Residents from East LA Seek Recreational Opportunities Along the LA River



According to the City Project blog, in July 2013, residents from the neighborhoods adjacent to the Northeast Riverfront in Los Angeles attended a forum to help plan improvements along the LA river. Among the things requested by residents were more open space, clean air and waters, multi-use projects, educational programs, more trees, bike lanes, and soccer fields. The workshop was the first in a series of workshops provided through the Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) Riverfront Collaborative, that locals will have the opportunity of attending. Future meetings for the Policy Engagement Schedule include workshops in: Food Policy Workforce Development & Jobs  Planning & Mobility Sustainable Economic Development For information visit The City Project or NELA ...

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Safe Passage Routes Planned for Chicago School Students



According to this local news report from CBS Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel is teaming up with parents, school administrators, Child Protective Services (CPS), the Chicago police, and the Department of Streets and Sanitation, to make streets safer for children as they walk to school during the Fall semester of 2013. In order to develop safe passage routes, officials are working to create a safety plan, which will feature the new routes to be used at the beginning of the school year. At the end of the 2012-2013 school year forty-nine schools were forced to shut down, due to underperformance, forcing many students to transfer to new schools. As a result, officials are doing all they can make the journey to new schools for children safe and inviting. Close to $8 million will be invested ...

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Texas PTA School Recess Resolution and Draft Resolution



In this Texas Parent Teachers Association (PTA) resolution for school recess, the Texas PTA describes the benefits and importance of allowing elementary school children to participate in recess. In this resolution, The Texas PTA makes it clear that they support: At least 20 minutes of recess, every day while school is in session; That children receive both recess and physical education classes; Policies developed by school districts to ensure that recess includes unstructured play, that playground equipment is safe, and that an adequate adult to student ratio of 1 adult to 30 students be established; That recess is not withheld from children as a form of disciplinary action.   The Texas Parent Teachers Association Website also includes this recess resolution template ...

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Three Park Projects Could Transform San Antonio’s Most Underserved Areas



Latinos living in undeserved areas can benefit greatly from easier access to parks and places of recreation. According to this article from the San Antonio Current, three new park projects will provide Latinos living in historically underserved areas of the city---like the Westside and Southside---with greater access to green space. Funding for these parks will come from the City's 2012-2017 Bond program, which has set aside $87.15 million for parks and recreation open space projects, as well as from the San Antonio River Foundation, the San Antonio River Authority, Bexar County, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Among the three new parks to be built are: Pearsall Park; Confluence Park; and Westside Creeks Restoration Project. If all goes as planned, within five years Latinos ...

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Recommendations for Healthier Beverages



Soda, sweetened fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks account for nearly half of all added sugar consumption in the average American diet. "Recommendations for Healthier Beverages" was published by Healthy Eating Research in March 2013 in response to America's growing addiction to sugary drinks. Schools, child-care centers, hospitals, governments, and businesses can use the guidelines to provide children and families with healthy beverage ...

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Study Finds Link Between Sugary Drinks and Weight Gain in Young Children



A study published in the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics found a link between regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and higher body mass index scores in 2- to 5-year-olds. Drinking sugary drinks, like juice and soda, at a young age increases a child's risk of unhealthy weight gain in the years to come, the study ...

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Fruits and Veggies: Just What the Doctor Ordered in NYC



Many doctors in New York City will now be prescribing more than just medicine. The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program is being brought to New York City for the first time in a pilot program at Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx and Harlem Hospital Center in Manhattan. The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program (FVRx) is a nationally-recognized program by Wholesome Wave under which a doctor and nutritionist assess the health and nutritional habits of patients and families at risk for obesity and give patients “prescriptions” to consume more fruits and vegetables. FVRx patients at the two hospitals will then receive Health Bucks, which are coupons from the Human Resources Administration and the Health Department that can be redeemed for fruit and vegetables at all of New ...

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Community-owned grocery store planned for downtown Green Bay



The majority of Latinos who live in Green Bay, live downtown. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture as named downtown Green Bay a food desert, an area that lacks access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. There are many great ways to improve a neighborhood's food access, and the Green Bay community has gotten really creative: they have decided to invest in a community-owned grocery store. The store, New Leaf Market Cooperative, will feature local, healthy and fair-priced food for the community, not only improving access to healthy food but also strengthening the market for local farm and food products and creating new jobs. Everyone is welcome to shop at New Leaf Market, and the store is run by various community members who contribute a small initial investment. ...

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Infographic: 12 Cancer Resources for U.S. Latinos



Cancer recently overtook heart disease as the top killer of Latinos. Half of Hispanic men and one third of Latinas will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society, Saludify reports. However, Latinos' screening rates for common cancers are low, contributing to delayed follow up care after a cancer diagnosis is confirmed. Latinos also have the highest uninsured rate of all ethnic groups. Other barriers to care include language and cultural barriers, the traditional distrust towards the medical profession and fear of cancer. Saludify recognizes several agencies for providing cancer prevention resources to increase awareness, access to medical care and support to families. One of them is Redes En Acción: The National Latino ...

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