Dearborn, Michigan, is actively fostering a culture of health through various initiatives aimed at improving access to healthy foods and promoting active lifestyles. These efforts, spearheaded by Healthy Dearborn and supported by state and federal programs, seek to address health challenges such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental health. This article explores the landscape of healthy food initiatives in Dearborn, highlighting the benefits and programs available to residents.
Healthy Dearborn: A Community-Driven Approach
Launched in 2015, Healthy Dearborn is a partnership between the City of Dearborn, Dearborn Public Schools, and Beaumont Health. This coalition brings together over 550 engaged members from diverse backgrounds to create a unified culture of health. The mission is to provide valuable opportunities for people in Dearborn to practice healthy lifestyles by enriching their minds, nurturing their bodies, and revitalizing their spirit. The vision is for Dearborn to be a thriving, diverse community where everyone enjoys whole health (mind, body, spirit) with equal access to healthy foods, health care, green space, and opportunities for safe and active living.
Healthy Dearborn operates through action teams focused on specific areas:
- Healthy Foods: This team works to increase access to affordable and nutritious food options within the community.
- Healthy at Work: This team promotes wellness programs and healthy choices in workplace environments.
- Healthy Environments for Physical Activity: This team focuses on creating and improving spaces for physical activity, such as parks, trails, and sidewalks.
- Healthy Schools: This team implements programs and policies to promote healthy eating and physical activity in schools.
- Inclusive Health Committee: This committee ensures that health initiatives are inclusive and accessible to all members of the community, regardless of background or ability.
- Health Disparities/Health Equity: This team addresses health disparities and promotes health equity by focusing on the social determinants of health.
A Research Committee comprised of researchers and professors from local universities enhances coalition work with data, research, and evaluation.
Healthy Dearborn addresses Beaumont Health’s top health challenges identified through its Community Health Needs Assessment: cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. In 2019, Healthy Dearborn added “mental health” to its health priorities. Chronic diseases can be prevented through healthy eating and active living, and health is significantly impacted by where we live. Beaumont is using a place-based approach to address these health issues. Research shows that 80% of a person’s health is impacted by social and economic factors and just 10% is impacted by what happens in the doctor’s office. In 2017, a new report from CDC and RWJF that contained data on health at the census tract (neighborhood) level, revealed health disparities between the east and west sides of Dearborn. Additional resources are dedicated to address these issues.
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SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks: Boosting Food Access
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families. Administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), SNAP aims to reduce food insecurity by providing benefits on electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which can be used to purchase food at authorized retailers.
In Michigan, nearly 13% of households, approximately 1.4 million people, receive federal SNAP benefits. These benefits play a crucial role in ensuring that families have access to nutritious food. SNAP spending generates revenue for grocery stores, farmers, and other businesses, which helps pay local wages, keeps shelves stocked, and boosts the local economy.
The Double Up Food Bucks program is a key initiative in Michigan that helps SNAP recipients stretch their benefits further and access more fresh fruits and vegetables. This program matches purchases of fresh produce, effectively doubling the purchasing power of SNAP benefits for healthy foods.
Recent Enhancements to Double Up Food Bucks:
The Fair Food Network, which operates the Double Up Food Bucks program, has implemented several changes to make the program more accessible and beneficial for SNAP recipients. These changes include:
- Removing expiration dates: SNAP recipients no longer have to spend their Double Up earnings within 90 days, providing greater flexibility.
- Lifting the daily earning cap: The previous daily earning cap of $20 has been removed, allowing SNAP recipients to acquire more fresh produce.
- Expanding eligible foods: Frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or oil are now included in the Double Up program.
- Providing additional vouchers: Double Up participants receive a $40 voucher for fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, further increasing their access to healthy foods.
These changes ensure access to healthy food can continue.
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State Support for Food Assistance
The State of Michigan is committed to supporting food assistance programs and ensuring that residents have access to nutritious food. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the State of Michigan will provide $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan to feed families. The funding will help feed Michiganders in all 83 counties and provide food delivery to those who can’t drive to their local food bank.
Several state-funded programs complement SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks:
- Michigan’s Double Up Food Bucks Program: This program gives Michigan families money to purchase groceries, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
- The Hunters Feeding Program: Primarily funded through donations at the point of sale when customers purchase DNR licenses and/or permits, this program feeds an estimated 160 high-protein and nutritious meals per deer donated.
- Free breakfast and lunch for public school students: As part of the FY26 budget, free breakfast and lunch will continue being provided to Michigan’s 1.4 million public school students.
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program: This program helps supplement the diets of income-eligible individuals and households by providing them with USDA foods at no cost.
Eligibility for SNAP in Michigan
To be eligible for SNAP in Michigan, individuals must be a U.S. citizen (or have acceptable non-citizen status) and must live in Michigan. Eligibility is based on the financial situation of all members of a household. MDHHS will review a household’s expenses, assets, and income. Expenses include rent, mortgage, utility bills, child support, and dependent care expenses. For individuals with a disability or who are at least 60 years old, medical care, medical supplies, and health insurance premiums may be included as an expense.
Community Partnerships for a Healthier Dearborn
Community and civic organizations have partnered with community members to create a culture of health in Dearborn through active living and healthy eating strategies.
Healthy Dearborn Achievements and Projects:
- StoryWalk®Dearborn
- Healthy Streets Walk n' Roll Jr. Challenge
- Dearborn PIPERS
- Healthy Restaurants
- City of Dearborn Multimodal Plan
- Dearborn SHINES
- Seed Library
- Healthy Dearborn Story Map
- Graham Park
- Open Streets Dearborn
- Walk Campaign
- Healthy Dearborn Walk n' Roll
- 2021 Candidate Questionnaire
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