Increasing access to healthy food for low income residents

This presentation will highlight San Francisco Department of Public Health - Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability (PHES) leadership on the development of long term policy and programs to improve food access and improve nutrition environments in San Francisco through expanding usage of federal nutrition benefits, improving participation and the quality of food in public food programs, developing complete neighborhoods that include healthy food retail, and supporting community participation in local food policy and planning . The presentation will describe the public health framework utilized that incorporates all aspects of the food system to inform and drive city wide food system policy and planning. The presentation will present the example of how the food system program worked with city agencies, farmers markets, and community based organizations to institutionalize improved access to farmers markets by SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) beneficiaries through requiring acceptance of federal nutrition programs, as well as a pilot incentive program to make fruits and vegetables more affordable to families on SNAP.