MEDIA CONTACT:
The Wellbeing Partners
info@thewellbeingpartners.org
402-934-5795
For Immediate Release: August 23, 2021
Omaha, Neb. – The Wellbeing Partners is pleased to announce it was recently awarded a $25,000 one-year grant from United Way of the Midlands. Thanks to the generosity of the United Way donors, The Healthy Neighborhood Store project aims to increase the availability and affordability of healthy foods and increase knowledge of nutrition, meal planning and preparation by providing consumer and store owner education. technical assistance and point of sale promotions. The program is currently being implemented at Las Nenas Zamora Market in southeast Omaha.
The Healthy Neighborhood Store: Latino Market Model is a project that focuses on the Latino market and implements in-store strategies to promote the use of Double Up Food Bucks, increases the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables, and offers nutritional education that is available to both customers and store owners. The program aims to make the project completely tailored to the Latino market and informed by the customers and employees at the store. Through this program, many more community members are able to have access to culturally relevant fresh fruits and vegetables. This is incredibly important now more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic which led to an increase in food insecurity within our community and beyond.
With the help of this grant, The Wellbeing Partners is able to offer more in-store assistance as well as be able to create a toolkit which can then be used by other stores serving the Latino Market through out the state and beyond. Furthermore, it increases the awareness of programs that are available to community members as well as their knowledge of fresh fruits and vegetables. By tailoring our project and listening to community members, we are able to work to ensure that our project can truly address the needs of the business as well as its costumers.
The aim of this project is to reach 45,000 members in the community and continue to work in order to better serve the needs of the community in which our project sites sit in as well as help people have better access to fresh fruits and vegetables
“Access to fresh fruits and vegetables is powerful prevention tool to prevent a host of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and mental health. By collaborating with Nebraska Extension and Las Nenas in Southeast Omaha, we are expanding access for SNAP participants at the checkout.” Sarah Sjolie, MPA
Our Food Systems and Built Environment Coordinator, Claudia Granillo, spoke to Bonita Omaha TV about our GusNIP (Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program) Pilot Project at Las Nenas and our What Makes Us campaign.
Check out her interview HERE!
United Way of the Midlands (UWM) has served the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro for than 95 years. Guided by best practices and community input, it approaches poverty in a specific way – a “united” way. With the support of volunteers, community partners and donors, UWM invests donor dollars efficiently and effectively in our local community. These dollars fund basic needs, education and financial stability programs at local nonprofits, creating a circle of support for people in need. Please visit unitedwaymidlands.org for more information.
The Wellbeing Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to build wellbeing into the way our communities and businesses grow through advocacy, collaboration, and education. We do this by supporting the growth of a culture of wellbeing within organizations as well as acting as a convener to address local community health challenges. Relying on expertise and evidence in worksite wellness and public health, The Wellbeing Partners bridges the good work between worksite wellness initiatives and community health collaboration for the greatest impact in our communities. Based on applied practice and partner and community feedback, The Wellbeing Partners combines the eight dimensions of wellness with the social determinants of health model to shape its work so all people and places thrive.
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