Session - Get Healthy: Innovative Public Market Strategies and Programs to Increase Access to Fresh, Healthy Food Gus Schumacher is Vice President of Wholesome Wave in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

1. GUS SCHUMACHER
Get Healthy!: Innovative
Public Market Strategies and
Programs to Increase Access
to Fresh, Healthy Food
Vice President
Wholesome Wave

2.
Gus Schumacher
9th International Public Markets Conference
March 28, 2015
Nutrition Incentives: A Route to Affordable
Access

4. A Broken System
Ø 1 in 3 children is overweight or
obese. 1 in 3 adults is obese.
Ø Children are forecasted to live
shorter lives than their
parents, mostly due to diet-
related illness.
Ø 95% of Americans under 50
do not eat recommended
amounts of vegetables.

5. The Problem: Lack of Affordable Food
Access
Ø Access to healthy food
depends on income level in
the U.S.
Ø Over 49 million Americans
are food insecure, lacking
access to healthy
affordable foods.
Ø Over 46 million Americans
are enrolled in SNAP, the
food stamp program. Half
of these are children and a
quarter are seniors.

6. The Solution: Nutrition Incentives
Ø Increase the buying
power of individuals
shopping with federal
benefits at the farmers
market with vouchers and
tokens.
Ø By making fruits and
vegetables affordable,
low-income shoppers are
able to make healthy food
choices for themselves and
their families.

8. Wholesome Wave’s Mission & Vision
Wholesome Wave strives to
create a vibrant, just and
sustainable food system by
enabling underserved
consumers to make healthier
food choices by increasing
affordable access to fresh,
local and regional food.
We hope to see a future
defined by affordable,
healthy, local food for all.

9. Wholesome Wave Initiatives: Addressing
Affordability and Health
We take a holistic,
community based
approach to our initiatives,
seeking simple solutions to
complex problems.
We work collaboratively
with farmers, farmers
markets, community leaders,
healthcare providers,
nonprofits and government
entities.

10. Sustainable Policy Change
2014 Farm Bill: $100 Million for SNAP Nutrition Incentives (FINI)
Incentives expand access to
affordable, healthful local foods.
Incentives increase fruit and
vegetable consumption.
Incentives enhance local economies,
market and farm viability.
Incentives deliver consumer impact.
DVCP SNAP Incentives and FVRx Health
Incentives:

11. Ø Human Health
Ø Environment
Ø Communities
Ø Economies
Rebuilding a fractured food system can have considerable
impact on:
Sweeping Impact of Nutrition Incentives