As part of the statewide Mass in Motion Project, "1422 Project" funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, three speakers were invited to present their recommendations on how best to understand and work with large food retailers at a workshop held on June 20, 2016 at the Tower Hill botanic Garden in Boylston, MA. Mass in Motion Fall River Coordinator Julianne Kelly and SSTAR Community Prevention Coordinator Eric Andrade, who is working on the project with Ms. Kelly, suggested the workshop following some initial work that Eric had done with consultant Susan Phinney (known as "Phinney"). The two of them were joined by Michael Rozyne of Red Tomato and Lola Omolodun of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council for the half-day event. Strategies for building cooperation with large grocery chain stores to achieve some of the food-related goals of the 1422 Project were presented and discussed. The project is part of a new  designed to improve opportunities for physical activity and to help people at risk for diabetes and high blood pressure to become more active and to eat a better diet. Click here for a 12-minute video of a portion of the presentation. To learn more about Mass in Motion Fall River, contact Fall River coordinator Julie Kelly at 508-324-2405. 

(Top row) Eric Andrade and Julie Kelly arrive at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden where they joined representatives of the other three funded 1422 Mass in Motion projects in Massachusetts and DPH staff, including Maria Evora-Rosa, center, of Southeastern Massachusetts. (Row two) Rachel Stohler of Franklin County talks with Consultant Phinney before DPH Mass in Motion staff member Kim Etingoff begins the workshop. (Row three) Michael Rozyne of Red Tomato joins Phinney and Lola Omolodun of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council for the lead-off presentations. (Row four) Following lunch, Eric consults with Phinney, and Julie poses a question during the discussion. (Bottom row) Eric and Phinney describe the approach that they have been using in working with large food retailers in Fall River.