Project Grant 20237041541068

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE NEED TO ADDRESS LOW FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE ACROSS NEW YORK STATE (NYS). CONSUMING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IS PROTECTIVE AGAINST DIET-RELATED CHRONIC ILLNESSES1, YET MOST AMERICANS ARE NOT MEETING DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, AMONG NYS ADULTS, 33.5% CONSUME FRUIT AND 20.5% CONSUME VEGETABLES LESS THAN ONCE DAILY, AND CONSUMPTION IS EVEN LOWER AMONG LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS2. THESE FINDINGS ARE ESPECIALLY CONCERNING GIVEN THAT IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 29.1%3 OF ADULTS IN NYS ARE OBESE. FURTHERMORE, ADULTS FROM LOW-INCOME AND RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIZED BACKGROUNDS ARE ESPECIALLY AT ELEVATED RISK FOR OBESITY4-6.ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY IN NYS TO INCREASE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE. IN 2021, MORE THAN 2 MILLION NYS RESIDENTS EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY7. DURING COVID-19, FOOD INSECURITY INCREASED IN NYS FROM 8.6% (2021) TO 9.7% (2022) AND INCREASED TWICE AS MUCH FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN VS. HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT CHILDREN8. ALSO, BLACK AND HISPANIC HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY MORE THAN NON-HISPANIC WHITE HOUSEHOLDS, 17.5%, 17%, AND 7.1% RESPECTIVELY8. REGARDING SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) PARTICIPATION, 2.8 MILLION NYS RESIDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN 2022 9 AND ~53% WERE HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN10.LOCAL CAPABILITIES AND ASSETS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY IN NYS. TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY IN NYS, THE FIELD & FORK NETWORK (F & FN) LAUNCHED THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS NEW YORK (DUFBNY) PROGRAM IN 2014 FOR SNAP USERS. DUFBNY STARTED AT 7 FARMERS MARKETS AND NOW HAS OVER 220+ SMALL RETAIL (E.G., CORNER STORES), GROCERY AND FARM DIRECT (FARMERS MARKETS, MOBILE MARKETS AND STOPS, AND FARM STANDS) SITES IN 32 COUNTIES. THIS IS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS NYS. GIVEN THE WIDE SERVICE AREA, FORMATIVE RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED ON AN ONGOING BASIS (RATHER THAN A ONE-TIME COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT) TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF NYS RESIDENTS.