HEALTHY OPTIONS /Opciones Saludables

What is Healthy Options? 

Healthy Options offers educational activities and vouchers to be used at the Adams County Farm Fresh Markets from June through October and at Kennie’s Marketplace from November through April.

Healthy Options was piloted in 2011 with 24 families and has expanded to 130 families and 75 senior citizens for 2020.

Gettysburg Hospital Foundation, the 2016-2017 Wellspan Health Employee Giving Campaign and community support through an annual fundraising campaign of the Campus Kitchen at Gettysburg College has provided over $100,000 to sustain the initiative.

Who is eligible? 

Families that wish to take part must:

  1. Have an income that is between 160%-250% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (2020 FPIG), meaning participants do not qualify for SNAP;

  2. AND be referred to the project through community agencies such as the Circles Initiative, the Migrant Education Program, SCCAP Food Pantries, Casa de la Cultura, WellSpan, Head Start, Family First Health Center, The Adams County Office for Aging, or community churches.

The number of participants each year varies based on funding.

Why?

This project aims to:

  • Provide families and senior citizens who are not eligible for food assistance programs with the increased ability to purchase healthy, fresh foods;

  • Increase fruit and vegetable consumption;

  • Support local farms and our local economy; and

  • Provide nutrition education and support.

What are the expectations of the participants?

Healthy Options participants will:

  • Be placed into a group with a Community Leader, who will serve as the main point of contact for information regarding voucher distribution and activities, as well as any participant questions or concerns participants

  • Attend at least one of the activities offered through the program during the summer months

  • Inform the Healthy Options organizers if he/she moves or decides to not continue participating, so that the benefit may be shared with another household.

Research on Healthy Options:

Published in 2015 in the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community is research on Healthy Options:
•Healthy Options: A Community-Based Program to Address Food Insecurity, 2012