Feb 22, 2010
Eat Well To Be Well
MIPH is honored to have the chance to plan, create, implement and eventually evaluate and help sustain the Eat Well To Be Well outreach project. At this time, the target audience is seniors (age 60+) in the nine county Twin Cities metro area who may qualify for the Food Support Program, the card swipe version of food stamps.
The funders and key initiators of this are Hunger Solutions and the Greater Twin Cities United Way, as part of the Twin Cities Hunger Initiative. They sought a contractor MIPH who could organize and deliver an audience-sensitive outreach campaign through a public health lens, meaning be data-driven, involve many sectors of the community, and emphasize primary prevention, with compelling communication art. This we can do.
60,000 eligible seniors simply do not access the Food Support Program, though 78,000 qualify. Either they are not aware of it, or they choose not to access ‘charity' but in any event dedicated resources that can help connect healthy and nutritious food to seniors who need it, aren't being accessed. We needed to join forces to help seniors and their friends, family, providers and advocates see better nutrition as a key to healthy aging.
Watch for signs of the Eat Well to Be Well campaign out there. Tell others about it. There is a simple "Call to See if You Qualify" message by dialing 1-888-711-1151. Posters mostly in English but also in other languages will feature colorful and nutritious food items such as fruits and veggies, and a tear-off sheet listing a phone number to call. Look for these in community centers, stores, senior centers, health settings, faith communities and more.
It's how the world is supposed to work.
- JJ
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