1. Mobilizing Communities to Support Healthy Foods
Missty Lechner
Advocacy Project Director
American Heart Association
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed to improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.
It is almost a coalition of coalitions in that the target audience for materials are organizations and leaders who can mobilize the community for policy or environmental level changes in their cities or counties. Since we are a network of LEADERS I still love everyone but it is the people helping to LEAD the efforts locally, regionally, and statewide that I want to engage.
KAWS 2 main objectives are:
enhance existing community coalitions OR develop coalitions in communities where they don’t already exist--- through technical assistance and networking/information sharing opportunities
leverage the efforts and successes of the community-based activities as a catalyst for state level changes through grassroots advocacy
Along those same lines that means the goals and activities in each community will be different. It is MY goal and the goal of KAW to ensure that these different community efforts all complement each other so we can start to see cohesive messaging and movement in the state on food and beverage policy and environment.
We share a newsletter every 2 weeks.

2. Food and Farm Councils
A food and farm advisory council for local elected officials
Brings together the people who grow, sell, and eat food
Helps to identify opportunities to enhance access to healthy food, and locally grown food
Community-driven food system changes
These are local healthy food and farm advocacy partnerships------Platform for people to have am amplified voice in local and state political processes
Known locally by many different names:
Food Policy Council Food Council Food and Farm Council
Food, Farm, & Community Alliance Growing Rural Opportunities Works
What do they do?
Collecting and reporting data to drive the most effective food and farm system changes
Driving changes to make more fresh healthy food available in our community - They could advocate for anything from nutrition guidelines at parks and recreation facilities, to food procurement standards for government food purchases, to vacant lots being used as community gardens, to chickens and bees in city limits
Crafting strategies to increase the ability of local farms to sell their foods
Working to support more effective food production by local farmers
How do I help FPCs? I facilitate the community meetings, provide community educations, and use the PHLC tools for drafting resolutions and bylaws, and turn them into ACTION based upon the thoughts and feedback from the meetings I facilitate.
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

3. What do FFC’s do? Food system assessments Food hub development
Grocery store, or otherwise reducing food deserts
Nutritious food for low-income residents
Opportunities for youth/young adults
Collecting and reporting data to drive the most effective food and farm system changes
Driving changes to make more fresh healthy food available in our community
Crafting strategies to increase the ability of local farms to sell their foods
Working to support more effective food production by local farmers
These are examples of WHAT some of the food councils in the states do.
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

4. Types of Councils Governmental or Publically appointed
Non-government or Non-profit
Hybrid
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

5. Food Councils in KS Current FFC’s Working towards a FFC
Currently there are 9 councils in the state. : Douglas, Franklin, Allen, Crawford, Reno, Jefferson, Harvey, and Hodgeman ALSO the Greater Kansas city FPC which is not publically appointed but still a FPC
I have more information on all of these local efforts in your packet including their roles and contact information.
Efforts in many more counties
These are building momentum and thinking bigger. These councils recognize that there are some things we cant do alone, and we must address some food issues on a regional level (like transportation of food) and some things that have to be done at the state level (like sales tax on fruits and vegetables)
By developing local, regional, and state level partnerships and capacity KAW partners will have the ability to advocate for many changes at many different levels of government, or with private businesses to come up with community driven changes.
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

6. How to form a Council CONTACT ME! Find your Champion Find your team
Know the support of your elected officials
CONTACT ME!
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

7. Next… Schedule an information meeting
Determine geographic boundaries and membership structure
Draft a mission and purpose which could be like…
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

8. Sample missions
The mission of the council is to enhance quality of life for all residents by increasing access to economic opportunity, nutritious local food and physical activity
The Council actively seeks to improve access to regionally grown healthy food options while promoting educational resources for the benefit of the local population
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

9. Sample Purposes/Roles
Increase access to and distribution of affordable, nutritious and safe food for all residents;
Enhance economic development, promote agritourism and strengthen local food systems in the county and regionally;
Bring stakeholders together and provide mechanisms for seeking stakeholder advice and expertise;
Effect improvement in the health and well-being of all county residents;
Coordinate and collaborate with existing initiatives within the county and other regional and state food and farm organizations;
Increase education and awareness of how to use healthy locally produced foods at home or at businesses and institutions.
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

10. Then… Clarify roles and responsibilities for each partner
Contact other stakeholders to invite them OR inform them
Draft a resolution and bylaws
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

11. Do this multiple times throughout the planning process.
Finally…
Engage the media
Talk to your elected officials
Do this multiple times throughout the planning process.
Get on the agenda of the City Council or Commissioners
Bring with you:
Drafted resolution
Potential Bylaws
List of recommended appointees
Your team with talking points
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

12. Know your resources Public Health Law Center resources
publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/food-policy-council-resources
Kansas Health Foundation grants
Health coalitions AND other partners
Kansas Alliance for Wellness TA
Kansas Food Policy Council google group and listserv
Barbara LaClair, LaClair Consulting
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.

13. Advocacy Project Director American Heart Association
Questions?
Missty Lechner
Advocacy Project Director
American Heart Association
There are many tools that can help you make these initiatives a reality in your community. Please contact me if you would like any more tools to help with your healthy food initiative.
A statewide network of communities, organizations and individuals committed
improving the health of Kansans by creating healthy food and beverage environments.