ANCHOR Bismarck

The Bismarck-Mandan, ND ANCHOR campaign is working to increase availability and affordability of healthy foods and beverages in workplaces, government facilities, hospitals, and early care and education settings.

The team is working with worksite wellness committees at AHA-designated Fit Friendly Companies to promote access to healthy foods through adoption and implementation of AHA’s Healthy Food and Beverage Guidelines Toolkit. Local hospitals’ nutrition services directors have been engaged to make changes to the food and beverage environment within their facilities. The North Dakota Capitol building cafeteria and vending services vendor is working to expand healthy food catering offerings, reduce sugary beverages in vending, and explore a procurement policy to reduce sodium.

The campaign’s work with early care and education settings includes a collaborative project with Heartland Nutrition that will educate, demonstrate, and encourage food procurement and preparation methods that lower the sodium in meals and snacks in child care facilities. AHA is also working with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction to help local school districts develop a gradual sodium reduction plan to improve the nutrition of school meals.