1. Healthy Neighborhoods Learning Collaborative Meeting June 8, 2017
Evaluating Community Initiatives Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH Paul Tainsh, AM, MPA NYU Evaluation Team
Healthy Neighborhoods Learning Collaborative Meeting
June 8, 2017

2. Components of the Evaluation
Assess both the implementation of interventions at individual sites and the overall impact of the Healthy Neighborhoods initiative
Process evaluation
Environmental changes
Behavioral changes

3. Process Evaluation Questions
What specific interventions were implemented?
What partnerships/collaborations were formed?
What barriers and facilitators did sites experience?
How did the stakeholders perceive the initiative?
Which interventions were most feasible and/or acceptable?
How sustainable are the interventions?

4. Environmental Change Questions
Has the Initiative:
Increased the availability of healthy, affordable food?
Resulted in improvements to the built environment?
Linked community residents to programs that support lifestyle changes?

5. Environmental Metrics
Cross Site Metrics
Food Access:
# Supermarkets
# Farmers/Youth Markets
#/Type of food incentive programs
Built Environment:
# Parks/Playgrounds
# Recreation Facilities
# Shared Use Facilities
Linkages to Programs:
#/Type of evidence-based healthy eating/active living programs
Selected Site-Based Metrics
Food Access:
# Healthy Retail Stores
# Food/Nutrition Education services
# School Nutrition programs
Built Environment:
# Programs activating Parks
# Place Making Projects
Active Living:
# Healthy Living Program Participants
# Active Living Program Participants

6. Number of Supermarkets and Farmers Markets, 2015-2016, by Target Area
Neighborhood Designation
Supermarkets
Farmers Markets
2015
2016
+/-
2015 
2016 
Brownsville 5 4 6 +2
Claremont -1 1
Clinton County 11 7 +1
East Harlem 12 9 -3
Hunts Point
Mott Haven 3
Niagara Falls
Syracuse/NWS
Two Bridges
Differences +4
SNAP Retailer Data, US Department of Agriculture

7. Challenges and Barriers to Healthy Food Access
Lack of access to public or personal transportation and the presence of physical barriers
Poor quality fresh foods in supermarkets and other food stores in the neighborhoods.
Price is a barrier as available fresh produce is often more expensive than low income residents can easily afford
Time to shop and prepare healthy meals is limited for families
Food preparation experience and knowledge are being lost in younger generations
Cultural/language barriers exist in some neighborhoods, limiting access to healthy foods
Farmers markets may be less familiar to local residents due to their schedules, their locations, the types of produce available

8. Healthy Food Strategies to Address Consumer Demand as well as Availability
Increase resident awareness of healthy food outlets
Improve resident knowledge of nutrition and how to prepare healthier meals
Increase distribution of incentives to improve affordability
Increase access to healthier food options at a growing networks of small food retailers

9. Healthy Food Strategies, 2016
New Supermarket Development
Healthy Small Food Retail
Farmers/Youth Markets
Fresh Food Boxes
Farm Stand/Urban Farms
Cooking Demonstrations
Nutrition Education
Store or Market Tours
Distribute Food Incentive Coupons
School or Institutional Nutrition Planning

10. Parks, Recreation Centers and Shared-Use Facilities, 2016, by Zip Code
Neighborhood Designation
Parks
Playgrounds
Recreation Facilities
Shared Use Facilities
Park Acreage
Brownsville 15 16 2 7
69.45
Claremont 3 10 4
13.50
Clinton County 24 6
2,272.00
East Harlem 8 12 1
46.48
Hunts Point 5
22.58
Mott Haven
48.16
Niagara Falls
497.00
Syracuse – NWS
100.00
Two Bridges 11
92.96
Municipal and County Parks Data

11. Improvements to the Built Environment
Some new park space is in the planning stages
Large and small scale investments are being made in parks and open space
Programming is a key strategy for drawing residents into the parks
Other built environment improvements in traffic and pedestrian safety, street lighting, signage and way-finding that connect residents to local and flagship parks

12. Number of Active and Healthy Living Programs by Zip Codes
Neighborhood Designation
Diabetes
Obesity
Chronic Heart Disease
Nutrition
Healthy Living
Mental Health
Brownsville 2 1
Claremont 3
Clinton County
East Harlem 6 4
Hunts Point
Mott Haven 5
Niagara Falls
Syracuse/NWS
Two Bridges

