GOALS 2007-08
HELP: CHOOSE YOUR LIFE
Proud Recipient of the Congressional Victory Against Hunger Award
2007-08 Program Status and Goals
“Farm Fresh” School Program—Healthy Students
State Pilot Program offering 3 Elementary Schools a range of Farm to School Nutrition Education Programs, Produce Tastings, Cooking Demos, School Gardens, Classroom Ag Worker Presentations, Physical Activity Classes, Celebrating Wellness Days and locally grown Salad Bars. (Salinas, Monterey and Soledad-Pilot sites). Now entering second year offering initial 3 schools with expanded programs in creativity, energy (solar and wind), and restoring the planet. Potentially may add 3 more pilot schools in year two pending available funding.
Partners funded by HELP include: HELP Simply Fresh, Big Sur International Marathon’s Just Run Program, Life Lab Science Program, Cal State Monterey Bay’s Farm To School Partnership. Second year partners will include those prior partners and the Community Alliance of Family Farmers and Agriculture Land Based Training Association for school foods and salad bars. Program is mad possible by grants from the Lauralie and J.J. Irvine Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, and ongoing support from Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System.
Farm Fresh School Government Advocacy for Legislation--AB 967—State Funding for 2007-08
HELP has co written and is co-sponsoring for second cycle AB 967, (last year was AB 2121, Farm Fresh Schools), to fund 6 rural and urban Ag-based counties in the state with $150,000 each to pilot program to initiate private/public partnerships to assist schools implement their Wellness Policies with Farm Fresh School multi-disciplinary course work as outlined in above HELP Farm Fresh Schools pilot. AB 967 is being carried again by Assembly Member Nava. HELP will renew the support of Western Growers, Grower-Shipper, Senator Jeff Denham, Senator Maldonado and other political leaders, including Assembly Member Anna Caballero.
Project Head Start: Fruits and Veggies 101—Healthy Kids
Introducing Kids 3-5 in Monterey County’s 24 Head Start sites to the healthy and FUN world of produce with a delicious, hands-on program that takes kids from “yuck” to “yum” and teaches early healthy eating habits and agriculture appreciation. Teacher training and parent education included. One month each site. Will expand to offer gardening as second phase with added partners. This second year of the Head Start program made possible by grants from the Nutrition and Fitness Collaborative, the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and ongoing support from Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare.
Choose Your Life/ Agriculture Workplace Wellness Classes –Healthy Employees
Nutrition and exercise classes for regional agriculture employees. Assistance on developing company wellness policies and food changes. Four classes over one month. Over 450 administration, shed, cooler and field workers reached to date in 12 participating companies. Program offered in partnership with United Way/Success By 6, funded in-part by Monterey County Health Department/STEPS. HELP now expanding program to other non-Ag companies throughout county in next fiscal year including schools, hospitality, health care, community orgs, parent groups, etc. HELP will charge companies a fee for this program to create a new revenue stream so program is self-supporting.
Shaping Healthy Families/ Celebrating Wellness Days—Healthy Children and Parents
Offered FREE to 13 Salinas City Elementary Schools for parents, students and teachers, the half-day wellness celebration includes Wellness Assembly and three class rotations in cooking, nutrition education, Harvest of the Month, planting and gardening, and physical exercise. Program will be offered to 13 MPUSD Elementary Schools next school year pending HELP securing sponsorship. MCOE supports its expansion to all elementary schools in County and has donated production and distribution of a 5 minute DVD overview of the Wellness Day which has been sent to 95 elementary school principals in the county. Shaping Healthy Families is a four session, four week health, nutrition and physical activity program designed for Salinas area parents and children supported by a grant from the Carol White Foundation.
Simply Fresh TV-Produce Recipes/Nutrition Information—Healthy Communities
Healthy produce TV cooking showcase promoting nutrition and local brand awareness. Sponsored by regional Ag companies and the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System. 60 second commercials broadcast over 230 times per month on all regional broadcast and cable channels in English and Spanish.
Second season includes series of 90 second spots including thee 60 second recipes with 30 second guaranteed placement PSA’s attached. Sponsoring companies set to date include: Mills Family Farms, Growers Express/Green Giant, Mann Packing, Ocean Mist. New component of the added PSA has expanded sponsorship and partnership with non-Ag companies to showcase HELP programs and community support. Set to date: Rabo Bank, Salinas Steel Builders, MY Chevrolet, Northridge Mall. Each non-Ag company donates $15,000 unrestricted funds for HELP’s general operating expenses. Each Ag company donates $15,000 to cover recipe creation and production costs for their four commercial segments. Broadcast airtime generously purchased by Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System.
Also live cooking demos and produce samplings in local libraries, schools, clubs, grocery stores and special events. Recipes now featured in Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital’s cafeteria and patient meals and soon in Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
Fruit and Veggie Vending Machines/Salad Bars—Healthy Schools and Companies
National Pilot Program being developed in consultation with the Produce For Better Health Foundation. Now working for second legislative cycle with Sam Farr on a $175,00.00 Congressional Appropriation. Tim Silva of Silva Farms has expressed interest in partnering with HELP on the delivery and servicing of ten pilot machines in Monterey County. He and Suzanne Du Verrier are also developing strategy to move program forward without Federal funding. The goal is to get Monterey County single-serving produce into schools, community centers, hospitals and other publicly run institutions in the region and eventually around the state and nation.
Wellness Council Alliance—Uniting the Region
Alliance of all Wellness Council Chairs from 22 participating regional districts includes each Wellness Council Chair, as well as a parent and student rep. Will meet quarterly in workshops to share best practices, challenges and resource sharing.
National Steinbeck Center- Demo Kitchen “What’s cooking?”
HELP has been offered a permanent exhibit space as part of the National Steinbeck Center’s Agriculture Museum. HELP Board has approved development and funding of this exhibit which will feature nutrition information and HELP’s Simply Fresh video recipes.