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FAQs

Overview

Q. What is Change Club?

A Change Club is a small group of community residents who will work together to create positive health changes within their community. Change Clubs will identify and implement a project that makes it easier to make the healthy choice the easy choice in settings where people live, learn, work, or play. For example: revitalizing a walking trail, creating or supporting a mobile farmers’ market or community garden, etc.

Q: What would I need to do as a Change Club Member?

A: Change Club Members are participating regular meetings, with the option for in-person or remote participation. These meetings are helping them identify and implement a project to improve healthy eating and/or physical activity in your community. Implementation of their project may take up to 24 months depending on your project and your group’s work pace. We are asking them to participate in data collection. They are being compensated for participating in the data collection activities. If you are a current Change Club Member, please visit our Change Club Member FAQ page to learn more about the role of a Change Club Member.

Q: Can I still take part in the project?

A: No, thanks to an overwhelmingly positive response, we have completed recruiting Change Clubs Members and Community Residents.

Q: What do the data collection activities include?

A: Community Residents are only being asked to complete an online survey!

Q: What is the length of participation?

A: You will be asked provide data annually across four timepoints: baseline, approximately 12 months later, 24 months later, and 36 months later.  

Online Survey

Q: What is involved in completing the online survey?

A: You will be asked to complete an annual, online survey. The questionnaire asks about your physical activity, diet, other health behaviors, mental health, quality of life, and demographic information, such as age and ethnicity. As part of the online survey, you will be asked to provide physical measurements that you will take yourself including height, weight, and waist circumference. The questionnaire takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Q: What if I don’t have a digital body weight scale or a tape measure?

A: If you do not own a digital body weight scale or tape measure to take your physical measurements, we will mail Change Club Members these items at no cost.

Food Diary

Q. What is involved in completing the online food diary?

A: Change Club Members will be asked to annually complete an online food diary of one day. You will record everything you ate and drank over the previous 24 hours. The food diary takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Physical Activity Tracking

Q: Do I need to purchase a pedometer to track my steps?

A: No, our staff will ship Change Club Members a pedometer to your home for you to use. Please make sure to store this pedometer in a safe place that you will remember as you will be asked to use it again at 12mo, 24mo and 36mo data collection.

Q: Can I use my own wearable fitness device like my Fitbit?

A: Yes, Change Club Members may use your own wearable fitness device from our list of pre-approved fitness trackers. The list of pre-approved fitness devices can be found at the end of the Change Club Member Screener.

Q: What should I do if my pedometer didn’t arrive?

A: You should have received an email with tracking information when your pedometer was shipped. If you did not receive the email, you never received the shipment or any other shipping issues please contact project staff at changeclub@cornell.edu.

Compensation

Q: What is the compensation?

A: Change Club Members who participate in full data collection will receive $75 each year that they complete all of the following: online survey, online food diary, and physical activity tracking. If you complete all data collection activities across all four timepoints, you will be provided an additional $150 for Change Club Members. This allows you to earn up to $450 for Change Club Members. No compensation is provided for partial data.

Community Residents and Friends and Family Members who complete the online survey will receive $75 each year they complete the survey, If you complete all surveys across all four timepoints, you will also be provided with an additional $75 at the end of the project. This allows you to earn up to $375 for all others over the course of the project. No compensation is provided for partial data.

Q: How will I receive the compensation payments?

A: After all of the data collection activities are complete for each round, you will receive $75 compensation. Compensation will be in the form of an e-gift card, depending on which method you select. Please note that compensation typically arrives within 10 business days, however, in rare circumstances it may take up to 60 days.

Contact Information

Q: I still have questions.  Who can I ask?

A: You can contact project staff by emailing changeclub@cornell.edu or calling 607-253-3344.

A: You can also contact your local Change Club educators:

Jefferson County, New York
April Bennett, Nutrition, Food, & Wellness Program Manager
aln48@cornell.edu
315-788-8450 ext. 265

Oneida County, New York
Sydney Dean, Program Leader
sld228@cornell.edu
315-832-0368

Madison County, New York
Sue Parker, County Extension Agent
sap77@cornell.edu
315-684-3001 ext. 101

Trinity County, Texas
Deborah Alvarenga, County Extension Agent
deborah.alvarenga@ag.tamu.edu
936-642-1421

Lamb & Hale Counties, Texas
Courtney Lowe, County Extension Agent
courtney.lowe@ag.tamu.edu
806-485-9135

Harrison County, Texas
Louraiseal D. McDonald, Country Extension Agent
ldmcdonald@ag.tamu.edu
903-935-8414

Shelby County, Texas
Feleshia Thompson, Country Extension Agent
feleshia.thompson@ag.tamu.edu
936-598-7744

Next Steps

Q: What if I change my mind about participating?

A: You can change your mind about participating at any time. We ask that you notify us by sending a message to changeclub@cornell.edu and appreciate if you can tell us why you no longer wish to participate so that we can try to improve the experience in the future. Once notified, we will remove you promptly from the study contact lists, but please be aware that you may still receive up to 4 system-automated emails.

Change Club