Fruit-filled trees are coming soon to areas of Tallahassee, FL that lack healthy food access. Taylor Brio submitted her fruit tree idea to Awesome Tallahassee, the Tallahassee chapter of the nationwide micro-grant organization, The Awesome Foundation. “We just felt that there was really an important need in the community, and it was just an innovative idea, and we haven’t heard of an idea like this before,” said Chester Spellman, one of the founders of the local chapter. “And so, we decided that it was something we wanted to invest in.” Biro will receive $1,000 to plant fruit trees in Tallahassee's "food deserts," areas that lack fresh fruits and vegetables. She'll begin planting this winter, when conditions are right for planting trees. Tallahassee's Latino ...
Researchers in California found rates of overweight and obesity among children have declined since the state adopted new laws in the past 10 years. In the five years after the start of these statewide policy changes, trends in overweight/obesity leveled off among fifth-grade students at public schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods and declined in advantaged neighborhoods, according to the study led by researchers at San Francisco State University. 52% of a public school students in California are Latino. The researchers looked at the effect of two state laws that restricted competitive food and beverages sold alongside meal programs in public schools. This study is released at a time when new federal school lunch guidelines that similarly limit competitive ...
Culinary Arts Kids Eat (CAKE) is a non-profit organization created in 2012 to enrich, engage and educate underserved students in south Los Angeles on life skills through practical knowledge and hands on experience gained in the culinary arts and the restaurant and hospitality industry. CAKE's after school program focuses on teaching students at Santee Education Complex culinary arts and restaurant hospitality through practical, hands on experience. On May 20th, the students are presenting a pop-up farmers' market for the public to enjoy from 3 to 5 p.m. Students from the program will utilize ingredients from the organic garden on campus to inspire the dishes that are being sold at the farmers market. The culinary students in the Restaurant and Hospitality class and after school ...
Farmers' markets are a great place to buy fresh, often locally-grown healthy produce. However, farmers' markets sometimes have a reputation for being pricey and not welcoming to low-income folks. Programs across the country are changing this by allowing SNAP participants to use their food benefits at markets and some markets are gaining the capability to double SNAP participants' dollars when they buy fresh, healthy produce. The Montclair Farmers' Market in New Jersey is the latest market to offer better access to healthy foods. In addition to accepting SNAP payments through the area agencies Partners for Health and City Green, the market will match all purchases made with the supplemental food programs via its "Double Bucks" initiative up to $10, meaning that an individual ...
Following the lead of other large fast-food chains like McDonald's and Wendy's, Dairy Queen has agreed to remove sodas from its listing of kids’ meals on menu boards and replace them with milk and water. According to a letter addressed to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), who had urged Dairy Queen to take such action, Dairy Queen's Franchise Advisory Council voted unanimously to remove soft drinks from kids’ menu. The change will go into effect on Sept. 1, 2015 when new menu board panels arrive at franchise locations. “Dairy Queen deserves credit for being responsive to the concerns of parents, who increasingly want to be able to order off the kids’ menu without having to say ‘no’ to soda,” said CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan in ...
Improved technology, like smart phones and tablets, is often blamed for increasing unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles in children, especially Latino children. But what if this technology could be used to actually promote healthy living? Learn how a non-profit in Austin, Texas created a free mobile App that connects folks ready to get healthier with countless opportunities right in their backyard. EMERGENCE Awareness: Chances are most Texans know someone, even kids, with diet-related health conditions. In fact, 42.8% of 4th graders in Texas are overweight or obese. Making healthier lifestyle changes can make a big difference, especially for Latino kids, who make up a significant percentage of kids in Texas and are more likely to be overweight. Fortunately, IT’S TIME TEXAS (ITT) ...
The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a collaboration between The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has released more poll results that show wide support for healthy school food policies. A report last month found overwhelming support for healthy school food policies throughout Kansas, and this new poll found that parents and voters in Pennsylvania feel similar. The survey found that 98 percent of parents and 96 percent of voters think serving nutritious foods in schools is important to "ensure that children are prepared to learn and do their best." Additionally, about three-quarters of parents and voters in Pennsylvania say that meals would be substantially better if schools offered a greater variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole ...
San Antonio student Michaelie Love knows that, for many high school students, the hour before school begins is spent socializing or cramming for tests—not in the cafeteria eating a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is included in the federal school nutrition program and is free or reduced-price for students who qualify. Latinos represent more than one-fifth of students participating in this federal program, but are they showing up for breakfast? Health professionals say skipping breakfast before school can lead to poor academic performance and unhealthy over-eating later in the day. Love wanted to make eating breakfast at school easy, healthy, and cool.
Breakfast Habits among Youth
The North East Independent School District (NEISD) is the second-largest school district in San ...
When local legislators make healthy food access a priority, all residents benefit. The Tucson City Council in early May voted 7-0 to establish the Commission on Food Security, Heritage, and Economy. The handful of volunteers will advise Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the council on how to give all Tucsonans access to healthful foods. Members will come from various organizations, like foods banks, non-profits and universities. The committee states that one main goal is to promote ideas, practices, and programs to increase access to healthy foods. Latinos make up 35% of Tucson residents. Read more about the new food commission ...
