Posted by Carol O’Meara, Extension Agent, Colorado State University Extension Boulder County on June 22, 2011
It didn’t look like much of a school in 2005, with the barbed wire fencing and modular classrooms crowding the yard, yet FirstLine Charter Schools founders saw the potential to turn children’s lives around. But just ten days after opening their doors, Hurricane Katrina struck, bringing five feet of flood waters to cover the school grounds.
Posted by Kristen Nelson, USDA Forest Service on June 21, 2011
The U.S. Forest Service and community partners have been encouraging children and their families across the country to spend time reconnecting with nature, trying new recreation activities and just having some good fun. The effort is called National Get Outdoors Day, or GO Day, and enjoyed its first celebration on June 11th.
Posted by Liz Themelis, Director of the Child Care Division, GSA on June 16, 2011
General Services Administration (GSA) has teamed up with the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Child Care. GSA has pledged that all of its 109 child care centers will use Let’s Move! Child Care’s five-step checklist that offers child care providers a way to ensure that youngsters are getting healthy meals and physical activities into their daily routines.
Posted by Alan Shannon, Public Affairs Director, USDA Food and Nutrition Service Midwest Region on June 16, 2011
Last Father’s Day, President Obama challenged American fathers to take time for their children. He has said that being a father to his two daughters is the most important job he has. In Chicago, one organization of talented fathers is rising to that challenge and using their time to tackle child nutrition issues.
Posted by James Galloway, Acting Regional Director/Health Administrator, Health and Human Services on June 16, 2011
Chicago knows how to move, as three-year old Demarius Johnson can attest. Last month, at Mayor Rahm Emanuel's pre-inaguration family celebration, Demarius learned how to shoot hockey goals with the Chicago Blackhawks' "shoot out" game. The Blackhawks (through the NHL) joined other Lets Move! partners at the celebration, encouraging kids to be active.
Posted by Jennifer Seymour, CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity on June 15, 2011
Last week First Lady Mrs. Obama was at CentroNía's DC Bilingual Public Charter School in Washington, DC to launch Let’s Move in Childcare. DC Bilingual was also the 2nd school in DC to receive a salad bar as part of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign. The first salad bar was such a success that after 6 months they requested a second for younger students in the elementary school. Now, a total of 27 public and charter schools in DC have received salad bars from Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools during the last year through contributions from Dole Food Company, Whole Foods Markets, United Fresh Produce Foundation, Cambro Manufacturing Company, and Vollrath.
Ed. Note: Cross-posted from USDA Blog
Drum roll please…. The long anticipated winners of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Recipes for Healthy Kids competition were announced this morning by Secretary Vilsack.
Posted by Robin Schepper, Executive Director, Let’s Move! on June 14, 2011
Just in time to celebrate the one year anniversary of Let’s Move Outside, we invited 50 kids from Thurgood Marshall High School to play on the White House’s South Lawn. Activities included camping demonstrations, fly fishing, a kayak clinic, mountain biking and rock climbing. It was so amazing to see these kids participate in these outdoor activities - some of them had never been on a bike let alone climbed a rock wall. (I tried the rock climbing wall myself to see if I could get over my fear of heights and have a lot of respect for all those kids who touched the buzzer at the top!)
Posted by Rebecca Shively, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships on June 13, 2011
In his opening remarks at this season’s first Department of Agriculture Farmers Market, held adjacent to the Department headquarters on the National Mall, Secretary Vilsack spoke about the national movement to rebuild our rural economy and connect urban communities with America’s farmers. The market—a bustle of activity with a crowd of shoppers purchasing produce, homemade preserves, and artisanal bread—was a festive celebration of that movement, but not the only attraction of the day!
Posted by Max Finberg, Director, and Marissa Duswalt, Truman-Albright Fellow, USDA’s Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships on June 9, 2011
Most kids get excited about summer vacation. But for those who depend on school lunch and breakfast for their main meals of the day, they’re not as excited about summer. Unfortunately, hunger doesn’t take a vacation. Without cafeterias as the natural gathering point, congregations and community organizations are where kids can gather and get a meal this summer.
Posted by Robin Schepper, Executive Director of Let’s Move! on June 9, 2011
You may have seen the blog post on Let’s Move! yesterday announcing Let’s Move! Child Care, a new effort to work with child and day care providers to help our youngest children get off to a healthy start. Using a checklist and web tools developed in a public-private partnership between the HHS, Nemours, and other partners child and day care providers will emphasize positive choices like increased physical activity, reduced screen time, and eating fruits and vegetables. The Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and the nation’s second largest childcare provider, Bright Horizons, have already committed to implementing this checklist, which will make a difference in the lives of over 280,000 children.
Posted by Rayne Pegg, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service on June 9, 2011
The term “food deserts” refers to urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. More than 23 million Americans live in food deserts, and this lack of access contributes directly to poor diets which can lead to obesity.
Posted by Robin Schepper, Executive Director of Let’s Move! on June 8, 2011
Watch First Lady Michelle Obama unveil Let's Move! Child Care.
We are pleased and excited to announce Let’s Move! Child Care, a new effort to work with child and day care providers to help our youngest children get off to a healthy start.
Everyone has a role to play in ending childhood obesity, and child and day care centers are certainly no exception. By providing a solid checklist on healthy nutrition, physical activity and screen time, we all can help take more responsibility for the healthy habits of our kids. We are starting off strong with commitments from the public sector: the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration; and also the private sector, Bright Horizons, the nation’s second largest childcare provider. All three are committing to implement the checklist which will reach over 280,000 children.
Posted by Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services on June 8, 2011
I start most days with a run, but this Sunday, June 5th was something special: I joined 717 girls, aged 8 to 13, at the biannual Girls on the Run – DC 5K race at American University. With 177 volunteer coaches and hundreds of family members and friends there to support them, these ‘girls on the run’ were strong and confident, full of energy and fun.
