Titled, "An Act to Expand Access to Healthy Foods and Create the Massachusetts Food Trust," this legislation creates a statewide healthy food financing program.

Hunts Point Produce Market, located in the South Hunts Bronx, receives premium fruits and vegetables daily from 49 states and 55 countries, and provides 60 percent of New York City's produce. Every day a fleet of trucks delivers the market's fresh food throughout the five boroughs, yet only a miniscule amount gets distributed to the South Bronx, a community underserved by traditional supermarkets and green grocers. This article discusses several city programs that are improving healthy food access in areas like the South Bronx and suggests improvements for greater impactful change.

Actor and humanitarian Wendell Pierce talks about his new fresh and wholesome grocery store named Sterling Farms in a radio interview with blackamericaweb.com. Located in his hometown of New Orleans, Pierce is hoping to revitalize the local economy and bring the community together. 

ChangeLab Solutions developed “Food as a Catalyst for Change,” a case study exploring efforts to rebuild the food system in Birmingham. Learn about local efforts to build healthy food enterprises in the region and to glean lessons for other cities and towns.

ChangeLab Solutions developed this Model Healthy Food System Resolution to help community members and policymakers start their own conversation about how the local government can support a healthier food system. It suggests numerous actions that the local government could take to understand the local food system, and it establishes a Food Policy Council to continue the food system dialogue after the resolution is enacted.

ChangeLab Solutions’ toolkit describes how to create a strong healthy small food retailer certification program by requiring participating stores to increase the variety of healthy foods they sell, reduce the offerings of unhealthy foods, and proactively market healthy options with help from a sponsoring agency or organization. It provides step-by-step instructions for developing a certification program, with ideas and examples from existing programs.

The Tri-Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific America Caucus are holding a briefing entitled," Policies that Promote Healthy Food and Healthy Economies." Speakers include actor Wendell Pierce,  known for his roles in  the  HBO TV series "Treme" and "The Wire", who recently opened a grocery store in New Orleans. He will be discussing his efforts to bring a grocery store to his home town.

New evidence is confirming that the environment kids live in has a greater impact than factors such as genetics, insufficient physical activity or other elements in efforts to control child obesity. Three new studies, published in the April 8 Pediatrics, land on the import of the ‘nurture’ side of the equation and focus on specific circumstances in children’s or teen’s lives that potentially contribute to unhealthy bulk.

Limited retail access to healthy foods affects the dietary patterns and health outcomes of many Americans.  In this webinar, speakers discuss how new research and evaluation practices are helping to generate innovative solutions that stimulate change in local communities. * Sign up here to be alerted when the new Grocery Gap is released.

A group of concerned students in Watsonville, CA formed Jóvenes SANOS, a program working to raise awareness about childhood obesity and implement policies that promote healthy nutrition and physical activity. This case study highlights the Watsonville Healthy Markets Pilot Program where students have successfully engaged local corner stores in marketing and promoting healthier food options. The program has contributed to substantial health improvements and decreased the County’s obesity rate.