Community Action Receives Community Health Endowment Grant

Community Action Partnership of Lancaster and Saunders Counties (communityactionatworkorg.presencehost.net) received a $167,893 two-year grant from Community Health Endowment of Lincoln to address nutrition and food security needs of children and families enrolled in its Head Start programs. The grant will allow the agency to build upon Growing Great Beginnings, a childhood obesity prevention project originally piloted by the agency in 2013 with CHE funding. Over the past 5 years, Growing Great Beginnings interventions have resulted in positive behavior change outcomes closely tied to healthy weight in children including increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreased consumption of sugary beverages, and increased physical activity.

Community Action will build upon the success of the project to refine its evaluation design and introduce a new group-based nutrition education offering to Head Start families modeled after a project called “FEAST: Food – Education – Access – Support – Together” (formerly “Groceryships”). FEAST provides support on three levels: 1. Educational: Participants learn about nutrition, healthy cooking, and shopping skills; 2. Economic: Participants receive grocery scholarships to secure healthy food to try at home; and 3. Psychosocial: Participants benefit from group support focused on emotional eating and overcoming food addiction.

The grant period begins July 1. Businesses and community members interested in supporting this project and its activities – including cooking classes, gardening activities, and more – are welcomed and encouraged to help. For more information, contact Jill Bomberger at (402) 875-9336 or jbomberger@communityactionatwork.org.