NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center Inc. (NorthPoint) will receive funding from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota's (Blue Cross) tobacco settlement proceeds to develop a plan to improve access to healthy and nutritious foods in North Minneapolis.
The project will include working with multiple partners such as the Minneapolis Department of Health & Family Support, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Extension and FIPSE program, Second Harvest Heartland, Cub Foods, Hennepin County WIC and other agencies and businesses. These partners will work together to form the Northside Healthy Foods Project Team and devise strategies that will increase access to healthy foods in North Minneapolis.
"In order for the residents of North Minneapolis to be healthy, they need to have more access to fresh and healthy foods. The goal of this project is to work across multiple sectors and increase the availability of nutritious foods in our community," said NorthPoint CEO Stella Whitney-West.
Eating more fruits and vegetables can help protect against heart disease and some cancers, help manage diabetes and weight, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduce the likelihood of heart attack or stroke. The valuable health benefits result in reduced illness and health care costs related to a poor diet.
Contingent upon successful negotiation of its contract, NorthPoint will begin their work in early 2009. Their experiences and successes will be shared with other communities across the state.
The Hennepin County Board also approved $1.8 million to provide human services to low-income Northsiders. NorthPoint will provide targeted intervention services to community members in the areas of advocacy, comprehensive financial and housing counseling, public outreach and emergency food services.
NorthPoint Inc. anticipates 18,000 client visits for 2009-2010. The goal is to increase access to human services, which ultimately will result in improved health, economic and social outcomes for residents.