Bonner County Coalition for Health and Super 1 Foods announce the launch of the Change for Change Initiative starting Wednesday, Oct. 12 at the Super 1 grocery store in Sandpoint.

The Bonner County Coalition is a group of county professionals — physicians, dietitians, administrators, and business owners — tasked with finding ways to improve access to healthy foods for Bonner County residents. The coalition was formed in response to a grant initiative called Community Partnerships for Healthy Mothers and Children, sponsored by the national WIC association. Nanci Jenkins, MS, RDN, LD, a dietitian at Panhandle Health, is directing the coalition under the guidance of the Division of Community Health at the Centers for Disease Control. This is one more example of the efforts to improve the health of a population, increasingly more common these days.

Change for Change aims to reward shoppers for buying healthy items. An item from each of four categories will be offered daily for two weeks at Super 1 Foods, Sandpoint. The categories include fresh fruits, vegetables or legumes, whole grain products and low-fat dairy. The four items will be placed at a special low price to entice the public to give the item a try. The shopper will receive a coupon at checkout worth $1 for each of the four items purchased, with a $5 coupon if all four items are purchased that day. The coupon can be redeemed in the next two weeks for further Change for Change healthy food items. A total purchase of $25 is required to participate.

The BCCH is hoping that many shoppers will take advantage of this program, and try some items not usually on their shopping list. Recipes will be available at Super 1 that will include some of the Change for Change items on special. New items will be available every two weeks.

Shoppers are encouraged to submit healthy recipes that might be used for Change for Change food items. They should feature fresh fruits or vegetables and may include either whole grain or low-fat dairy ingredients. The recipes will be judged for characteristics of taste, freshness of ingredients, sodium and fat content and appropriateness of ingredients for this program.

An entry box will be positioned by the entrance to the store for participating shoppers. A winner will be drawn every 60 days for a $100 shopping spree.

The Bonner County Coalition is encouraging residents to give the program a try, expand food horizons and get paid to get healthy. For more information about the Bonner County Coalition for Health, and the Change for Change program, please call Nanci at Panhandle Health at 208-415-5121.