Health district’s Grab Healthy program seeks growth in 2023.
A program aimed at bolstering access to healthy foods for residents in underserved communities is primed for growth this winter.
Over the past year, Washoe County Health District employees have collaborated with the owners of three markets in high-density Reno neighborhoods — Reno Food & Discount Liquor on East Sixth Street, Vassar Market on Vassar Street, and 7-Eleven on Sutro Street — on the Healthy Corner Store pilot project.
Better known as Grab Healthy, the program was created to battle climbing obesity rates. It also serves to assist those who lack reliable transportation to travel to large grocery retailers.
Promising Future
Backed by marketing support and guidance from the county, store managers began buying and selling extra canned and frozen fruits and vegetables this spring, with a long-term goal of selling fresh produce.
The pilot program wrapped up this June, after which county staff members conducted surveys and worked to recruit more stores for a larger rollout this winter, says Amanda Santos, a county health educator and coordinator of Grab Healthy.
“We believe this program is here to stay. The stores have all expanded their selections. The next phase is really to have them carry fresh items,” says Santos, noting that a report recapping the pilot program and offering recommendations for growth was planned for October (after our press deadline).
Those recommendations will include pursuing partnerships with local farmers to focus on fresh, organic options. Santos has had initial discussions with several local producers, including Bramble Farm in Sparks and Reno nonprofit Soulful Seeds, about participating.
“We’re also trying to do more community partnerships,” she notes. “We’ve reached out to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension because it has a great program that promotes healthy eating and gives these communities additional resources to do so, such as recipe cards.”
Santos believes Grab Healthy has a bright future, due in part to the health district — which is rebranding in 2023 to Northern Nevada Public Health — earmarking funds for promotion through at least next June.
“A lot of these communities rely on smaller stores that can provide [ingredients for] full meals to prepare. I think it’s really necessary to work with local businesses because there are benefits for both the community and the store owners,” Santos says. “There’s an increase in sales; there’s an increase in traffic flow. It’s a win-win situation for both the stores and our community.
“Building those partnerships is really our main goal,” Santos continues. “A lot of these store [owners and managers] already have great rapport with their customers, so we want to continue that by growing our community partnerships and getting other organization [leaders] involved [who] have already been doing this for years.”
To learn more about Grab Healthy, contact Santos at Arsantos@washoecounty.gov or 775-328-6158.
Kevin MacMillan is a Reno-based writer/editor whose favorite vegetables are bell peppers. He believes everyone should have access to fresh and locally grown produce.
