The Yolo County Board of Supervisors are set to approve an agreement with Elica Health Centers using American Rescue Plan funds to further address food security in the county.

The agreement with Elica Health Centers will be in the amount of $75,000 for the period of Feb. 1 through Aug. 1, with the main goal being to empower families regarding nutritional choices through the Families Understanding Nutrition (FUN) program, according to the agenda item.

“There are a number of individuals and families in Yolo County who could benefit from these services,” the agenda item explained. “Many families are still struggling economically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This project acknowledges this difficulty and provides participants with nutritious food that can be used to feed their families.”In September of 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved the initial American Rescue Plan (ARP) Expenditure plan, which included $3 million for projects under the food security priority category. On Oct. 25, 2022, staff presented recommendations to the board on how to allocate the remaining $1.3 million in this category, with supervisors expressing support for funding Elica Health Centers.

Elica Health Centers is a federally qualified health center out of West Sacramento. According to their website Elica Health Centers “offers quality comprehensive healthcare, health outreach and links to social services to thousands of low-income patients in the Sacramento region—regardless of their ability to pay. Elica has over 500 experienced, highly trained providers and staff who embody our mission of “Healing with Heart.”’

Designed to provide families with information on healthful eating, the FUN program will provide accessible nutritional literacy activities such as meal planning and cooking demonstrations in order to help families make informed decisions about their nutritional needs.

“Importantly, participants will also be provided with food to take home to make the recipes on their own, as well as supplemental cooking utensils and nutritious snacks,” the agenda item emphasized.

The program is targeted towards those who are underserved or underinsured in West Sacramento, with the majority of these participants being Elica Health Centers patients struggling with food security and who have demonstrated a need to learn about nutritious eating.

The program will be held at the health center, providing a secondary benefit to this program as there will be significant information about COVID-19 and vaccines readily available if participants are interested.

More information about the program and contract can be found on the Board of Supervisors agenda at https://www.yolocounty.org/government/board-of-supervisors/board-meetings/board-of-supervisors-meeting-agendas-minutes.

The final contract with Elica Health Centers will be up for approval Tuesday.