This policy option or model program profile relates to the following issue overviews:

• Community Food Security 
• Food Deserts
• Dietary-Related Conditions

Summary    

The Good Neighbor Program was started by Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) in 2002. Residents of Bayview Hunters Point are hospitalized more often than residents of other San Francisco neighborhoods for nearly every disease, and LEJ Youth decided to investigate how the neighborhood's environment impacts the health of its residents. They found that less than 5% of the food sold in the community was fresh produce, as there were few grocery stores and an abundance of fast food restaurants and corner stores that sold tobacco, alcohol, and overpriced unhealthy processed foods. As a result of these findings, LEJ Youth began recruiting corner store owners to be "Good Neighbors" by selling more fresh produce and diminishing alcohol and tobacco advertising.^[1]

Goal     

To provide the knowledge and skills to change unhealthy behaviors and address the social and physical environments that contribute to these behaviors.^[2]

Cost    total policy or program cost; also include per person cost if available 

Implementation    

• The Good Neighbor Program provides local merchants with concrete economic incentives to carry healthy, affordable, fresh foods.
  • Incentives inlcude benefits like free in-store energy efficiency retrofits, local advertising, business training, cooperative buying, in-store promos, and participation in the Good Neighbor Store branding campaign.
  • These are provided through city and private program sponsorships
• LEJ Youth published a Fresh Foods Community Cookbook and hold regular cooking demonstrations and nutrition education at Good Neighbor stores, schools, and community events.
• They continue to survey community members around the stores to help merchants with inventory selection and increase community involvement.^[3]

Evaluation    summarize any evaluation findings that policy or program effectiveness

Status    

• In 2007, the Good Neighbors Program was adopted as a statewide model via AB 2384, the Healthy Food Purchase Program.^[4]
• Similar programs are being adopted at the state, regional, and national level, with the help of institutions like universities and the Healthy Corner Stores Network. 

Point of View    quotations from those in support or opposition to this policy or program 

Contact     

• Literacy for Environmental Justice

          800 Innes Ave, Unit 11

          San Francisco, CA 94124

          Phone: 415-282-6840

          Fax: 415-282-6839

• Pamela Calvert, Deputy Director

  development@lejyouth.org

• Malik Looper, Executive Director

  executivedirector@lejyouth.org

• Patrick Rump, Bay Youth for the Environment Manager

  bye@lejyouth.org

• Rachel Russell, Youth With A Plan Manager

  plan@lejyouth.org
• Tracy Zhu, Youth Development Coordinator

          hhpintern@lejyouth.org

Bibliography   

• Healthy Corner Stores Network
• Cleveland Healthy Corner Store Initiative

Footnotes

1. Literacy for Environmental Justice. Good Neighbor Program. August 2009. http://www.lejyouth.org/programs/food.html ▲
2. Literacy for Environmental Justice. Good Neighbor Program. August 2009. http://www.lejyouth.org/programs/food.html ▲
3. Literacy for Environmental Justice. Good Neighbor Program. August 2009. http://www.lejyouth.org/programs/food.html ▲
4. Literacy for Environmental Justice. Good Neighbor Program. August 2009. http://www.lejyouth.org/programs/food.html ▲