Spartanburg, SCCreating Community Markets

Mission: To increase the demand and availability of healthy food in Spartanburg County.

Spartanburg, SC

• In 2007 the DHEC reported that 64 % of our residents were overweight or obese.

• More than 12 % of County residents are food insecure.

• 81% of Spartanburg adults don’t eat the recommended servings of fruits and veggies.

•34.4% of children ages 6-11 in Spartanburg were obese or overweight.

Farmers’ MarketYear-long Planning Process Market Visits FM Advisory Committee Project for Public Spaces Train Committee Site Selection Community Placemaking Workshop Business and Operating Plan Programming

Placemaking Workshop

HCFM Timeline:

2006: Opened the Saturday Market.

2007: Started operating Wednesday market.

2008: Vendors began receiving SFMNP vouchers.

2009: Started market in Inman on Thursdays.

2009: Began accepting SNAP at Saturday and Thursday market

2009: Community Food Assessment Four of the five areas surveyed are significant food deserts,

with the residents of the City of Spartanburg being at the greatest risk considering high RFEI and poverty rate.

Outlying municipalities should be considered separately from city. None of the municipality residents live more than 10 miles from a grocery store, while most residents of the City don’t live in the defined walkable distance, therefore they have little access.

Since the relationship between RFEI and obesity and diabetes rates are strong we should all be worried about the high rates in this study. The residents who live in food deserts are at high risk of poor health outcomes.

Community Food Assessment

Area # of Fast Food Restaurants

# of Convenience Stores

Grocery Stores

Produce Vendors

RFEI

Inman 15 7 3 0 7.33

Boiling Springs

26 10 5 0 7.20

Pacolet 2 3 2 0 2.50

Woodruff 8 5 2 0 6.50

City of Spartan-burg

85 34 14 0 8.50

2010: RWJ & Convergence Grants• Community advisory councils were formed in 4 Spartanburg County communities. Each group is tasked with creating solutions to barriers to healthy eating and active living in their community.

• In 2010, the residents of the Northside of Spartanburg decided they wanted their own farmers’ market in their community to increase access to healthy foods.

• HCFM applied for a Convergence grant for a Mobile Market, a new practice that would allow local food to brought to the community and sold at affordable prices.

Northside Community Meeting

Mobile Market 2010 Season•Partnered with Partners for Active Living to also bring a mobile bike-lending program to the community. Bikes were attached to market in a trailer.

•Stopped at three different locations on Tuesdays: Cleveland Elementary, Chapel Street Park and Victoria Gardens Apartments.

• All produce was sourced from producers who are vendors at the farmers’ markets.

•SNAP/EBT was accepted through Manual Sales Drafts, over $30 in in Food Stamps were used at the Mobile Market during the pilot month.

Mobile Market

Mobile Market Opening Day Coupons for a free pound of produce were given to

Community Advisory Team Members.

Coupons for “buy one pound of produce get one free” were distributed to community members living in the neighborhood around the park and in the housing units. Advisory Team Members also distributed these coupons to friends.

Students at Cleveland Elementary each went home with fliers about the Mobile Market.

Entertainment was provided by a local dance group.

Members of the Neighborhood Council volunteered and helped with promotions and set-up of market.

Mobile Market Opening Day

2011 Mobile Market Season:• The Mobile Market will stop in all four communities where HCFM is working on Childhood Obesity initiatives, at least once a month – HCFM will focus on under-served communities.

• A wireless EBT machine will be purchased to make SNAP usage more convenient and speedy.

•More EBT and produce signage for unfamiliar shoppers.

• The Mobile Market will partner with the faith-based community, schools and city leadership to reach large groups of people.