In an effort to expand production and consumption of locally-grown foods in schools, lawmakers recently introduced new legislation that would enhance USDA's Farm to School program. The USDA awards up to $5 million annually in competitive grants for training, supporting operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm-to-school programs. The bills, introduced by Sens. Patrick Leahy and Thad Cochran and Reps. Jeff Fortenberry and Marcia Fudge, would increase funding for USDA's Farm to School program to $15 million per year. Supporters hope to include the language in the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which is set to expire on Sept. 30. The bills would clarify that all school food programs ...
How can we work to make Latino communities more walkable?
Why not try pointing people in the direction of the nearest parks, cafes, shops, and other community assets?
Thanks to the Walk Your City initiative, local residents in communities all across the country are encouraging people to walk and bike to nearby areas by using a strategy called "wayfinding" that uses signs to direct people to nearby landmarks and amenities.
The idea was born when urban designer Matt Tomasulo realized that people weren't walking much because they often thought places were farther than they actually were. After realizing this, Tomasulo created signs that used minutes instead of miles, to show people that places weren't really that far.
Since its launch, over 100 communities (including the 48.7% Latino ...
Look out junk food! Fresh fruits and vegetables are in the spotlight thanks to a new healthy marketing campaign called FNV. Each year the food industry spends billions on marketing food to the public. Unfortunately only a small fraction of that is aimed at selling healthy food items like fresh fruits and vegetables to the public. In order to reignite some excitement around eating more fruits and veggies, the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) has teamed up with celebrities like Jessica Alba, Kristen Bell, Nick Jonas, WWE wrestler John Cena, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, to promote healthy eating. The new campaign will include print and out-of-home advertising as well as sponsorships of youth sports ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2014 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for the 2015 Èxito! program. Alicia Nunez
San Diego, Calif. Born in Chula Vista, Calif., and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, Alicia Nunez experienced a unique bicultural, mestizo heritage. Nunez wants to use this cultural experience to help improve Latino health. With an attitude of “Si, se puede” ("Yes, you can"), Nunez earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in public health from San Diego State University. She’s gone on to conduct field work and research to examine sociocultural factors relating to Latino health. Her goals are to work with disadvantaged populations to promote healthy lifestyles and well-being. To expand her ...
Schools across the country are revamping their lunch menus to better reflect the updated federal nutrition standards. Some schools are going above and beyond the standards and making huge strides to serve healthy, delicious food to students. In Blount County, Tennessee, schools are experimenting with growing their own fresh produce for school lunch. Agriculture teacher Mike Whitehead’s classes piloted the program last year at William Blount High School and William Blount Ninth Grade Academy. Since the program started, the cafeteria has gradually increased its produce orders to meet student demand, said manager Yvonne Buchanan in a news article. Currently, students grow fresh produce for six cafeterias: Mary Blount Elementary School, Friendsville Elementary School, Union Grove ...
A team of five students, including three Latinas, from Tri-Tech Skills Center in Kennewick, Wash., won an award for a mental health app they designed called Safe&Sound. The app offers information for teens dealing with anxiety and/or depression, as well as daily stress management techniques. The app also provides push notifications that include positive quotes, and a journal with a voice-to-speech feature that allows users to speak their thoughts and have them appear on the app. The students received a “Best in Nation” award from the Verizon Foundation's third-annual "Innovative App Challenge," which encourages student interest in science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM). Over 1,000 entries were accepted this year, and eight teams of middle school and high ...
Although a similar bill did not pass the state legislator last year, Illinois State Senator Mattie Hunter and Rep. Robyn Gabel introduced the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Act to provide tools and resources for Illinois families to live healthier lives. The bill is would generate more than $600 million a year for investment in communities across the state through a small tax on sugary drink distributors and is supported by the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity. "This is an important piece of legislation for the health of Illinois communities, especially those most devastated by sky-high rates of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease," Sen. Hunter said in a press release. "African Americans have the highest heart disease mortality rates in the state and ...
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements women throughout history have made that make our world a better place. In honor of this month, we’re celebrating Latina health and the women who inspire us to live life to the fullest . We know Latinas are at a higher risk for developing certain kinds of cancers and illnesses, but we also know that changing a few daily habits can have a huge impact on well-being. Because salud is more than just being disease-free. It’s having a clear mind, uplifting relationships and an unbreakable spirit. Join us and our co-hosts as we tweet about Latina health and the women who inspire us at the next #SaludTues Tweetchat. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Celebrating Latina Health: Habits & Heroes”
DATE: ...
Some Latina moms are hesitant or withhold certain facts when discussing sex with their children, according to a Mass Live report. That why a new Spanish-language campaign, "Por Ahí Dicen," will encourage Puerto Rican mothers in Massachusetts to discuss sex and sexual health with their children. The campaign, developed by the Mauricio Gastón Institute of Latino Community Development and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Springfield, will air public service announcements on Telemundo and radio stations and place ads on buses and other venues. Heavily Latino parts of Massachusetts, including Holyoke and Springfield, also have among the state's highest rates of teen pregnancy. "We focused on the Puerto Rican community ...
