CalFresh and The L.A. Trust help families keep it fresh during shutdown

The L.A. Trust has expanded its nutrition education to include Facebook Live workshops and healthy online cooking videos.

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has moved its CalFresh student and community outreach programs online and to the field to help families eat healthy during the coronavirus shutdown.

The L.A. Trust Nutrition team is holding weekly one-hour workshops on Facebook Live hosted by Program Manager Esther Yepez and Health Educator Lillian Orta:

English-language workshops  Every Thursday at 3 p.m. until July 2
Spanish-language workshops Every Friday at 12 p.m. until July 3

The workshops feature information on healthy food options, pantry cooking and smart shopping. “We know that it can be hard to shop fresh right now,” Yepez said. “We want to demonstrate how to maintain or even improve nutritious eating during this shutdown period.” The L.A. Trust has conducted 12 nutrition workshops and hosted one informational workshop reaching 5,253 people on Facebook so far.

The Spanish-language informational workshop featured guest speaker Betzabel Estudillo of the California Food Policy Advocates and discussed expanded EBT benefits and other COVID-19 resources.

The L.A. Trust has also posted fresh and healthy cooking videos on Vimeo to help families eat fresh and stretch their food dollars, with more coming soon:

French Toast Sticks with Berry Syrup (English and Spanish)
Brussels Sprout Hash & Eggs (English and Spanish)
Mango Chicken Stirfry (English and Spanish)

The L.A. Trust has distributed free grocery bags, gloves, and 900 recipe cards to the Fremont Free Food Fair, a food distribution site The L.A. Trust has supported to address food insecurity over the past several years. The Fremont Free Food Fair is organized by the UMMA Community clinic, Community Health Councils and Food Forward.

Working with CalFresh

Through CalFresh Healthy Living, The L.A. Trust has also purchased more than 2,800 cookbooks to be given away at four food distribution sites: Peace Chapel Church; Macedonia Church in Watts; Community Health Councils; and Girls Club of Los Angeles. These cookbooks will be given away in food bags distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The L.A. Trust is proud to partner with CalFresh Healthy Living to help our students and families eat well and get access to healthy foods,” Program Manager Nina Nguyen said. “There is tremendous interest in healthy eating in our communities, and we are excited to keep this outreach going virtually during the current coronavirus closures.”

CalFresh Healthy Living is the largest nutrition education program in the United States. More than one-third of California residents are eligible for CalFresh Healthy Living, California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), which strives to improve the health of eligible Californians through education and healthy community changes. CalFresh Healthy Living offers critical resources for Californians to lead healthier lives and provides opportunities to enjoy more fresh produce.

COVID-19 worsens L.A.’s food crisis: How to get help (or help others)

Los Angeles County residents get groceries through the Emergency Food Assistance Program, at the East Los Angeles Service Center. Photo courtesy Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles County is mobilizing a Countywide response to hunger by coordinating public agencies, nonprofits and volunteers to provide meals to anyone in need during the current pandemic-related food crisis. An estimated 2 million people in Los Angeles County already face food-insecurity issues — and this number is sure to swell as pandemic-related economic losses take their toll.

The County is also launching new digital resources to help members of the public access food at no cost — including program sign-up information, maps, and frequently asked questions — all located on the County COVID-19 website. 

Individuals and families in need:

• Get help with food expenses. CalFresh is a Nutrition Assistance Program that can help people in low-income households purchase food by increasing their food-buying power. Apply here and see eligibility requirements here.

• Find free food near you. County agencies and partners that provide free groceries and meals are expanding their services during COVID-19. Click here to see options and find food distribution sites near you. Some programs also provide delivery. Get food delivery assistance. The County has launched a Critical Delivery Services program to deliver food and other vital items to adults aged 60+ and individuals with disabilities who are unable to leave their homes due to COVID-19. Items must be prepaid and ready for pick-up. There is no cost to the client for delivery. For more information, click here or call 1-888-863-7411.

• For assistance, or if you do not have access to the Internet, please dial 2-1-1. Multilingual operators are available to help members of the public find free food resources.

Service providers and nonprofits in need

• Request volunteers. L.A. Works matches community organizations with volunteer labor and other resources. More information here.

• Request food to redistribute. The L.A. Regional Food Bank is accepting new applications for partner agencies. Partner agencies receive free food and re-distribute it to community members. More information here.

• Join a food recovery network. There are a number of organizations that use mobile apps with matching technology to recover unused food from restaurants and other businesses and re-distribute it to communities in need. If you are interested in donating food or receiving donated food to re-distribute, look for the following in your mobile app store: Food Finders and ChowMatch

How you can help 

• Giving food-related offers and donations. Does your business or organization seek to sell or donate food-related resources to support COVID-19 response efforts? The County is helping to match available food resources with those in need. Fill out an online questionnaire to let us know what food resources you have to share. Our partner providers are in need of food resources, services, and equipment including:

  • Prepared meals ready-to-eat meals: no heating required

  • Prepared meals: just heat and serve

  • Groceries: non-perishable, shelf-stable food items and perishable food such as produce, meats, and dairy

  • Specialty foods: Vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and other specialty options

  • Food delivery: drivers and vehicles, including special vehicle types such as refrigerated trucks

• Other types of donation and support. Looking for other ways to lend a hand during this crisis? Explore the County’s COVID-19 resource page to learn how you can help, from doing wellness checks on older neighbors to donating blood.

