Cover for Blog Post - Left side with Green Background that says: " RiseVT Grant Opportunities for Community Health Programming Now Available in St. Johnsbury and Island Pond." On the right side of the cover image, there is an illustration showing a dynamic and healthy community in Vermont. In the foreground, a hiker is climbing a hill with his dog. In the middle ground, people are exercising, walking their dogs, playing, running, and biking. In the background of the illustration is a small Vermont town on the edge of a lake with mountains in the distance.

RiseVT in Windsor County worked with their Planning and Evaluation Workgroup made up of community partners to develop a strategy to increase the healthy options at local food shelves. This project was twofold. 1) They put out a call for specific healthy food donations and 2) they created signage that would draw food shelf patrons to request the healthy options. The latter was a crucial component of the project. The Windsor Food Shelf had found that despite adding gluten free options to their stock as requested from recent survey results, patrons weren’t asking for the gluten free options when at the counter (this food shelf is set up so patrons order at a counter rather than peruse the shelves themselves).

RiseVT set up collection sites throughout the Mt. Ascutney Hospital and disseminated this shopping list of healthy options:

Cover for Blog Post - Left side with Green Background that says: " RiseVT Grant Opportunities for Community Health Programming Now Available in St. Johnsbury and Island Pond." On the right side of the cover image, there is an illustration showing a dynamic and healthy community in Vermont. In the foreground, a hiker is climbing a hill with his dog. In the middle ground, people are exercising, walking their dogs, playing, running, and biking. In the background of the illustration is a small Vermont town on the edge of a lake with mountains in the distance.

The drive was a success. Each of the collections sites were full of low sugar, low salt, whole grain, and gluten free options!

Health on the Shelf most closely aligns with CDC Strategy number 1 to increase availability of healthy foods and beverages in public service venues. 

For more information:

Please contact Public Affairs at OneCare Vermont. public@onecarevt.org | 802-847-1346

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