1. Community Food Assessment
A Piece-by-Piece Approach
Liz Sheehan Castro
Worcester Food & Active Living
Policy Council

2. Who We Are
Engaging diverse partners to foster a healthy
and just food system and active community
environment.
 Educate  Advocate  Collaborate Celebrate 

3. Our History & Work
2006
2007-11
2011
2012
Worcester Advisory Food Policy Council Formed.
Worked to increase Summer Feeding sites.
Received 5-year grant from Health Foundation
of Central MA for Hunger-Free & Healthy.
Changed name to include “active living”.
Hunger-Free & Healthy ends; Policy Council
develops new goals.
Coalition is broader, stronger, and moving
forward on new initiatives.

4. Hunger-Free & Healthy
Project
1. Improving school meals in Worcester Public Schools;
2. Increasing the SNAP participation rate;
3. Establishing farmers’ markets in low-income areas of the city;
4. Increasing the number of school gardens in WPS;
5. Offering free nutrition-based cooking classes to low-income
families and teens;
6. Increasing communication and collaboration among
organizations, individuals and institutions involved in this work;
7. Advocating for policies and systems change that supports this
work;
8. Securing on-going funding and support for project components.

5. Current Focus
• Urban Agriculture
• Walking & Biking
• Hunger/SNAP
• Grocery Access
• School Garden
Curriculum
• Farm Bill
• Policymaker Education
• Public Education
• Communications
• Coalition & Network
Building
• Research
What How

6. Community Food Assessment
Our Methods: Piece-by-Piece
1. Community Assessments
2. Project Evaluations: Outcome & Process
3. Local Resources: Universities & Colleges

7. Findings
1. Mass in Motion Community Assessment of
Existing Policies
POLICY NEEDS
• Healthy options in restaurant/retail venues – policies and
programs
• Community gardens – policies and protection
• Access to supermarkets/large food outlets by public transit –
supportive policies
• Access to locally grown food – no policies

8. Findings
2. Hunger-Free & Healthy Project Evaluations

9. Findings
Farmers’ Market EBT/WIC/Senior Coupon Sales

10. Findings
3. Local Universities & Colleges
Projects Include:
• Food Availability Assessment (WPI)
• Farmers’ Market Analysis (WPI)
• Green Roofs Potential Analysis (WPI)
• Chronic Disease & Food Availability Assessment
(UMass Med.)
• Urban Agriculture Potential (WPI)
• School FoodScape Analysis (WPI)
• Food Hub Business Model Potential (Clark)

13. Benefits & Challenges
Benefits
• Cost Neutral
• Allows for work &
assessment
simultaneously
• Builds Relationships
Challenges
• Time
• Haphazard
• Dependent on
students/projects

14. Outcomes
• Farmers’ Market Permit
• WooFood Restaurant Certification Program
• Increased funding for Farmers’ Markets in low-
income areas, including a mobile market
• Increased funding of SNAP Outreach work
• Increase in state budget for SNAP Admin
• School Nutrition Legislation (state)
• Farming on city-owned land (pilot)
• 20 School Gardens (up from 3)
• School Garden Curriculum (planning phase)

15. Up Next
• Share Data & Findings with Local/State
Officials
• Urban Ag: Zoning, Permitting, Expand pilot on
city-owned land
• Grocery Access: Work on healthy food
marketing with local retail