Build relationships through joint action

Think big but take doable steps

Commit to our goals

Be patient and believe

“ Mattapan will become known as one of the healthiest communities in Boston, with easy access to affordable and healthy food. Our streets will be clean, safe and walkable. Our residents of all ages and abilities will take regular advantage of the abundant and inviting play spaces and recreational opportunities.”