Community and faith-based organizations can work with schools to help students adopt healthy habits by taking some of the following steps:

• Partner with a School: Have your organization or congregation partner with a local school or school district.
• School Meal Programs: Encourage families to enroll their children in school meal programs. Please call the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY for more information.
• Start a Farmers Market: Work with community members to start a weekend farmers’ market at your facility, a local school site or neighborhood park.
• Healthy Living Club: Create a healthy living club to facilitate health programming in the schools and in the community. Assess healthy eating and physical activity policies, as well as programs that are currently offered, and establish a plan to work towards creating a healthier environment for children.
• BackPack Program: Partner with your local food banks to support the local BackPack Program, a program designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available, like over weekends, holidays and during summer vacation.
• HealthierUS School Challenge: Identify strategies to support local schools in the HealthierUS School Challenge. The Challenge recognizes schools that take specific steps to improve their school environment by serving healthy foods, and by providing nutrition education and physical education.

• Summer Food Service Programs: Operate a Summer Food Service Program in partnership with local schools.