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Public health program aims to bring healthier groceries to Sun Valley corner stores
Summary
Northern Nevada Public Health presented 'Grama Healthy,' a program that has onboarded six small stores to increase healthy food availability in Sun Valley and reports survey results showing cost, availability and quality are the main barriers to purchasing healthy foods.
Amanda Sanchez, a health educator with Northern Nevada Public Health, told the Sun Valley community that the agency's Grama Healthy program seeks to improve access to nutritious options in small neighborhood stores.
"We have 6 stores currently onboarded," Sanchez said, describing partnerships with Reno Food Systems to supply small batches of fresh produce and program supports such as removable window decals, shelf-talkers and equipment on an as-needed basis. She said the program began in 2021 and includes technical assistance, marketing and regular monitoring to help stores maintain healthy inventory.
Sanchez presented survey findings from the 89433 ZIP code: 55 completed surveys (33 in English, 22 in Spanish) that indicated most residents travel four to six miles for groceries and that fresh fruit and vegetables were the items people were most likely to buy if available. "The top barrier to buying healthy food is cost," she said, adding availability and quality were frequent concerns.
During a follow-up question-and-answer period, resident Roy Solberg urged broader outreach to major grocers to redevelop the closed full-service site in Sun Valley. Sanchez said she had not been made aware of any confirmed grocer commitments. The chair of the meeting later said Commissioner Garcia had reached out to Grocery Outlet and the property owner, but attendees said one of two owners was not willing to sell, leaving redevelopment uncertain.
Sanchez emphasized the program is a short-term, community-driven strategy, not a replacement for a full-service grocery store. "We're not here to say we're a full operating grocery store," she said, adding the program is designed to support local retailers and to pair supply changes with education so residents can use new options.
The presentation included proposed outreach strategies such as in-store taste tests, hands-on growing lessons and workshops on shopping and cooking on a budget. Sanchez asked attendees to share ideas and to encourage neighborhood stores to participate.
Next steps: Grama Healthy staff said they will continue outreach, monitor participating stores and test new incentives to increase customer uptake. Residents were directed to printed materials and a contact on the program slides for follow-up information.
