R -Why are we here?

We are here in support of the Prevention and Public Health Fund that is part of the ACA of 2010,
but will not be replaced in the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017.
This bill impacts our ability to provide the nutrition services Americans need in order to prevent
chronic diseases.
We spend more per capita in health care than any other country, yet millions of Americans suffer
from chronic diseases, such as obesity, heart disease, type two diabetes, and hypertension that
could have been prevented by nutrition intervention.

R - The Solution:
Since 2010, New Hampshire has received $23.3 million from the fund.
We found that the return on investment for every $10 spent per person on preventative
services would save the state of NH $76 million in 5 years.

Prevention is not a one-size-fits-all situation and every state is able to decide what the fund
money is spent on.
NH provides funds for programs such as:
The New Hampshire Minority Health Coalition (NHMHC)
State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and
Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health (DNPAO)
Dartmouth College - research for public health
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity grants
Preventive Health and Health Services Block grant
New Hampshire Department of Health Services

These larger programs then spread their funding to smaller programs that provide preventative nutrition
such as Healthy Monadnock, HEAL, and the diabetes prevention program.

Extra Notes
In its first few years the Prevention Fund invested almost
$7 billion into resources in states, communities, and tribal communities that support community-
based prevention
The majority of that money goes to tobacco use prevention, physical activity and
nutrition.

R- Organizational Champions: Worksite Wellness

Worksite wellness affects the economy, our community, and our healthcare costs. Creating an
environment that supports making healthier choices increases productivity and can lead to
decreased insurance premiums for employers.

The Organizational Champion Program is one of the programs that is funded through the CDC
Prevention Partnership in the Community Health grant.

In just a year and a half, local organizations have implemented 20 tobacco free, 16 healthy
eating, and 13 physical activity policies and environmental changes. They have partners with over
150 organizations to create healthier workplaces to improve employee health.
The Organizational Champions works to make the healthy choices the easy choices through their
programs such as Safe Streets, the bike program, and creating healthy vending programs.
Programs like this funded with the Prevention and Public Health Fund are important for helping to change
the culture surrounding healthy eating and practicing behaviors that will improve health.

Notes: In the Monadnock region, 62% of residents are overweight or obese. It is estimated that a
business with 100 employees could be down $130,000 each year due to excessive weight. Only by
creating a culture that is centered around making healthier decisions will help to decrease this cost.

R - The Ask: So what we are asking you to support is:

continued bipartisan investment in the Prevention and Public Health Fund
and also to promote the inclusion of nutrition services as prevention and treatment

R- Conclusion:
We are asking for you to continue investing in the prevention and public health fund since it
supports so many great programs that are working to increase health and wellness in NH and to
promote the inclusion of nutrition services as prevention and treatment since nutrition is the
number one prevention service in a time when stopping chronic disease is vital.

K - The Problem:
Of those health care costs, 86% is spent treating chronic
diseases that could have been avoided if Americans had
developed healthier eating habits
been more physically active
and avoided tobacco
On average we spend 3.2 trillion dollars annually on
healthcare.
To put that into perspective, thats 1/6th of our economy
Alarmingly, only 3% of that is spent on preventative
services!!!
 While Im saying this Im sure you have probably Monadnock Menus provides has helped the farm to
imagined someone you know who had or has a chronic double sales [from past years]. And it allows her to order
disease that they are receiving treatment for. tomatoes from farms with heated greenhouses that are
ripe before hers, and strawberries, blueberries and bread
Repealing the Prevention Fund would leave a funding gap things she might not otherwise be able to provide to
for essential public health programs that are working her CSA members, farm stand customers and pantry
towards reducing the prevalence of Chronic Disease. donations.
As we have seen with the Opioid Crisis, ignoring a
situation until it is a crisis puts more pressure on states Today Monadnock Menus reaches close to 60,000 and counting
and communities than they can sometimes handle - people through the program and have continuously been expanding
especially if unprepared and underfunded. each year.
NH is being stretched thin between dealing with this crisis
and the burden of preventable chronic diseases and This program is one of many NH programs that are helping to create
conditions, what will happen if these federal funds are no a culture and environment of healthy eating and are helping to
longer available to aid in preventative measures? develop community-based initiatives that help increase access to
We are here today because we believe that the state healthy foods, and this has been shown to effectively prevent chronic
should do all it can to safeguard its residents and take diseases.
preventative action to keep Chronic Conditions from
becoming more of a crisis than it already is. K- If I can leave you with one last remark it is that, we need to stop
investing in a healthcare system of Chronic disease treatment and
K - Monadnock Menus Story (Kayleigh is writing this) Cheshire and start investing in preventative services with nutrition at the core.
Sullivan County
Thank you again for inviting us to meet with you and for taking the
Under healthy monadnock there is a program called time to listen to our concerns, we appreciate your time and we are
Monadnock Menus, going to leave behind a few resources for you to look back upon if
This is a food hub that connects local farmers, in the need be.
Cheshire and Sullivan counties, directly to the community
through;
online ordering
a delivery service
acceptance of EBT cards
and Granite State Market match - an incentive
where they could get $1 for every $1 spent on
local produce
In NH, less than a quarter of adolescence receive the
minimum requirement of f/v a day, and even less adults
consume the recommended amounts.
We know in Keene NH, a survey found that
of low-income families did not have a car
And close to doubt their ability to afford
healthy F/V
We are fortunate in this region to have over 100 farms
producing fresh produce
MM is leading the way to breaking down barriers to
access to fresh food and this is so important to the low-
income communities.

Andrea Volikas, assistant director of food services for the Keene

School District, incorporates Monadnock Menus offerings into the
eight-week school menu rotation despite challenges like costs and
strict federal guidelines regarding students daily diets.
She firmly believed that We look at these kids as all our
kids and want to serve them the most nutritious food
possible. [They are our future and our future should be
healthy].

The program also helps local farms to increase their business and
gives them the support they need to expand the reach of their
products.
For instance, Clai Lasher-Sommers of New Dawn Farm
says that they are both a producer and buyer with
Monadnock Menus. The pick-up and delivery services