On March 3, 2016, City Council passed Resolution 20160303-020, which directed the City Manager to 1) develop recommendations for improving access to fresh, healthy and affordable food, and 2) provide a status update on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment, as well as recommendations to improve those efforts. The Resolution also requested a fiscal note for consideration as part of the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget planning process. Stakeholders, representing over 33 organizations (including Sustainable Food Center) met several times over the course of five months, generating over 100 ideas as to what can be done to improve food access locally. Those ideas were then evaluated, prioritized and distilled down to the essential six-point recommendation strategy outlined below. The recommendations work in tandem with one another to deliver a comprehensive approach to addressing our community’s food insecurity rates. Click here to read more details.

Contact your City Council person and urge them to support the Austin Healthy Food Access Initiatives!

Hi,

My name is ________________ and I am a resident of District_________. I am calling [or emailing] to voice my support for the Austin Healthy Food Access Initiatives. In March, the City Council directed the City Manager to develop recommendations for improving access to fresh, healthy and affordable food, and to provide an update on SNAP enrollment. The Resolution also requested a fiscal note for consideration as part of the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget planning process. Stakeholders, representing over 33 organizations, met several times over the course of five months, generating over 100 ideas as to what can be done to improve food access locally. Those ideas were then evaluated and prioritized to the six-point recommendation strategy, including: Complete a Food Environment Analysis, Expand Healthy Food Retail Initiatives, Increase Local Food Production, Pilot a Nutritious Food Incentive Program, Create a Coordinated Healthy Food Awareness Campaign and Create Safe Routes to Markets. The recommendations work in tandem with one another to deliver a holistic approach to addressing our community’s food insecurity rates. [Insert anything personal you would like to share.] Investing in a food secure community is the first step towards mitigating hunger, chronic disease and social equity. I urge you to support all of these initiatives.

Thank you,

____________.