Ask your NC legislators to include funding for
the Healthy Corner Store Initiative in the state budget.

Dear Rebecca,

The members of the North Carolina General Assembly are back in Raleigh and are working on adjustments to the two-year budget they passed last year. CFSA urges the General Assembly to include a $1 million appropriation to fund the Health Corner Store Initiative in the budget adjustment.

CFSA has been working for two years along with many allies to support funding to increase the availability of fresh, healthy, local foods in retail establishments like corner and convenient stores. The House budget should include support for the Healthy Corner Store Initiative to help get healthy, local food in these types of stores. Visit our website for more information on this bill.

Take action and ask your NC legislators to include funding for
the Healthy Corner Store Initiative in the state budget.

The budget will have a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday and will probably be up for a vote on the House floor on Wednesday and Thursday. Call or email your Representative today and ask them to include funding for the Healthy Corner Store Initiative in the budget.
Click here if you do not know who represents you in the NC General Assembly. Click here for contact information for members of the NC House.

When you call or email, you may use this outline:

1. Introduce yourself (first and last name) and explain that you are the Representative’s constituent (if you are a farmer, be sure to mention that you are actively involved in farming).

2. Say that you are calling or emailing because you support a $1 million appropriation to fund the Healthy Corner Store Initiative and you urge your Representative to ensure the appropriation is in included in the House budget.

3. Say that you support the Healthy Corner Store Initiative because (use one or more of the following reasons, or come up with your own):

• This initiative increases the availability of healthy foods in North Carolina communities where people have limited access to such choices so that people who want to purchase healthy food have the option to do so. We are seeing an obesity epidemic in the state of North Carolina with over one-third of NC children overweight or obese. We need to work, as a state, to ensure that everyone in our state has access to healthy and affordable food.
• Store owners often don’t have time to do research on new vendors. The Healthy Corner Store Initiative would provide resources to connect store owners with local farmers and fishers. This project will connect our local food producers with new vendors and new consumers. It’s a win for consumers, a win for cornerstore owners, and a win for farmers.
• North Carolinians overwhelmingly support this program: A recent poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies found that more than 70 percent of registered voters support a state-funded Healthy Corner Store Initiative.

4. Say, “thank you.”

If you feel nervous about making a phone call, watch CFSA’s “How To Call Your Representative” video.

Thanks for all that you do,
The CFSA Policy Team