Healthy City Fall River coordinator Dr. David Weed and Mass in Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly organized a survey of nearly 100 neighborhood markets in Fall River during the week of January 8 through 15, 2010, as a way to initiate improvements in nutritional offerings to City residents over the next few years. Pat Bebo of the University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program and Lisa Alves of the Fall River Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program joined Dave and Julie to provide instruction to the group of eight volunteers who will take part in the survey at the UMass Professional Learning Center on South Main Street. Results from the survey will help in planning future interventions designed to improve the nutritional value of the foods offered in these stores, especially the availability of fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. Mass In Motion is a state-wide initiative to combat obesity and the chronic diseases that result from overweight and lack of physical exercise privately funded by the state’s largest insurance carriers. Grants were awarded to ten communities across the state and Fall River is one of only two communities to receive an implementation grant. Click here to upload the survey form. Click to see a survey of  a local Portuguese market and an Asian market. For more information about the project, contact Mass In Motion coordinator Julie Kelly at 508-324-2405.  

(Top row, left and right) Mass. Promise Fellow Annemarie Sharkey, Diabetes Association Health Worker Grace Diaz and LEADS graduate student volunteer John Patota as Mass In Motion coordinator Julie Kelly goes over the rationale for the market survey. (Top row, center) LEADS volunteers Robit Kankaliga and Jarrad Plante pose for a photo during a break. (Middle row, left) Diabetes Association Adult Program Coordinator John Quintas receives a food label description from University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program director Pat Bebo. (Middle row, center) Lisa Alves of the WIC program explains the requirements for WIC and SNAP ("Food Stamp") program participation as LEADS volunteers Aditya Kemkar and Yuganti Shirodkar listen. (Bottom row) UMass graduate student Monica Faria conducts a survey of a nearby market during the training session before reporting back on her findings to Robit and Jarrad.