Grand Nation Inc.

PROJECT PURPOSE

This application is to enhance our current TurnChange project with the addition of a two pronged approach concentrating on healthy food insecurity and the scarcity of early childhood learning resources. This approach is the nexus of nutrition, prevention, and a thriving community and will help communities and families hardest-hit by the Covid-19 crisis recover from and respond to the economic, health, and educational fallout from the pandemic. We will implement a mobile market that will serve fresh fruits and vegetables to schools, mobile health clinics, early childhood learning centers, low-income families, senior housing, communities of color, food deserts, and other socially vulnerable communities. We are asking for funding to purchase a mobile market truck, a full time TurnChange Table Coordinator, Caseworker, Recovery Support Specialist, and Resource Navigator. In addition we will open an early childhood learning center for children 6 weeks through 4 years of age. After School and summer programs will include academic recovery, obesity prevention, and the arts, as well as access to fresh fruits and vegetables through our mobile market and community gardens. Funding is needed for an Early Childhood Learning Director, three teachers, and three teachers aids.

EVIDENCE

Feeding America reports 54.5 % of our service area falls below the SNAP threshold of 130% poverty. In the four counties this project will impact, one in every four children are food insecure. That is 7,310 children that live in a household that does not know where their next meal will come from. Hunger Free Oklahoma reports hunger costs Oklahoma over $1.4 billion each year through increased illness and decreased academic achievement alone. Food insecure children are more likely to have lower reading and math scores, more significant behavior and social problems, and lower high school graduation rates.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The TurnChange project includes 10 communities in four counties, Craig, Mayes, Delaware and Ottawa. The population is nearly 60% white and almost half Native American. Hispanics make up 8% of the population and approximately 9% identify as Two or more. The biggest health disparity facing our communities is lifestyles and behaviors (diet, risk behaviors, and lack of transportation) Other disparate populations include persons who are limited educationally and/or financially. With over 70% of all school students eligible for the USDA Free lunch program. Rural childcare deserts are a significant cause of disparities. Local families struggle to find and afford quality child care that meets children?s academic, social and emotional needs. (Grand Nation Health Disparities Impact Statement and Plan 2021) We have over a quarter of our population living in poverty. (City Data, 2019). Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in our area with 288.2 deaths per 100.000 vs. the national average of 161.5. This is driven by our obesity rates being 41.1% in our service area vs. 31.4 nationally. (TSET, 2020) One in four children being food insecure. Hardest hit have been our communities of color.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Grand Nation has contracted with Grants and Evaluation Consulting, LLC since 2012. Evaluations ensure program activities are feasible and appropriate before implementation; process evaluation meant to determine whether strategies are being implemented as intended; outcomes evaluation to measure the effects of strategies on the target population; and impact evaluations to assess program effectiveness and propensity for replication and/or sustainability. The evaluator creates reporting mechanisms for each grant program, including surveys. Project evaluation is done on two levels: first, the coordinator will oversee all project implementation and collect evaluation data through paperwork, training events, site visits; second, through the formal evaluation of the contracted evaluation team.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma