Community Programs and Initiatives

Best Bones Ever

- campaign to promote optimal bone health in girls 9-12 years of age and reduce risk of osteoporosis later in life - encourage calcium consumption and physical activity

Eat Smart, Play Hard

- conveys motivational messages about healthful eating and physical activity - 2-18 years old

Farm to School programs

- gain access to healthy, local foods and experiential learning opportunities

Fuel Up to Play 60

- in school program encourages the availability and consumption of nutrient rich foods and at least 60-minutes of PA a day

Kids Cafe Program

- largest free meal service program for children - provide free prepared food and nutrition education to hungry children

Fruits and Veggies; More Matters

- promotes increased consumption of F&V by adults and children

CHIP

Created to target children of whom are part of working families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private health insurance. - eligibility varies state to state

Medicare

Designed to assist: - people 65 and older - people of any age with ESRD - people eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months - people who had medicare-covered government employment

Medicaid

Provides assistance with medical care for: - eligible persons with low income; 133% of poverty line - certain pregnant women and children with low incomes - older adults, the blind, and people with disabilities - members of families with dependent children in which one parent is absent, incapacitated, or unemployed.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

Year: 1946 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Assists states in providing nutritious free or reduced price lunches to eligible children Assistance provided: schools receive cash subsidies and USDA commodities for each meal served. Eligibility: - any school of high school grade or under can participate - children from households at or below 130% poverty line eligible for FREE meals. - children from households at or below 185% poverty line can get reduced-price meals. Other:

Special Milk Program

Year: 1955 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: encourage fluid milk consumption by children. Assistance provided: schools receive reimbursement for milk served to children eligible for free milk and cash subsidies for each half-pint of milk sold. Pasteurized fluid types of unflavored or flavored fat-free or low-fat milk that meets state and local standards may be served. all milk should contain vitamins A and D at specified levels. Eligibility: - and child from a family that meets income guidelines for NSLP free lunch gets free milk. Other:

Commodity Foods

Year: 1961 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: support American agricultural producers by providing cash reimbursements for meals served in schools; provide nutritious, USDA-purchased food for the NSLP, CACFP and SFSP. Assistance provided: Food commodities to eligible programs. Eligibility: NSLP-participating schools or institutions participating in CACFP or SFSP are eligible to receive USDA-donated commodities. Other:

SNAP

Year: 1961 Funded by: USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Purpose: improve the diets of low-income households by increasing access to food/food-purchasing ability Assistance provided: Direct payments in the form of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) redeemable at most retail food stores Eligibility: based on household size, income, assets, housing costs, work requirements and other factors. Differs by state. Other: - formerly known as Food Stamps

Older Americans Nutrition Program

Year: 1965 Funded by: DHHS, AOA Purpose: improve dietary intakes and nutrition status of participating older adults and offer them opportunities to form new friendships and create informal support networks. Assistance provided: Congregate and home-delivered meals and other nutrition services - nutrition screening, assessment, education, and general counseling to identify older adults' general and special nutritional needs -provided in a variety of settings, such as senior centers, schools, and individual homes. - meals served must provide at least 1/3 of recommended intakes established by the FNB. Eligibility: - adults 60 and older - no needs test is established but targeted at needy elder people and low-income minorities. Other: - formerly known as the Elderly Nutrition program

Head Start/Early Head Start

Year: 1965/1994 Funded by: DHHS, Administration for Children and Families Purpose: Increase the school readiness of young children in low-income households. Also, to promote healthy prenatal outcomes, enhance the development of infants and toddlers, and foster healthy family functioning. Assistance provided: Comprehensive, focused child development programs serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. Health, education, nutrition, and social services are provided and are responsive and appropriate to each child's and family's heritage and experience; services encompass all assets of a child's development and learning. Eligibility: reside in households with incomes below the official poverty guidelines. Other:

School Breakfast Program

Year: 1966 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Assist states in providing nutritious breakfasts to children. Free and reduced-price meals must be offered to eligible children. Assistance provided: Schools and institutions receive cash subsidies for each meal served. Eligibility: Public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions may participate. Operates the same as NSLP. Other:

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

Year: 1968 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Ensure that children in lower-income areas continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast. All meals are served free to eligible children. Assistance provided: Approved sponsors receive reimbursment for serving meals that meet federal nutritional guidelines; payments are received through state agencies based on # of meals served and documented costs of running the program. Eligibility: - all <18 who qualify may receive free meal - disabled >18 - those who qualify for free or reduced in NSLP Other:

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Year: 1968 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: improve the quality and affordability of daycare for low-income families by providing nutritious meals and snacks to children and adults who receive care in nonresidential adult daycare centers, providing meals to children residing in homeless shelters, and providing snacks and suppers to youth participating in eligible after-school care programs. Assistance provided: Cash reimbursements for meals served that meet federal nutrition guidelines and reimbursements of associated administrative costs. Eligibility: - same as NSLP Other:

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

Year: 1968 Funded by: USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Purpose: Assist adults and youth with limited resources in acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and changed behavior necessary for nutritionally sound diets and to contribute to their personal development and the improvement of the total family diet and nutritional well-being. Assistance provided: Adults participate in a series of 10-12 or more lessons, often over several months, delivered by paraprofessionals and volunteers, many of whom are indigenous to the target population, using hands-on, learn-by-doing approach. - youth programs include nutrition ed at school, in after-school care programs, through 4-H EFNEP clubs, day camps, residential camp, community centers, neighborhood groups and workshops. - Topics: nutrition, food preparation, budgeting, food safety, youth topics, fitness, avoidance of substance abuse Eligibility: recruitment typically through referrals from neighborhood contacts and community agencies (SNAP and WIC) Other:

