This week is the 65 anniversary of the National School Lunch Program, which has more than 31 million participating children and is aimed at preventing hunger and promoting education by providing students access to safe, balanced and affordable meals at school.
Posted by Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General on October 12, 2010
Since becoming Surgeon General, I’ve led fitness walks across the nation – from Baltimore to Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon. But it was a special treat for me when I traveled back to my home state of Alabama to lead a 1.2 mile walk in Mobile with more than 200 residents.
Getting 60 minutes of play every day is important and yesterday students from several Washington, DC elementary schools got their 60 minutes on the south lawn at the White House. As part of the ongoing South Lawn Series, players from the DC United soccer team led the kids in drills and games, showing them just how fun exercise can be. The students ran, jumped, kick soccer balls and ended the day with apples as a healthy snack.
Posted by Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition on October 8, 2010
With all of the focus on promoting physical activity sometimes we forget that children don't always have a place to go. Throughout inner cities and other urban areas some children don't have access to playgrounds or other places to recreate.
Posted by Dr. Howard K. Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on October 7, 2010
Yesterday I joined a wonderful group of elementary school students, principals and school staff at Lincoln Park in Washington, DC to celebrate “International Walk to School Day”. Now in its 13th year, this one-day event was part of a global effort in more than 40 countries to recognize the many benefits of walking and bicycling to school and to encourage more families to get out of the car and onto their feet in October.
Posted by Ray LaHood, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation on October 6, 2010
Today, I had the good fortune of joining students from East Silver Spring Elementary School in Maryland as they walked and biked to school in celebration of International Walk to School Day. I want to thank Principal Morrow and the entire ESS community for welcoming me so enthusiastically.
Getting our daily recommended physical activity (60 minutes/day for youth, 30 minutes/day for adults) is important – it’s important whether we live in the city, in the suburbs, or in a rural setting. It’s important whether we run fast or slow, whether we’re big, tall, short or small. And it’s important if we are able bodied or if we have a disability.
Twenty years ago the neighborhood where Chicago's Eden Place Nature Center now sits lingered in pollution and lead poisoning caused by freight trains to the West, idling long hours next to their homes, and the Dan Ryan Expressway to the East, whose heavy volume of cars spewing leaded gas contributed to dense air and toxic soil for residents. Seeing residents become accustomed to the resulting health issues – including severe asthma and numerous tracheotomies, community activists decided the air pollution and illegal dumping on the vacant lots needed to stop.
Posted by Jon Jarvis, Director, National Park Service on September 30, 2010
Now that summer is over and school is back in full swing, kids have less free time - and more homework than they did a few months ago. Fun in the sun at the beach, playing kickball with friends, and riding bicycles around the neighborhood, have been replaced by jam-packed routines that can make even the hardiest little adventurers beg for a nap. But outdoor fun doesn’t have to end just because school work has begun!
Posted by Amanda Eamich, Director of Web Communications, USDA on September 29, 2010
Six months ago the Apps for Healthy Kids competition called upon Americans to design engaging online or mobile games and tools to educate people of all ages about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. As part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, this challenge brought together solvers from across the Nation.
Posted by Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer on September 28, 2010
Suspense is building in advance of tomorrow’s highly anticipated awards ceremony for the “Apps for Healthy Kids” challenge, where the winners of $60,000 in prizes will be announced for newly created digital games and apps that best empower and inspire kids to eat healthy and get moving.
Today, the First Lady hosted a special event for the spouses of Chiefs of State and Heads of Government participating in the United Nations General Assembly at the Stone Barns Center, a non-profit farm and education center north of New York City.
Posted by Herb K. Schultz, Region IX Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on September 24, 2010
Last week, California took a huge step forward in support of the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign. A voice of 480 cities and towns, the California League of Cities voted as a general assembly at their annual conference to support unanimously the Let's Move Cities and Towns initiative. Now is the time for other cities and towns across the country to follow the example in California and join the battle to create healthy communities.
Editors note: Organizing a meetup is a great way to get involved and support your community. Below, a team of Federal employees share how they set up their first meetup.
We are a team of six Federal employees enrolled in a 9-month long Executive Leadership Program (ELP). We come from different agencies, Department of Education, US Department of Agriculture, General Services Administration, Department of Energy, Federal Aviation Administration, and Department of Defense – Navy. As part of ELP, we were tasked to come up with a team project that was designed around an issue or policy matter facing an agency, non-profit organization, or other entity.
Posted by and Julie Rodriguez, Director, Office of Youth in the Great Outdoors, U.S. Department of the Interior on September 24, 2010
Fall is the perfect time to get outside. Get moving into the new school year with National Public Lands Day on September 25. It’s a chance to get out, volunteer and have fun at parks, beaches and open spaces in your community.
