By Carey Skelton MS MPH RDN CDN/ Nutrition & Wellness Coordinator
Local Roots is a partnership between SNAP-Ed and Office for Aging Services that help older adults in Chautauqua County with Low or Very Low Food Security access fresh and affordable produce.
Those of us in the nutrition field have been working for years to create public health initiatives that help ease food insecurity through increased access to balanced nutrition. The USDA use the following language to describe the ranges of severity of food insecurity.
- High Food Security – no reported indications of food access problems or limitations.
- Marginal Food Security – Anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in house with little to no indication of change in diet or food intake.
- Low Food Security – Reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little to no indication of reduced food intake.
- Very Low Food Security – Reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.
Food Insecurity is different than hunger. Hunger is an individual-level physical condition that may result from Low or Very Low Food Security. You may be Low or Very Low Food Secure if: you cut portions or skip meals; you cannot afford balanced meals; or you are just worried food will run out or food bought did not last. Our Local Roots program may be for you!
In my professional experience, people often move among these levels of food security at various phases in their lives. For example, recently retired older adults may find themselves for the first time having anxiety about quantity and quality of food in the household as they move from High Food Security to Marginal Food Security. I am passionate about the individuals categorized as Low Food Security in which these individuals have “enough to eat” to maintain weight, however when a nutrition expert such as myself looks at the overall diet, there is lack of balance and variety. Have you ever judged someone and said, “Look at them, they obviously get enough to eat, they are just making bad food choices”? Did you know that even if you have enough calories to maintain your weight, lack of balance and variety in your diet puts you at risk for malnutrition because of decreased intake of essential vitamins and minerals? Limited access to balance and variety can be a result of food costs, food budget, food knowledge, food preparation skills, transportation, and limited frequency of grocery shopping.
One way to ensure balance and variety is to focus on making half your plate fruits and vegetables every meal. Local Roots is a CSA-style (Community Supported Agriculture) produce program focused on increasing access to the first thing often cut from diets of those struggling with Low or Very Low Food Security – FRESH fruits and vegetables! Local Roots is a produce distribution for 12 weeks between mid-June and mid-September. The local grower, Abers Acres, picks the produce fresh on distribution days based on what is ready to be harvested. The 30-minute produce distribution occurs at 12 locations each week to pre-registered older adults through a partnership between OFAS and St. Luke’s Jamestown Mobile Market (JMM). Locations include Forestville, Dunkirk, Fredonia, Brocton, Cherry Creek, Sinclairville, Mayville, Findley Lake, Clymer, Jamestown, Falconer, and Lakewood.
For the summer of 2025, our partnership with SNAP-ED along with an additional grant called NY Food for NY Families obtained by Cornell Cooperative Extension, and a Health Equity Innovation Award from Univera Healthcare allows us to bring this program at no cost to 450 older adults who are Low or Very Low Food Secure. Call NY Connects at 716-753-4582 if you want to learn more about registering on a first come basis for you or a loved one for this Local Roots program!
Check out our website at https://chqgov.com/office-aging to see all the programs and services offered. Additionally, by signing up for our communication system, if you are not already registered, will provide you with information at your fingertips. We send messages about the current programs you may be interested in through your preferred communication method: text, email, or an automated call. If you are not already signed up to receive these messages, just call us at our NY Connects line 716-753-4582.
By making simple and healthy choices on a daily basis, you will be well on your way towards achieving total wellness. We know the healthy choice is not always the easiest choice, but small changes can make a big difference. Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services offers Nutrition & Wellness programs to support you in your journey toward total wellness. Call NY Connects at 716-753-4582 for more details and information about any of these Nutrition and Wellness programs provided by Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services.
SNAP-Ed materials are funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Some of these materials have been funded in whole or in part by grants from the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), and/ or the Administration on Aging (AOA) and/ or Administration for Community Living (ACL). Nothing herein is intended, nor should be construed, as an endorsement by the State of New York.
