What We Do
Mission/Vision:
The mission of the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, Nutrition Wellness Program is to promote healthy eating and physical activity in a community where the environment, policies and practices promote life-long health, reaching out to schools, agencies and organizations serving low-income food stamp eligible (SNAP-Ed) communities, with technical support, nutrition and fitness resources, policy development, and “best practices” information around nutrition education and physical activity.
For more information about our program, check out our Mission Statement, and Nutrition Wellness Program Fact Sheet (PDF).
Program Description and Key Functions:
As a program of the Marin County’s Department of Health and Human Services, Community Health & Prevention Services and Prevention Hub, the Nutrition Wellness Program is a social marketing program helping to build a healthy community by promoting/providing/leading:
- Nutrition/physical activity education for low income food stamp/CalFresh eligible residents, schools and organizations.
- Mobilizing and educating organizations and community around policies, practices and the implementation of health practices and changes in order to improve the health of the community. It accomplishes this via community partnerships, the Marin Wellness Collaborative and its Leadership Council.
- Help to organizations in learning how to establish nutrition /activity policies, guidelines and practices.
- Implementation of social marketing campaigns around of the importance of eating healthy and being active and;
- Providing reliable Nutrition/Physical Activity Education Resources and tools to subcontractors, partners and community
- 5.) Providing community leadership for partners working in low income areas such as the Canal and Marin City in order to improve access to healthy foods and physical activity. The Nutrition Wellness Program has implemented the Network for a Healthy California's Communities of Excellence (CX³) project and has developed strategies and provided resources for local retail grocery stores to achieve these goals.
Social Marketing Campaigns:
Designed to get the message of eating healthy and staying healthy out to the target population as efficiently and memorable as possible, the social marketing campaigns make up a core pillar of the Nutrition Wellness Program. Look around your community. You will find these campaigns mentioned below at schools, on the radio, on billboards, newsletters, and events taking place at schools and organizations around the community. Some of the major social marketing campaigns include: Champions for Change; Harvest of the Month; Soda Free Summer/Rethink Your Drink campaign; BANPAC; Re-think Your Drink, Feel the Difference! Eat Healthy! Be Active! and Eat a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables.
Target Populations:
The Nutrition Wellness Program primarily concentrates its efforts on families and individuals and/or organizations in Marin County who fall at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level and those children attending schools meeting free and reduced cost meals.
Subcontractors:
In order to achieve the mission our mission/vision, The Nutrition Wellness Program has selected and contracts with local community organizations and schools serving low income residents. The Nutrition Wellness Program partners with its contractors to offer technical support, education and resources in the areas of sound nutrition, physical activity and “best practices” development. Click here for more information on our subcontractors.
Community Partners:
Parent Services Project; Canal Alliance; WIC (Women, Infants & Children); CalFresh (Food Stamp) Program; UC Cooperative Extension; Youth Leadership Institute; Marin Health and Wellness Campus/Connection Center; North Bay Children’s Center; San Geronimo Community Collaborative; Marin Office of Education; San Rafael School District; Novato Unified School District; Sausalito School District; Marin UCCE; Canal Alliance; Marin Community Clinic; Safe Routes to School; Marin Bicycle Coalition; First Five; Marin Farmers Market, Environmental Education Center of Marin; Marin County Free Libraries; Nuestros Niños Radio Talk program; Kaiser Permanente Northern California; Other key partners are Department of Aging and Adult Services; Food Stamp/Social Services Program; Department of Public Works; Parks and Open Space; and Youth Leadership Institute.
Communities of Excellence Project in Marin - CX3
Become a Champion for Change!
The goal for the CX3 project in Marin County is to educate and promote consumption of fruits and vegetables, access to healthy foods and physical activity in safe walkable neighborhoods in Marin County.
The Nutrition Wellness Program is coordinating this effort with community partners and promotores to deliver two key messages that will help us achieve our goal:
1. “Eat Right when Money is Tight”
2. “We Speak up for Healthy Changes”
CX3 invites you to be part of this project. For more information on how to join this project Contact Us!
CX3 Fact Sheet
CX3 Report to the Community
California Convergence
Click here for more information on California Convergence.
Funding:
The Nutrition Wellness Program is funded by Marin Department of Health and Human Services. It is also funded in part from the USDA’s Food Stamp Program which is administrated by California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California. This contract targets low-income, food stamp eligible (SNAP-Ed) populations in Marin.
Other funding is received for special projects that would fall outside the above contract.
For some highlights/milestones achieved in the last few years, click here…
