Advocating for Vulnerable Communities to Have Access to Fresh, Locally Sourced Produce

In collaboration with over one hundred community-based organizations statewide, PHI’s Roots of Change (ROC) successfully advocated for the state of California to restore a $32 million proposed cut in funding for the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) from this year’s California budget.

The success of this advocacy campaign resulted from strategic engagement with agency and elected officials and effective communications activities, including opinion editorials. This achievement underscores Roots of Change’s commitment to fostering positive change in nutritional support programs and enhancing access to fresh, locally sourced produce for vulnerable communities. Roots of Change created Market Match, California’s largest nutrition incentive program, which receives most of its funds through CNIP. Market Match significantly increases shoppers’ CalFresh benefits by allowing them to directly purchase fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets and CSA programs.