The Columbia City Council will vote Monday night to authorize a letter of agreement with “Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy” and Los Tres Hermanos grocery on Business Loop 70.
“Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy” is a program with MU extension and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, that aim to prevent food deserts in the community. According to the USDA, a food desert is areas of low access to quality fruits and vegetables within a 10-mile radius. In 2015, Downtown Columbia was on that list. Program Director Kara Lubischer talks about the program's multistep approach.
“We start by building the demand of healthy foods, through nutrition classes and community outreach and then we increase the supply of the healthy food, when we are building that demand for the healthy foods, so that those foods are available in the local stores,” Lubischer said.
The statewide program started in 2015, after the success of a pilot program titled “The St. Louis Healthy Corner Store Project.” During that time, the Missouri Department of Health asked Lubischer to come up with a statewide model.
“We spent several months writing a statewide curriculum, which became ‘Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy’ and for the last three years, with funding from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, we are in 14 counties,” Lubischer said.
The program is not only in the state but nationally. “Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy” is included in SNAP-Ed. SNAP-Ed, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education, is a program within the USDA Food and Nutrition Services. The program works to build relationships with community organizations promoting people to live healthier lives.
“I spend a lot of time going to states and training them in our program model and the tools that we use,” Lubishcer said.
There are three stores in Columbia that are a part of this program. One of the stores, Los Tres Hermanos on Business Loop 70, saw 9 percent increase in shelf space dedicated to healthy foods.
Lubischer said this increase shows that there is a growing need for healthier food options.
