The data for this Performance Measure will be planned and collected in collaboration with Buncombe County's Communications and Public Engagement (CAPE) team. 

**NOTE: The data for this Performance Measure will not be representative of all Buncombe County residents accessing fresh produce from community farmer's markets, as there is no formal data reporting/collection method in place to gather population-representative data for Buncombe County residents.

The “story behind the measure” is a compilation of narrative from lived experiences shared during community listening sessions on the 2021 CHA health focus areas and cross-cutting results related to dismantling white supremacy culture and creating trauma-informed systems for a resilient community. The included “story” narrative below focuses more broadly on the systemic factors in the community environment in which programs operate and function. As programs and performance measures begin and/or strengthen, there will be organic opportunities for direct narrative collection to occur from program staff providing implementation and from community members engaged in the program’s services.

The "Story Behind the Curve" helps us understand the causes and forces at that work that explain the data behind being linked with a certified Peer Support Specialist.

What's Helping What We Do?

These are the positive forces at work in our strategy/ program that influence how much we do or how well we do it.

• Local community farmer's markets 

• Community gardens (Southside, Shiloh)

• Double EBT/SNAP benefits on fresh fruits and vegetables

What's Hurting What We Do?

These are the negative forces at work in our strategy/program that influence how much we do or how well we do it.

• Gentrification - loss of community green spaces

• High cost of living without increasing salaries

• Culture of cheap and fast meals, and always on the go - there is a need to financially incentivize cheap, fast, healthy meal options 

The following actions have been identified by the Buncombe County CHIP Advisory Council and Buncombe County residents as ideas for what can work for this performance measure to make a difference on chronic disease (heart disease & diabetes).

(A) Actions and Approaches Identified

These are actions and approaches that we think can make a difference for this performance measure.

• Address the cost of living vs. market salary imbalance

• Increase financial investment in community gardens and other local, fresh, accessible food options

• Bringing fresh food to the community via mobile markets

(B) No-cost and Low-cost Ideas

These are no-cost and low-cost actions and approaches that we think can make a difference for this performance measure.

• Sharing easy, low-cost recipes for local fresh foods at farmer's markets

• Community meals - welcome tables 

(C) What Buncombe County residents think would work to do better

These are actions and approaches that can make a difference for this performance measure.

• Increase access to fresh produce via community pop-up markets

• Bringing low-cost healthy food options to the community

(D) List of Questions/Research Agenda

These are questions to follow-up on for this performance measure. 

• What does final analysis of data from the Buncombe County "One Question" campaign indicate for what is needed?

• What are systems-level or policy-level strategies and measures that will contribute to achieving our result?