The Jesse Tree

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The Jesse Tree

• The Houston Food Bank
• Annual Conference May 30, 2008
• Promoting independence through dignified Food
  Fairs where improved nutrition, access to social
  services, medical screening and enrollment,
  chronic conditions management and education are
  the fare

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The Friday Food Fairs Came to Galveston County in
2001

• The Original Partners
• The Houston Food Bank
• The Galveston County Community Action Council
• Catholic Charities of Galveston-Houston
• The American Red Cross
• Lone Star Legal Aide
• The Jesse Tree
• The Work Source
• And what did we learn?

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Lessons Learned

• produce spoils quickly in the Sun
• tons of trash can accumulate in an hour
• crowds are difficult to manage
• people develop heat-related illnesses when they
  stand in the SunAND
• access to produce is fantastic the best food is
  fresh food!

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• Heat, bugs, exhaustion, staff complaints
• A learning experience and a halfBUT
• we didnt give up.

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Weve learned quickly
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Seven Year GRAND Total 9,377,528

• From 2001 to 2007
• Total Number of Food Fairs 406
• Individuals 125,109
• Family Members 208,029
• Total lbs 6,528,665
• Value 9,377,528

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The Houston Food Bank encouragedNetwork
Thinking Goals and Objectives

• A Jesse Tree motto Set the table and they will
  come!
• Improve access to nutritious foods,
• Seize the opportunity to offer social service
  enrollment and education
• The Jesse Tree added the dimension of improved
  access to medical care, enrollment and chronic
  disease management,
• Offer bi-weekly Friday Food Fairs with fruit and
  produce,
• Address cultural issues, expand dietary tastes,
  cooking lessons, recipes and healthier eating
  habits.
• Provide incentives to encourage on-going
  participation,
• Involve the entire community in holistic care!
• Have some fun

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Why Include Social Service and Medical Enrollment
?

• In 2007, Galveston County missed over 40 million
  dollars worth of Food Stamps simply because no
  one applied for them!
• Over 200 million in Earned Income Tax Credits
  (EITC) - unclaimed!
• 60 of those eligible for WIC (Women,Infant,Childr
  en) failed to enroll,
• 70 of children eligible for HeadStart were not
  enrolled
• 40 of the Seniors living in poverty failed to
  enroll in QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary),
  which would have put 75 back in their checks AND
  provided hospitalization!
• 38 of Galveston County Residents are uninsured
• 45 of our Hispanic clients report diabetes in
  the household
• Obesity has become a major health risk among
  Americans
• Galveston County has the highest number of
  INSURED women who have never had a mammogram,
• Preventing High Blood Pressure reduces the risk
  of stroke and death,
• At almost every Food Fair event someone is
  identified as high risk and transported for care
• Chronic Conditions, whether medical or social,
  remain chronic until they receive the attention
  they deserve improved nutrition, education,
  behavioral change and on-going support. Food
  Fairs are the ideal setting to provide chronic
  conditions management classes, medical screening
  and testing and social service enrollment.

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A systemic shift Bi-Weekly Food Fairs with
Social Services, Medical Care and Cooking Classes

• People will come to a consistent food source.
  Make it nutritious food and teach people how to
  cook it!
• Maximize the impact with Social Service
  Education, Enrollment, Vendor Fairs, Voter
  Registration and more.
• Dignity, compassion and confidentiality At
  Friday Food Fairs all applicants are encouraged
  to enroll in a medical home offered medical
  testing, flu shots screened for chronic health
  conditions enrolled in appropriate programs or
  attend diabetes classes guided by an adherence
  plan to track the progress and provide incentive
  Then, they go home with good food and gifts.