13. Preliminary Findings
Expanded leadership roles and expanding their relationships within the neighborhood
Leveraging existing programs and opportunities around healthy food and built environment
Good working relationships with organizations, agencies and residents has moved collaboratives closer to developing a shared healthy neighborhood agenda
Serve as points of contact, drawing resources into the neighborhood, and helping mediate the needs and interests of their neighborhoods with other organizations and government agencies
Organizational networking improved communications and information sharing among organizations about local activities and available resources

14. Baseline Measurement of Individual-Level Behaviors

15. Method After discussion with NYSHealth, we selected communities that:
Targeted residents in a small geographic area
Planned multiple interventions and activities
Planned approaches on different levels
Designed at least one activity designed to reach a broad proportion of population
Final pairs: Brownsville and East Bedford-Stuyvesant (NYC), Two Bridges and Sunset Park (NYC), Near Westside and Northside (Syracuse)
Street-intercept survey to measure individual-level behaviors
Camera surveillance of selected spaces for physical activity
Selected communities were matched with a demographically similar comparison community. Goal of surveys in each NY neighborhood; in Syracuse

16. Community Snapshot – Brownsville, n = 209
Mean (SD) or %
Demographic Characteristics
Average Age
45.5 (16.5)
Female
57%
Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
15%
White 7%
Black or African American
85%
Chinese 0%
High school education or less
70%
Annual Household Income less than $25,000
61%
Healthy Food Purchasing and Consumption
Average cups of fruit per day
2.01 (1.54)
Average cups of vegetables per day
2.19 (1.74)
Average number of sugary drinks per day
1.44 (1.88)
Knowledge and Motivation Toward Healthy Eating and PA (Strongly Agree or Agree)
There are safe places in my neighborhood to exercise
79%
There are places in my neighborhood to buy affordable fresh fruits and vegetables
Awareness of Community-Based Resources
Currently participate in physical activity classes or programs
19%
Currently participate in healthy eating classes or programs
11%
Community Involvement Level (Strongly Agree or Agree)
I consider myself involved in the community
71%
I value the contributions that community groups make to the community
81%

17. Community Snapshot – Two Bridges, n = 235
Mean (SD) or %
Demographic Characteristics
Average Age
45.3 (16.4)
Female
63%
Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
43%
White
15%
Black or African American
34%
Chinese
High school education or less
53%
Annual Household Income less than $25,000
45%
Healthy Food Purchasing and Consumption
Average cups of fruit per day
1.75 (2.08)
Average cups of vegetables per day
1.65 (1.34)
Average number of sugary drinks per day
1.01 (1.53)
Knowledge and Motivation Toward Healthy Eating and PA (Strongly Agree or Agree)
There are safe places in my neighborhood to exercise
85%
There are places in my neighborhood to buy affordable fresh fruits and vegetables
66%
Awareness of Community-Based Resources
Currently participate in physical activity classes or programs
13%
Currently participate in healthy eating classes or programs 8%
Community Involvement Level (Strongly Agree or Agree)
I consider myself involved in the community
58%
I value the contributions that community groups make to the community
76%

18. Community Snapshot – Near Westside, n = 126
Mean (SD) or %
Demographic Characteristics
Average Age
35.2 (12.6)
Female
42%
Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
38%
White
13%
Black or African American
67%
Chinese 0%
High school education or less
51%
Annual Household Income less than $25,000
59%
Healthy Food Purchasing and Consumption
Average cups of fruit per day
1.38 (1.38)
Average cups of vegetables per day
1.03 (0.93)
Average number of sugary drinks per day
0.72 (1.04)
Knowledge and Motivation Toward Healthy Eating and PA (Strongly Agree or Agree)
There are safe places in my neighborhood to exercise
There are places in my neighborhood to buy affordable fresh fruits and vegetables
45%
Awareness of Community-Based Resources
Currently participate in physical activity classes or programs 8%
Currently participate in healthy eating classes or programs 3%
Community Involvement Level (Strongly Agree or Agree)
I consider myself involved in the community
39%
I value the contributions that community groups make to the community
76%

19. Camera Observation – Analysis Methodology in Near Westside, Syracuse

20. Next Steps Process Evaluation Baseline Measurements
Phone Call Check-ins
Technical Assistance on Evaluation and Data Collection
Continued Development of Logic Models
Fall Site visits
Baseline Measurements
Repeat Resident Survey and Open Space Camera Observations

21. Questions