In Kansas City, Missouri, schools are undertaking a new approach to improving the health of children as well as their families. Dubbed "Food from the Farm," this program is aimed at teaching kindergarteners about healthy foods and healthy eating, providing them with the necessary tools to make the healthy choice. The aim of Food from the Farm is to connect kindergarteners and their families to local farmers as a means to encourage eating local fruits and vegetables and to help kids understand where food comes from.
- In Wood County, 19 new gardens have been created at childcare centers serving 1,800 children. The gardens support early learning about healthy eating and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.
- More than 200 second- through fourth-grade students at 10 Wood County elementary schools participated in Fit-tastic, an eight-week afterschool program that helped them develop healthier eating and physical-activity habits.
This community-driven project engaged a variety of age groups in revitalizing Hunting Park to prevent violence and promote healthy food access through a new community garden and farmers market.
This project developed a healthy local food system that addressed underlying inequities that contributed to violence in the underserved Westwood community of Denver.
In 2007 the Holyoke Food & Fitness Policy Council (HFFPC), with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, set out to create a more healthy and vibrant Holyoke by developing policies and system changes that improve opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity.
In the rural town of Woodburn, Oregon with a more than 50% Latino population, the farmworkers union has developed a strong organizing and advocacy history on labor and housing issues. Now, through its 5,700+ members, the farmworkers, spouses, and children are also addressing healthy food access and physical activity to help local residents eat better and move more.
A community/academic partnership transforms vacant lots into community gardens in urban neighborhoods throughout Denver, creating new opportunities for physical activity, healthy eating and social connections among community residents, survivors of abuse and homeless people.
Working intensively in the low-income city of Muskegon, Michigan, this relatively new organization is galvanizing support for a local, sustainable food system and hopes to get a statewide initiative on the 2010 ballot that will declare healthy, sustainable food as a right for every Michigan resident.
In Northeast Iowa, a coalition of diverse stakeholders is creating opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity in a rural, geographically spread out region. As a W. K. Kellogg Foundation Food & Fitness Initiative project site, the Northeast Iowa Coalition is proving that strong collaboration can help achieve a vision of a healthier, more sustainable community.
Creating the Will and the Way: Expanding Access to Healthy Eating and Active Living in New York City
Food and activity advocates in New York City are collaborating to develop a comprehensive and long-term plan for making changes to food and activity environments, particularly in high-need neighborhoods. Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the New York City Food and Fitness Partnership is increasing access to healthy food in communities and enhancing opportunities for active living.
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