It can be difficult to convince full-service grocery stores to break ground in low-income areas, but often these neighborhoods are the ones that need their services the most. Certain tax policies can encourage stores to build in these underserved areas, and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is ready to make these policies a reality. She wants to give a tax break to supermarkets that locate in underserved Baltimore areas. This proposal, along with another tax-related proposal, is a key part of a package of bills Rawlings-Blake will ask the Maryland General Assembly to pass during the three-month session. The supermarket tax proposal would let the city grant a 10-year break on personal property taxes —for items such as freezers and cash registers — to grocers that locate ...
While some schools are trending towards healthier food during school time, some schools still hold on to copious birthday treats and junk food "rewards." As a parent, what can be done? Bettina Elias Siegel, the mom and healthy food advocate behind the popular blog The Lunch Tray, has released a new, free eBook that aims to help parents navigate different aspects of school food. The Lunch Tray’s Guide to Getting Junk Food Out of Your Child’s Classroom addresses a wide variety of topics including: how wellness policies and the new federal “Smart Snacks” rules relate to classroom junk food; the tricky problem of birthday treats and how to respond to your opponents on that issue; the use of junk food as a classroom reward; the use of candy as a teaching ...
Farm-to-school programs are cropping up across the country, giving kids the opportunity to have locally grown produce for lunch as well as meet real farmers and learn about food production. These programs, however beneficial, can be expensive to expand on a large scale and sometimes underfunded schools are left out. A bill currently up for consideration in the New Mexico state legislature would appropriate 1.44 million dollars for the expansion of the statewide farm to school program. Currently 60 schools and school districts across the state have purchased New Mexico-grown produce. This number has more than quadrupled since 2012, making a strong case for funds to expand the program. According to a brochure distributed by the New Mexico Food Policy Council, by purchasing New ...
U.S. Latinos are a vibrant, dynamic population. But they also struggle with high rates of obesity, certain cancers and other diseases—and they are the least-likely U.S. racial/ethnic group to have access to health care and preventive measures. With open enrollment set to close in just days for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act (#ACA), let’s use #SaludTues on Feb. 10, 2015, to chat on Twitter about strategies and resources on how to increase Latinos health coverage and access to care: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Why Should Latinos #GetCovered Today?”
DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015
TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT)
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludToday
CO-HOSTS: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (@RWJF_Live), Elianne ...
In the fall of 2014, through a partnership between Openlands and the Healthy Schools Campaign, four Chicago schoolyards were transformed into dynamic spaces for outdoor learning and active play. According to a recent blog post from the Healthy Schools Campaign, for over a year community leaders and school officials at four pilot schools had been planning for the implementation of the Space to Grow program. The hope is to provide children with an opportunity to go beyond the confines of the traditional learning environment to outdoor classrooms, where they will have the chance to experience edible gardens, hands on science lessons, and the opportunity to be more active. Students at Schmid, Grissom, Leland, and Morrill elementary schools are all benefiting from the new ...
Teachers, coaches, and communities throughout Texas are excited about the opportunity to create a healthier school environment through the It's Time Texas Growing Healthy Schools initiative. In 2014, It's Time Texas launched their Growing Healthy Schools tool to provide communities with a platform to raise funds for projects aimed at improving school health. Thanks to support from the community and from It's Time Texas sponsors, children and staff at schools throughout the state of Texas have benefited from having new exercise equipment and gardens at their schools. Two examples of successful projects include: A new staff wellness center at University of Texas Elementary School; and
A community garden at Colonial Hills elementary Watch the video below for more information on ...
Teachers, coaches, and communities throughout Texas are excited about the opportunity to create a healthier school environment through the It's Time Texas Growing Healthy Schools initiative. In 2014, It's Time Texas launched their Growing Healthy Schools tool to provide communities with a platform to raise funds for projects aimed at improving school health. Thanks to support from the community and from It's Time Texas sponsors, children and staff at schools throughout the state of Texas have benefited from having new exercise equipment and gardens at their schools. Two examples of successful projects include: A new staff wellness center at University of Texas Elementary School; and
A community garden at Colonial Hills elementary Watch the video below for more information on ...
U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, who represents California's 29th Congressional District, is passionate about "Meatless Monday." An effort he and his staff first spearheaded last year, "Meatless Monday" is a global movement urging folks to forgo meat on Mondays in an effort to conserve the environment and also improve overall health. In early February, Rep. Cárdenas sent a "Dear Colleague" message to his fellow Representatives, urging them to join him and his staff in observing "Meatless Monday." According to an article in the Latin Post, the response has been positive. "Some of the nation's largest school districts, workplaces and public figures are signing up to start the week off by taking a day off from eating meat," Cárdenas said in the article. "Going meat-free means ...
Latinos in the Southern U.S. contribute to their communities, but struggle with accessing healthcare, stigmatization and immigration challenges, according to a new report. The report, The State of Latinos in the Deep South: Being Visible by Piercing the Stigma Veil from the Latinos in the Deep South program of the Latino Commission on AIDS, documents how Latinos in this region are firmly rooted, local contributors who have been adversely impacted by HIV/AIDS, chronic diseases, and national and local policies. The report was led by Dr. Miriam Vega of the Latino Commission on AIDS. Vega, who also is a former grantee of Salud America!, a Latino childhod obesity research network led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, ...
