The Nutrition Equity Committee was established to unify and sustain the two nutrition strategies within the REACH grant to realize nutrition equity in Cuyahoga County. Nutrition equity represents a state of having freedom, agency, and dignity in food traditions resulting in holistic health – in body, mind, and spirit – for people and communities. The REACH strategies deployed to realize nutrition equity in Cuyahoga County will vary based on the working group. Most of the activities of the Nutrition Equity Committee will occur in the working groups.
Why was the Nutrition Equity Committee initiated?
Increasing access to healthier foods is a top priority based on the 2022 Cuyahoga County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Similar results were found in a 2022 neighborhood-level CHNA conducted by the Case Western University (CWRU) Swetland Center within three neighborhoods in Cleveland: Buckeye, Central, and Kinsman.
Purpose
To share learnings across working groups and with the wider community, provide strategic connections, and identify systemic opportunities to increase and sustain access to nutritious foods among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities in Cuyahoga County by combining strengths of the Nutrition Equity Committee members with tangible support from the REACH project to realize nutrition equity.
Leadership
Chaired by Darcy Freedman from the Swetland Center and Alison Patrick from CCBH; they lead the two nutrition strategies in the REACH grant. Co-Chairs will be elected from each Working Group.
Membership
3-5 representatives from each of the working groups for a total membership of approximately 8-12 members + chairs (2) and co-chairs (2). Representatives from each working group will be appointed by each working group.
Early Care and Education (ECE) Working Group
Purpose
Eliminating disparities and inequities in health outcomes for young children will require a multi-level, multi-sector approach centered on ECE programs. CCBH has a strong track record of working with ECE settings within the city’s urban core and surrounding first-ring communities to impact the health of Black and Hispanic children ages 0-5. The ECE strategy work will be integrated into the Nutrition Equity Committee of HIP-Cuyahoga/REACH.
The Early Care and Education Working Group is coordinated by:
- Alison Patrick, MPH, RD, LD
- Supervisor, Youth Health and Wellness at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health
For more information on this working group, contact Alison Patrick.
Produce Prescription Working Group
The Produce Prescription Working Group is focused on developing and promoting policy solutions to increase the number of clinical sites prescribing and the number of patients receiving produce prescriptions in Cuyahoga County. The end goal of this committee is to develop policy supports to ensure anyone in Cuyahoga County who needs a produce prescription can get a produce prescription regardless of their health care provider, location, and/or insurance status.
Purpose
To inform the development and implementation of policies that expand and sustain culturally relevant produce prescription programming to (a) maximize freedom, agency, and dignity in food traditions that lead to holistic health among patients in areas of high food need; (b) wealth building among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino growers, distributors, and nutrition educators involved in produce prescription program delivery; and (c) healthcare savings among clinical providers and insurers.
Membership
15-25 representatives from the following sectors relevant to produce prescription programming: healthcare, patients, food distributors, BIPOC growers and nutrition educators, policy decision makers, strategic allies. The initial group of representatives were invited by the Swetland Center in May/June 2024 to join the Working Group based on recommendations and environmental scans of key partners.
The Produce Prescription Working Group is coordinated by:
- Darcy Freedman, PhD, MPH
- Director, Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health at Case Western Reserve University
- Linea Webb, MSW
- Research Associate/REACH Project Manager, Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health at Case Western Reserve University