Commodity Supplemental Food Program

Year: 1969 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: improve the health and nutrition status of low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, other new mothers up to one year postpartum, infants, children up to age 6, and older adults at least 60 years by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods. Assistance provided: provides food and administrative funds to states. Eligibility: - at or above 60 - below 130% fed poverty line - be determined at nutritional risk by health professional. Other:

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Year: 1972 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Safeguard the health of low-income women, infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. Assistance provided: Provides nutritious foods to supplement diets, nutrition education and counseling, and screening/referrals to other health, welfare and social services. Eligibility: - pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum woman - infants up to 1 year of age - children up to 5 years of age if individually determined to be at risk nutritionally Other:

Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

Year: 1976 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Provide commodity foods and nutrition education to improve the dietary quality of low-income house-holds, including older adults, living on Indian reservations or designated areas near-by. Assistance provided: food and administrative funds to tribal organizations and states. Eligibility: at least 1 person in the household must be a member of a federally recognized tribe. Must meet income and resource criteria. Other:

Food Distribution Disaster Assistance (FDDA)

Year: 1977 Funded by: USDA, FNS (Disaster Feeding Situations are administered by DHS/s Federal Emergency Management Agency) Purpose: supply food to disaster relief organizations such as the Red Cross or Salvation Army for mass feeding or household distribution in a disaster situation, such as a storm, earthquake, civil disturbance or flood. Assistance provided: Provides commodity foods for shelters and other mass feeding sites, distributes commodity food packages directly to households in need, and issues emergency SNAP benefits. Eligibility: - if president declares a disaster - disaster relief agencies - those who dont qualify for SNAP, if disaster damages their home - lost income as result of a disaster - those participating in SNAP already Other:

Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP)

Year: 1978 Funded by: DHHS, ADA (with financial support from USDA) Purpose: Provides incentives to states and tribes for the efficient delivery of nutritious meals to older adults. Assistance provided: Cash and/or commodities to agencies for meals served. Eligibility: - 60 years or older and their spouses - disabled people under 60 who live in older adult housing facilities where congregate meals are served - disabled persons who reside at home and accompany older adult participants to meals - volunteers who assist in the meal service may also receive meals. Other:

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

Year: 1981 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Supplement the diets of low-income needy persons, including older adults, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance. Assistance provided: Provides commodity foods to state distributing agencies, which are typically food banks, that then distribute foods to the public through soup kitchens and food pantries. Eligibility: needy individuals, usually those who have low incomes, are unemployed or receive welfare benefits. Other:

SNAP Nutrition Education

Year: 1986 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Increase the likelihood that those eligible for Snap benefits will make healthful choices on limited budget and choose active lifestyles consistent with the DGAs. Assistance provided: optional program, not offered in every state. States are reimbursed 50% by the USDA of the allowable administrative costs deemed necessary to operate the program. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is the predominant sponsoring state agency, but state nutrition education networks, public health departments, welfare agencies and other university academic centers are also sponsoring agencies. Eligibility: those eligible for SNAP benefits. Other: - some states call is Family Nutrition Program.

WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program

Year: 1992 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Provide fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to WIC recipients and expand the awareness, use of, and sales at farmers markets. Assistance provided: FMNP coupons to purchase a variety of fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Eligibility: same as WIC, but infants must be over 4 mo Other:

Team Nutrition

Year: 1995 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Improve the health of children by having school meals reflect federal dietary guidelines. Assistance provided: Schools receive technical training and assistance to help school foodservice staff prepare nutrition education to help children understand the link between eating/physical activity and health. Eligibility: schools that participate in school meal programs and other partners found in federal, state and local programs, agencies and organizations. Other:

Afterschool Snack Program

Year: 1998 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Assists school-based after-school educational or enrichment programs in providing healthful snacks to children through age 18; an expansion of NSLP. Assistance provided: available through NSLP. Schools receive cash subsidies for each snack served. Snacks must contain two different components of the following: - a serving of fluid milk, - a serving or meat or meat alternative, - a serving of vegetables or fruit or full strength fruit or vegetable juice, a serving of whole-grain or enriched bread or cereal. Eligibility: same as NSLP Other:

Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

Year: 2001 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: provide resources in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs from famers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs to low-income seniors; increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding or aiding in the expansion of these domestic agriculture programs; and develop or aid in the development of new and additional farmers' markets, roadside stands and community-supported ag programs. Assistance provided: during harvest season, coupons are provided that can be exchanged for eligible foods at farmers; markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs. Fresh, nutritious, unprocessed fruits, veggies and fresh-cut herbs can be purchased. Eligibility: - adults over 60 with income no more than 185% of poverty guidelines. Other:

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

Year: 2002 Funded by: USDA, FNS Purpose: Introduce children to fresh fruit and vegetables. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 authorized the pilot program, and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) amended the Richard B Russel National School Lunch Act by adding the FFVP, allowing for national expansion of the program. Assistance provided: Provides fresh and dried fruits and fresh vegetables free to children nationwide in selected schools in 50 states, the District of Colombia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Eligibility: .... Other: