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Guests: 

Dr. Amy Nunn, CEO, Rhode Island Public Health Institute

Chris Buchanan Director of Public Affairs and State and Local Government Relations with Walmart Stores, Inc

In this episode, we explore the innovative Eat Well, Be Well program in Rhode Island, which successfully leverages public-private partnerships to promote healthy eating among SNAP recipients. Discover how automating incentives at checkout can increase fruit and vegetable consumption, and the potential for these strategies to scale into other areas of health and wellbeing.

Main Topics:

• The origin and goals of the Eat Well, Be Well initiative
• How the program doubles the value of SNAP benefits for produce in retail locations
• The seamless, no-signup approach that simplifies access to healthy foods
• The role of technology in efficient program administration
• Data and impact: how the program benefits thousands of Rhode Islanders
• Strategies for scaling similar incentive models to broader health behaviors
• Future expansion possibilities beyond produce, including active lifestyles
• The importance of cross-sector collaboration in shaping healthier communities

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to the episode and guests
00:16 - Guest introductions: Chris Buchanan and Dr. Amy Nunn
01:04 - The purpose and history of the Eat Well, Be Well program
01:33 - How the program supports affordability of healthy foods for SNAP recipients
02:10 - Program funding sources and extension through COVID relief dollars
02:55 - Walmart’s involvement: why they joined the pilot program
03:27 - Making healthy shopping affordable and practical
03:57 - Seamless incentive application at checkout
05:11 - Behind the scenes logistics of integrating the program into retailer systems
06:52 - Advice for retailers interested in adopting similar models
09:00 - Evaluation results and program impact on Rhode Island households
09:36 - Reaching vulnerable populations: children and the elderly
11:43 - The potential for expanding incentives to other health behaviors and products
12:19 - The concept of behavioral economics in promoting healthy choices
13:21 - The possibility of broader incentive programs across health and activity sectors
15:00 - Creative ideas for encouraging physical activity through retail and community efforts
16:18 - The importance of partnership among government, private sector, and public health
16:35 - The scalability of incentive programs and future opportunities
17:21 - Final thoughts on collaborative efforts driving community health improvements
18:07 - Closing remarks

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