Farm Truck 912

Wellness Program
Grant & Program Proposal
By Susannah Brewton & Denielle Saitta

Culinary Medicine Program

Healthy culinary classes in food-insecure areas served by the Forsyth

Farmers Market Farm Truck 912
Preventative health screenings
Diabetes
Hypertension/Blood Pressure
Overweight & Obesity
Nutrition education classes and activities for children

About Farm Truck 912

Mobile farm truck that brings fresh foods to

individuals in the community with the least
access to healthy foods
Offers low cost items for families on a limited
budget
Various location throughout the week:

Department of Family and Children Services

Savannah Gardens
Sheppards Gas and Food Market
Sustainable Fellwood
Moses Jackson Advancement Center
WW Law Community Center
Memorial Health

Accepts and doubles SNAP/EBT benefits

Background of Savannah Population

20.9% of families in Savannah, GA have a mean income that falls beneath

the poverty line
57,310 total households in Savannah
9,265 of households receive SNAP/EBT benefits

U.S. Census Bureau

Goals & Objectives

To decrease the nutrition related knowledge deficit of the low income population of
Savannah, GA

Objective #1.1 - Expand on the current Savannah/Chatham County Culinary Medicine program,
and to close the gap between health screening results and the deliverance of nutrition
education to lower income residents within the Savannah/Chatham County area.

Objective #1.2 - Increase the amount of resources for the Savannah/Chatham County Culinary
Medicine program by developing nutrition education handout for program participants.

Objective #1.3 - Increase public awareness of the Savannah/Chatham County Culinary Medicine
program and its services, specifically informing those eligible for SNAP benefits that the
amount of their benefits are doubled when shopping at the Forsyth Farmers Market and Farm
Truck 912.

What Were Going to Add

Expert nutrition assistance from an RDN

Enhanced nutrition education classes
Individualized, brief nutrition consultations
Nutrition education handouts

Blood pressure/hypertension, carbohydrate control, managing obesity, cardiovascular

health, general nutrition tips, childhood nutrition, adding variety, eating well on a budget

Enhanced marketing

Needs assessment

Assess the percentage of Savannahs population that is receiving SNAP benefits.

Assess the number of individuals diagnosed with obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes in
Savannah, specifically identifying the number of these individuals whose income falls below the
poverty line.
Identify services already in place to meet the nutritional needs of the low income population of
Savannah.
Assess the use of currently nutrition services available to the low income population of
Savannah.

Plan Details

Enhance the current Savannah/Chatham County Wellness Program, which is facilitated by

Mercer University School of Medicine students, local chefs, the Forsyth Farmers Market, and
Farm Truck 912
RDN or trained volunteer will be present at the Forsyth Farmers Market health screening booth
and culinary medicine classes in order to deliver individualized nutrition consultations free of
charge to participants.
Involved Organizations
Savannah/Chatham County Culinary Medicine Program
Mercer University School of Medicine
Forsyth Farmers Market
Farm Truck 912
Wholesome Wave Georgia

Timeline

Logic Model

Budget
Part-Time Dietitian/ Nutritionist

$20.00 /hour (~3 hours a week)

Computers

$400.00/ each x 2

Office Supplies

$1000.00

$4,920 Total Funds

Program Sustainability

We believe that our program enhancement will be sustainable. The

program handouts will already be created so they can be updated and
used year to year
The current Culinary Medicine program in Savannah was adapted from
Tulane University School of Medicines Culinary Medicine Curriculum,
which has proven to be sustainable

Evaluation Plans

Using program reports, we will monitor the number of participants who partake in the nutrition
education handouts. Phone interviews to these individuals will be conducted.

Determine the benefits of advertisement in raising awareness of the Culinary Medicine

Program and usage of SNAP benefits at the Forsyth Farmers Market and Food Truck 912.

Lastly questionnaires will be mailed to every household in the Savannah/Chatham County

region. These will determine the overall public awareness of the Culinary Medicine Program
and SNAP benefits at the Forsyth Farmers Market and Food Truck 912 as well as the benefits of
the nutrition education handouts.

References

http://factfinder.census.
gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productvi
ew.xhtml?
pid=ACS_14_5YR_DP03&prodType=table
https://news.mercer.
edu/articles/2015/partnership-to-improvesavannah-chatham-county-communitywellness.cfm#.VyKbKLT3Dx8
http://www.farmtruck912.org
http://forsythfarmersmarket.
com/farmtruck/