Farmers' markets offer fresh, nutritious produce for you and your family and is a great way for you to connect with the farmers that grew them. View our Farmers' Market Guide English| Spanish to find a farmers market near you. The guide also includes which markets accept CalFresh EBT, WIC, and Senior Nutrition Vouchers

Market Match Program
Did you know you can get twice as many fresh fruits and vegetables with your CalFresh EBT card? Learn more about how Market Match works.

Through our partnership with Leah’s Pantry, we offer trauma-informed nutrition education to improve the health, wellness, and resilience of communities. Classes include basic nutrition and food preparation, reducing household food waste, and holistic skills for young adults and adults raising children.

During the 2023-2024 school year, PHS delivered 18 direction education activities in 11 sites, reaching 332 individuals.

Direct education reached 200 youth aged 0-17 years old at K-12 schools (87% of children) and community and recreation centers (13% of children). The most common curricula used are 1) Food Smarts for Kids for grades K-12 and Nutrition Nuggets for grades 3-5. Among youth participating in school-based interventions, there was a 50% increase in daily vegetable consumption and a 43% increase in 60+ minutes of daily physical activity.

Direct education reached 82 adults aged 18 years and older at individual homes or public housing sites (59% of adults), community and recreation centers (21% of adults), and K-12 schools (21% of adults). Among adults participating in direction education, there was a 50% increase in daily fruit consumption, and a 44% increase in 60+ minutes of daily physical activity. 

PHS offers multiple physical activity programs, including:

CATCH, or Coordinated Approach to Child Health, is an evidence-based platform that promotes a fun and effective approach to increasing physical activity in youth. PHS offers classes during after school hours and during summer break for grades 4-8. Additionally, we offer resources to class participants to bring to their families to encourage physical activity at home. Additionally our staff are trained to train community organizations to implement CATCH on their own.

Enhance Fitness is a low-cost, evidence-based group exercise and falls prevention program that helps older adults at all levels of fitness become more active, energized, and empowered. These 60 minute classes are held 3 days a week for 4 months at participating community centers, with the option to train community center staff to continue the classes.

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention is an evidence-based physical activity curriculum for older adults. Classes are held 2 times a week for 8 weeks.

Walk with Ease is a 6-week program with 3 walking classes per week. The program is designed for anyone who wants to increase their physical activity. Anyone who can be on their feet for 10 minutes without increased pain will be able to participate successfully.

PHS implemented 4 garden changes at 2 sites.

Key focus areas for garden interventions include:

• Initiation, improvement, expansion, reinvigoration, or maintenance of edible gardens
• Opportunities for parents/students/community to work in the garden
• Policy related to edible gardens

One curriculum that we use is Nutrition to Grow On, which offers teachers a direct link between the garden and nutrition education. Nine lessons are designed to teach children and their families about nutrition by relating each lesson to a garden activity. The curriculum uses the garden to integrate, science, mathematics, language arts, history, environmental studies, nutrition, and health, while reinforcing the California academic content standards. Our classes are offered to youth in grades 4-6.

Safe Routes to School is a national initiative that works to make it safer, more convenient, and fun for children of all ages to walk and bicycle to and from schools. By improving roadway safety (e.g., sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, lighting, etc.) more youngsters are able to walk or ride to school. The goal is to reduce injuries as well as to increase health and physical activity. PHS is partnering with Safe Moves to conduct walk/bike assessments at 10 schools and implement relevant activities, including: presentations, bike rodeos, walking school buses, pedestrian and bicycle assemblies, and school-based contests.

The Nutrition Pantry Program offers training, technical assistance, and certification to food distribution sites interested in creating client-centered, health-promoting distributions that follow best practices across six focus areas—inventory, education, policy, waste reduction, cultural responsiveness, and environment.

Cultural & Dietary Accommodations
People of different backgrounds have access to food and information that fits their preferences and health needs.

Community Connections
Pantries connect and collaborate with the community.

Inventory & Purchasing
Healthy foods are prioritized for distribution. Pantries support a variety of waste reduction efforts.

Nutrition Goals & Pantry Plan
Policies and procedures are documented and align with a commitment to dignified, healthy distribution.

Nutrition Education
Clients, volunteers, and staff have access to nutrition and culinary education

Environment
Clients are warmly welcomed and healthy options are easy to access.

Our Healthy Retail Program, Refresh San Joaquin, is a component of our CalFresh Healthy Living Program. The goals of the program are to work with local retailers to increase the amount of healthy foods, fresh foods, and low or no-sugar beverages they offer for sale and to reduce the dangerous effects of unhealthy products and advertising in the community.

Refresh Goals:

• Make store improvements that increase access to healthier food and beverages
• Reduce signs and ads for tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and beverages

Current Participating Locations

• Acambaro Meat Market
• Arteaga’s Food Center
• El Molcajete East Side Market
• La Raza Market and Produce
• La Perla de Guadalajara
• Los Hermanos Meat Market
• Discount Liquor and Mini Mart

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For more information or to become a Refresh partner:
Please contact Rosaelena Menendez, SJCPHS
(209) 468-8637 | rmenendez@sjcphs.org
or fill out the interest form: bit.ly/3XcpmMP

Park Prescriptions is a program where health providers encourage their clients to spend time in nature with the goal of improving health and well-being. PHS is partnering with Public Health Institute, Dignity Health, and the City of Stockton to start a walking group at Oak Park in Stockton. The pilot walking groups will run from April to May 2025 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30am. This walking group is open and free to all.

 

This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP