Results for America Hosts Roundtable on Evidence-Based SNAP Innovations

The Event is Designed to Spotlight how Evidence-Based Policies can Improve Economic Mobility; Results for America Adds New Non-Profit Moneyball for Government All-Stars

WASHINGTON – To bring the lens of evidence to our nation’s nutrition policies, Results for America – in partnership with NYU-Washington, D.C. – yesterday hosted a forum on promoting economic mobility through bipartisan, data-driven, evidence-based innovations in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Moderated by Melody Barnes, Results for America Senior Fellow and former White House Domestic Policy Council Director under President Obama, and featuring Pamela Hess, executive director, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture; John Weidman, deputy executive director, The Food Trust; and Dr. Lindsey Haynes-Maslow, food systems and health analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists, the event highlighted the data being collected and evidence that supports these interventions and identified innovations designed to:
•   Increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables among low-income consumers, particularly at local and regional retailers such as farmers’ markets; and
•      Support community economic development and local agriculture.


“The evidence shows that when families don’t have access to healthy foods, children often go to school hungry, and hungry children often fall behind in their studies,” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America. “That’s why evidence-based innovations in food nutrition programs like SNAP Incentives will be vitally important to helping our nation’s kids succeed in school and have bright futures. If we can make better funding decisions based on the best evidence and data available we can help families – especially those in underserved areas – end the cycle of poverty and achieve greater economic mobility.”

A newly released report from the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture’s non-profit Mobile Markets saw sales of healthy, locally grown foods increase by 120 percent in low-food access neighborhoods in 2014. The increase in sales demonstrates a strong demand for healthy, fresh, affordable foods in predominantly low-income communities where access to traditional grocery stores is limited. Moreover, the report underscores the need for continued investment in SNAP and other food nutrition programs to be implemented based on the best evidence and data about what works.

“SNAP Incentives are an economic mobility trifecta – access to healthy food for families, economic development in low-income communities and support for local food producers," said Melody Barnes. "These evidence-based solutions deserve local, state and federal investment as they prove we can tackle multiple challenges while improving economic mobility.”

Results for America also announced the addition of two new Non-Profit Moneyball for Government All-Stars. Pamela Hess, executive director, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, and Yael Lehmann, executive director, The Food Trust were named to the bipartisan Moneyball for Government All-Star team for the their leadership in supporting efforts to invest in what works. As Non-Profit All-Stars, Hess and Lehmann agree that government at all levels, including local governments, should:

Build evidence about the practices, policies and programs that will achieve the most effective and efficient results so that policymakers can make better decisions;
Invest limited taxpayer dollars in practices, policies and programs that use data, evidence and evaluation to demonstrate they work; and
Direct funds away from practices, policies, and programs that consistently fail to achieve measurable outcomes.

The full list of Moneyball for Government All-Stars can be found here.

For more on yesterday’s event or to watch a video replay, click here.