• Starting a food pantry. Interested in offering free food to community members? If you already have food to re-distribute or are planning to collect food items from private sources, please follow these Guidelines for Charitable Feeding Operations. If you are interested in receiving donated food to re-distribute, consider partnering with the L.A. Regional Food Bank, which is currently accepting new applications for partner pantries. More information here.

• Volunteer your time. L.A. Works matches community organizations with volunteer labor and other resources. More information here.

A ground-breaking year for The L.A. Trust and its partners in student health

Maryjane Puffer joined students and community leaders at the groundbreaking for a new Student and Family Wellness Center at Mendez Learning Center December 15.

The year 2019 was a busy one for The Los Angeles Trust and its partners, and 2020 will be busier still. Thanks to its partners and stakeholders, last year The L.A. Trust:

• Made final preparations for the launch of its ground-breaking Data xChange initiative, which will link confidential Wellness Center data with academic performance numbers to improve outcomes on both.

• Supported LAUSD’s growing network of Student and Family Wellness Centers, helped dedicate new clinics at Santee Education Complex and other schools, and hosted two Learning Collaboratives where clinicians received critical data and best practices on student healthcare.

• Provided oral health education and partnered with More L.A. Smiles to provide free dental screenings and interventions to thousands of kindergartners and third-graders at LAUSD elementary schools.

• Supported anti-vaping and substance use education efforts across the District, assisting student outreach and hosting a Vaping 101 webinar series for clinicians and others.

• Hosted a Youth2Youth Summit engaging 100 student health advocates and their adult allies from across the District.
  

• Presented recipes, nutrition and food-shopping advice at more than 50 classroom and community events as part of the CalFresh Health Living initiative.

• Worked with UCSF research staff on the development and delivery of the “Health-E You/Salud iTu,” an app-based contraception awareness program focused on Latina youth. The program resulted in a 117% increase in the use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (results will be published in leading health journals this year).

• Partnered with leading healthcare organizations and announced important new program grants, driving the organization’s mission through 2021.

• Hired new staff, including Marsha Ellis as director of programs; Rob Wray as associate director of communications and media; Mackenzie Scott as student engagement coordinator; and Danielle Griffin as student engagement assistant.

2020 vision

“We had a great 2019,” said Executive Director Maryjane Puffer, “and we have laid the groundwork for a truly breakthrough year in 2020.” 

She said The L.A. Trust has a new strategic plan, a new logo and a new mission statement: “Bridging the worlds of health and education to achieve student wellness.”

“We also have our first vision statement,” Puffer stated. “It’s ‘A world where every student is healthy and successful.’ We have always stood for this, but this is our northstar and it’s important to share it.”

Puffer said The L.A. Trust will reintroduce itself in the spring with a new website and a new awareness campaign. “The L.A. Trust believes nothing is more important to the future of our country than the health of our kids. In 2020, we will be better positioned than ever to help advance student health where it’s needed most.”

The L.A. Trust delivers nourishing ideas to LAUSD communities

L.A. Trust Health Educator Lillian Orta shares nutrition ideas and recipes with community members at the Fremont High School Fresh Food Fair. 

On a brilliant November morning, neighborhood residents are lined up near the UMAA Fremont Wellness Center to get into the Free Food Fair at Fremont High in South Los Angeles. The Fair offers pumpkins, mangoes, squash, lettuce and other fresh produce—and nutrition, health and recipe advice from The L.A. Trust’s Program Director Nina Nguyen and Health Educator Lillian Orta.

It’s all part of The L.A. Trust’s school and community outreach on behalf of CalFresh Healthy Living. The state program, formerly known as Champions for Change, is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) initiative that supports healthy, active and nourished lifestyles by teaching low-income Californians about good nutrition and how to stretch their food dollars, while also “building partnerships in communities to make the healthy choice.”

In the field

The L.A. Trust works with LAUSD and the District’s school-based Wellness Centers to carry the CalFresh Healthy Living message to students and community members both. “It’s really rewarding to be a CalFresh Healthy Living partner,” said Nguyen. “Good health starts with good nutrition, and people really get engaged in our outreach,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt that fresh food looks and tastes so much better than cheap processed food.” 

Since October, Nguyen, Orta and L.A. Trust Program Manager Esther Yepez have travelled across Los Angeles to talk to students and community members about nutrition, physical activity and healthy beverage options (hint: water is better than soda). By March 2020, the team will have conducted 50  classroom sessions and appeared at two community events and two school events at five different sites in the District. They’ve also distributed thousands of brochures and recipe books in Spanish and English.   

“Eating healthy and staying active helps prevent so many long-term health issues—from tooth decay to obesity and diabetes,” Rico said. “In most instances, motivation is not the problem. Getting and preparing fresh food on a budget is the challenge, and we’re proud to partner with CalFresh Healthy Living to support our communities in meeting that challenge.”