West Side United Food Access Strategy

Economic Vitality
Written By HALT Creative

Clients: West Side United

Partners: McKinsey

Challenge: In 2017, Civic Consulting Alliance provided foundational support to bring together a collaborative of healthcare providers to build West Side United (WSU), an organization committed to eradicating the 16-year life expectancy gap between residents on Chicago’s West Side and the Loop. One of WSU’s primary strategies is to address the social determinants of health by removing barriers to accessing healthy food. In 2018, a pro bono team from McKinsey developed an initial food access strategy for WSU, which guided the collaborative’s activities through its first five years. In that time, WSU has piloted multiple food access activities and programs, developed deep relationships with West Side communities, and met immediate needs during COVID-19 and grocery store closings. The collaborative is transitioning from a fiscally sponsored organization to an independent 501c3. Due to this change and the lessons learned in the first five years, WSU asked Civic Consulting Alliance to revise its food access strategy to meet the changing needs of the community and organization.

Action: Civic Consulting Alliance and pro bono partner McKinsey helped West Side United develop an updated set of goals and a three-year strategic vision, categorized a set of initiatives, and aligned a set of near-term priorities to reduce the gap in food access for residents of West Side communities. Additionally, Civic Consulting Alliance provided project management to the working groups assigned to advance the legal and financial planning required for the 501c3 incorporation.

Result: West Side United’s updated food access strategy now has quantitative and qualitative goals to guide the allocation of hospital collaborative resources and attract additional external resources to invest in closing the gap in food access in Chicago’s West Side communities. The food access strategy and incorporation as an independent 501c3 will strengthen West Side United’s ability to improve the health and well-being of people on Chicago's West Side.

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