Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings Farm to Preschool CACFP Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings Farm to Preschool Josie Ennist, RD Public Health Nutritionist

Presentation Overview Background and overview of New York State Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) Describe Farm to Preschool (F2P) Strategies Provide overview of F2P Sites, activities and results

New York State CACFP Federally funded by USDA Provides monthly reimbursement for qualifying meals and snacks served to children and adults in day care settings Focuses on low income children in high need areas Nearly 300,000 children and adults are served daily in New York CACFP 11/7/2018

NYS Department of Health Child and Adult Care Food Program Resource Management and Operations Day Care Homes Day Care Centers Obesity Prevention and Outreach Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings EWPH In Day Care Homes EWPH in Child Care Centers Traditional Champion Farm To Preschool Starting nearly 20 years ago the first EWPH initiative was named EWPHCCS, and was designed for implementing obesity prevention curricula in afterschool programs, and supported by Team Nutrition Grants. Later Team Nutrition Grants were used to develop and implement a curriculum for child care centers that participated in the EWPHCCS project. Currently (since 2006) the largest EWPHCCS project is funded by SNAP –Ed, and conducted in Child Care Centers, so we refer to ourselves as EWPHCCC. The EWPH in Day Care Homes project continues with different funding (currently Team Nutrition)

Obesity Prevention Background NYS CACFP implemented a building block approach to develop a comprehensive obesity prevention program The aims of our obesity prevention strategies are to: Improve nutrition standards of foods served in CACFP Integrate nutrition and physical activity education within the early care setting

EWPH Core Strategies Increase fruits and vegetable intake Established in 1998 Revised in 2007 to include: Increase fruits and vegetable intake Increase low fat/fat free milk and dairy products Increase physical activity Increase initiation, duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding Decrease screen time

EWPH Strategies: Child Care Centers Target: Preschool Children and Their Parents Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, Increase consumption of low-fat (1%)or fat-free milk and dairy products for children 2 years and older Reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages Increase physical activity levels, and Decrease the amount of time young children spend watching TV and other non-educational screen time

EWPH Strategies: Farm to Preschool Target: Preschool Children and Their Parents Increase access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables Minimize cost barriers to purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables

NYS Farm to Preschool: Planting the Seed… Explored and researched farm to preschool options Coordinated with local CCR&R Agency Trained and oriented Project Managers to follow SNAP-Ed guidelines and project objectives Conducted Farm to Preschool Pilot Awarded SNAP-ED Grant Funding 11/7/2018

NYS Farm to Preschool: Growing the Project Center Selection EWPH/Income eligible Center Director and staff buy in Local farmers available Site Details Set up Farmers’ Markets Secure EBT equipment & FMNP/WIC check approvals Select curriculum Plan food demos, tastings, recipes, education and movement activities Plan gardening activities Plan evaluation

NYS Farm to Preschool Growing the Project Gardening Produce Purchasing Education

Produce Purchasing Aspect F2P Models Farmers’ Market/Farm Stand Upstate Markets CSA/Food Box Delivery NYC

Produce Purchasing Incentives Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) WIC coupons $2 Health Bucks (NYC only) $2 NYS Ag & Markets Fresh Connect $2 Farm to Preschool coupons

Educational Aspect Food tastings-recipe demos for parents & family members Child Activities Handouts Displays at centers Newsletters

Gardening Aspect Indoor or outdoor gardening activities Provide gardening tool kit and guidance

Gardening Toolkit Child sized gardening tools Seed starting supplies Indoor or outdoor garden materials Curriculum materials suggested Early Sprouts Grow It, Try It, Like It

Day Care Center Gardens grow in all shapes and sizes! Photo for Nassau County Site: container garden

Day Care Center Gardens grow in all shapes and sizes! Photo for Nassau County Site: container garden

Weekly Newsletters

NYS Farm to Preschool Reach: 24 Sites in 2015 Western Region 4 Sites Capital District 4 Sites Long Island 4 Sites New York City 12 Sites The New York State Department of Health award focused its efforts in 3 rural counties: Broome, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua. These counties are located on the Pennsylvania border of NYS, northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany. The region boasts of the state’s finest natural resources and agriculture, as well as educational institutions and manufacturing companies. The NYSDOH contracted with the county health departments in Broome, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua to conduct a continuum of 10 intervention in the early child care setting, schools and the community at large. The work focused on 3 CDC strategic directions to prevent chronic disease: physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco control. The CTG timeframe was September 30, 2012 through September 29, 2014. The total population was approximately 415,822. (Included 8 high needs areas which were geographically defined by school districts’ boundaries: 155,189 - high socioeconomic need and risk and high prevalence of obesity among school-aged children)

Program Evaluation Dot Survey (English/Spanish): Self service research approach Eight questions displayed on poster boards Participants indicate responses using colored dots Participants grouped into 3 categories: staff, caregivers, or the community

Farm to Preschool DOT Survey

Reach: Farm to Preschool 2015 24 child care centers 2059 parent purchases 6940 total customer purchases $102,327 in sales $21,231 subsidized sales (EBT, WIC, Coupons)

For more Information: Josie Ennist RDN Public Health Nutritionist NYS DOH CACFP 150 Broadway 6th Floor W, Albany NY 12204 518-402-7238 Johanna.Ennist@health.ny.gov NYS CACFP www.health.ny.gov/CACFP 11/7/2018

Thank You! Questions? 11/7/2018