Approve agreement with Elica Health Centers using American Rescue Plan funds in the amount of $75,000 for the period of February 1, 2023, through August 1, 2023, to empower families regarding nutritional choices through the Families Understanding Nutrition (FUN) program by providing accessible nutritional literacy activities such as meal planning and cooking demonstrations, while also providing participants food to take home to continue their nutritional journey. (No general fund impact) (Pinedo/York)

American Rescue Plan Background
On September 28, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the initial American Rescue Plan (ARP) Expenditure Plan, which included $3,000,000 for projects under the Food Security priority category. At the October 25, 2022, Board meeting Staff presented funding recommendations to allocate the remaining $1.3 million in the Food Security category. The Board expressed support for funding Elica Health Centers. Staff has worked with Elica Health Centers to develop the final contract, which is recommended for approval with this staff report. Additional information on the scope of the contract with Elica Health Centers and performance measures are described below.

Elica Health Centers - Families Understanding Nutrition (FUN)
Funding this contract with Elica Health Centers will empower families regarding nutritional choices through the FUN program by providing accessible nutritional literacy activities such as meal planning and cooking demonstrations, while also providing participants food to take home to continue their nutritional journey. FUN is designed to provide families with accessible information on healthful eating, meal planning, and activity. Participants will be provided with easy recipes, cooking demonstrations, and nutritional information to help families make informed decisions about their nutritional needs. Importantly, participants will also be provided with food to take home to make the recipes on their own, as well as supplemental cooking utensils and nutritious snacks.

The population being served is primarily those who are underserved, uninsured, or underinsured in West Sacramento. The majority of these participants will be Elica Health Centers patients who have demonstrated a desire and/or need to learn about nutritious eating and are struggling with food insecurity. There are a number of individuals and families in Yolo County who could benefit from these services. Many families are still struggling economically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This project acknowledges this difficulty and provides participants with nutritious food that can be used to feed their families. A secondary benefit is that this program will be held at a health center, where significant information about COVID-19 and vaccines are readily available, should participants decide to get them.

The performance measures associated with this project include conducting a pre-and post-test assessment of participant's nutritional literacy, using Diamond's (2007) scale, tracking the number of families with children ages 3-10 that were served, tracking the knowledge of participants as it related to nutrition and balanced eating, and measuring the awareness of affordable healthy food choices and the consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. More information about this contract, including a statement of work, budget, and performance measures, may be found in Attachment A. 

Elica Health Centers
Food Security Workgroup
County Counsel 

No competitive bid is required. The countywide ARP funds were allocated as part of the Board's FY2021-22 budget hearing on September 28, 2021. The Board provided direction on the remaining Food Security ARP fund allocation at the October 25, 2022, Board meeting.