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2007 Food Fair Vendors

• Produce Distribution Houston Food Bank
• Weekly blessing before distribution Ecumenical
  Network Participants
• Food Stamp Screening/Enrollment Lone Star Legal
  Foundation/The Food Stamp Network
• Social Security Administration Office
• Hurricane Preparedness/City of Galveston/Gulf
  Coast Center/Jesse Tree/Red Cross
• Voter Registration Congressional Region
  Information Services/Advocacy
• Child Protective Services
• Adult Protective Services
• Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) -
  Enrollment The Jesse Tree
• UTMB/Energy Conservation/Reducing bills
• Community Action Council/Energy Assistance
  Program/Social Service Enrollment
• Musical Entertainment
• Texas Rehabilitation Commission
• Jesse Tree Dollar Incentive Program

• Diabetes Class UTMB/Galveston County Health
  District/Jesse Tree Robert Wood Johnson Funding
• Cooking Classes TX AM Cooperative Extension
• Case Management The Jesse Tree
• Medical Screening and Testing
• Medicare Part D Enrollment Assistance
• Immunization and Flu Shots
• Save Our Sisters Breast Cancer Coalition
• Blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol Screening
  St. Vincents Episcopal House
• Clinical Lab Students/UTMB Allied Health
  Sciences
• HIV Testing Gulf Coast Center
• Substance Abuse/Mental Health Screening
  BACODA/Gulf Coast Center/Jesse Tree
• Vision Screening Prevent Blindness
• Gods Fan Club Electric Fans and Education on
  Prevention of Heat-Related Illness
• Comfort and Joy Winter Coats, blankets, hats
  and gloves for those attending Food Fairs/Church
  Ministries
• American Heart Association
• Cancer Coalition of Galveston County
• Outreach Health/Education Vendors

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Additional Vendors

• Texas Gas Company/Reducing bills
• American Heart Association
• American Cancer Society
• Galveston County Senior Services
• Environmental Sanitation
• Fire Marshall, Fire Prevention and Alarm Program
• Police Department- ID Theft and Info Services
• Area Council on Aging Houston / Galveston
• Galveston Housing Authority
• Section 8 Open Applications
• Consumer Credit Counseling

• National Alliance Mental Illness
• Coastal Area Health Education Center
• Smoking Cessation Classes
• Galveston County Health District
• Shaken Baby Syndrome Information
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Information
• Anger Management Information
• Womens Resource and Crisis Center
• Pathway to Recovery - Outreach
• ADA Womens Center - Outreach
• Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol

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Add incentives.

• Yardsale itemsfree!

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The Food Chain Advisory Council

• ADA Womens Center Ellen Hanley
• Community Action Council - Norma Mitchell
•     Catholic Charities - Elizabeth Kinard
•     The WorkSource - Rita Boyer
•     Voter Registration - Johnny Shelton
•     UTMB Preventive Medicine Community Health
  D. Meyler
•     St. Vincent's Episcopal House - Doris Bagley
•     Gulf Coast Center - HIV Program - Jim Krebs
• Pathway to Recovery Dennis McColgin
•     Lone Star Legal Foundation - Food Stamp
  Enrollment Network Loretta Thornton
•     Gleanings From the Harvest - Mark Davis
•     American Cancer Society - Rachel Mallernee
•     Save Our Sisters - Rose Etienne/Holy Rosary
•     Shiloh AME - Ida Jackson
•     Greater St. Matthew's Church, Hitchcock R.
  Randall/Pat Ivy
•     Galveston Housing Authority - JoAnn Colon
•     The Jesse Tree - Senior Food Box Program R.
  Selby/UTMB

•    
•     The Jesse Tree - Food Fair Program - Sheila
  Savage
•     Bolivar Branch/St. Therese Lisieux - Frank
  Huffstetler/ Jeanne Altemose (VISTA)
•  Mainland Jesse Tree - Mary Leining
•     McKinney Memorial (LaMarque) - Jimmy Saldana
•     LaMarque Aid and Guidance - Lori Piangenti
•     UTMB Case Management - Arlene Josey
• Family Service Center Bill Buffam
•     Mainland Medical Center - Case Management V.
  Wittington
•     Galveston County Health District - Darlene
  Cass/Bette Cowan
•     Galveston County Health District - WIC
  Program T. Rice
•     Texas Department of Human Services - Chris
  Bacon
•     Bay Area Council On Drugs and Alcohol -
  Sharon Davis
•     American Heart Association - Garrett Harvey
•     UTMB Family Medicine - Leah Fanueil, MSW
•     Reform Church - Rev. Pete Estrada
• St. Patrick Catholic Church John Bok,
  OFM/Bob Fullen
• Holy Rosary Church Rev. Paul Banet, SJ

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Astonishing Results

• From January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2008
• AFDC 6
• CHIP 7
• Food Stamps -123
• Galveston Co. Indigent Program - 8
• HMO - 2
• Insurance - 19
• Medicaid - 172
• Medicare - 101
• QMB 7
• Rx Assistance - 71
• UTMB "DAMP -10
• Sub-Total 526 enrolled
• Sub-Total 509 pending
• TOTAL 1,035

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And that adds up to

• AFDC 6 325/mo 23,400
• CHIP 7 565/mo 47,460
• Food Stamps -123 78/mo 115,128
• HMO 2 n/a
• Insurance 19 n/a
• Medicaid 172 n/a
• Medicare 101 n/a
• QMB 7 96/mo 47,880
• (plus 475/mo Part B)
• Rx Assistance 71 63/mo 53,676
• (3,408 using 4 Rx cards!!!)
• UTMB "DAMP -10 n/a
• Sub-Total 526 enrolled
• Sub-Total 509 pending
• TOTAL 1,035 287,544
• Money spent in our own local economy!!!

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How do you manage such a big event?Volunteers
Make it Happen

• Jesse Tree Food Fair requires 200 250 Volunteer
  Hours
• Churches and the Faith Community provide regular
  volunteers,
• The ADA Womens Center joins Pathway to Recovery
  in the effort and have made it part of their
  curriculum, learning to give back to the
  community,
• Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) workers
  through the Center for Faith and Health
  Initiatives developed specific aspects of the
  Food Fairs,
• The University of Texas Medical Branch at
  Galveston Service Learning for Medical students,
  Nursing Students, Occupational Therapy and
  Physical Therapy Students, The School of Allied
  Health Sciences and Preventive Medicine
  academic credit for working at Food Fairs!
• Rotary, Kiwanis, and other civic groups
• Total Jesse Tree Volunteer Hours for 2007
  exceeded 35,000 hours!

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Food Fair Volunteers
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Expansion

• Start small and grow - develop a working model
  and replicate it in other locations
• Teach others to reach others.

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The Galveston County Challenge
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Galveston Island is the model

• 2001 - Expansion to Texas City, PACE Union Hall
• 2004 - Highway 6 Greater St. Matthews
• and
• 2005 - The Bolivar Peninsula Linear
  Distribution with a collaboration of ten local
  congregations

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Weve added classes

• During the Food Fair, Diabetes Management and
  Cardio Vascular classes are offered to empower
  participants to use the produce in managing a
  chronic illness,
• Cooking classes offered by The Houston Food Bank
  or Galveston County Cooperative Extension teach
  participants how to best use the produce for
  improved health,
• Support groups are encouraged to meet during the
  fair to share experience, strength and hope.

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Houston Food Bank Presents Eating Right! A
Front Line Cooking Class
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Texas AM Cooperative Extension
PresentsWhisking Your Way to Health
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Whats a fair without music?

• Volunteer Musicians frequently perform

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Outreach to Brazoria County

• The Houston Food Bank, The Jesse Tree, The Food
  Basket and Sweeny Hospital introduce The Friday
  Food Fair in
• Brazoria County October 05

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Secrets of Success

• The Houston Food Banks amazing generosity and
  consistency in providing Friday Food Fairs.
• A lead agency orchestrating social services and
  medical opportunities in conjunction with the
  Fairs.
• Dedicated staff and volunteers, training and
  supervision professional affiliations with local
  major players.
• Slow and steady progress, patience and always
  learning the next best step to improve the
  process.

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The Jesse Tree   2622 Market Street, Galveston,
Texas 77550   Phone [phone]   Email
JesseTree_at_aol.com Website www.jessetree.net
         
A shoot will come up from the stem of Jesse from
his roots a branch will bear fruit.
(Isaiah 111)  
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