In the Latino-majority and rural region of Paso Del Norte, which encompasses southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, many families struggling to make ends meet and easy access to affordable healthy foods is lacking. A band of food justice activists were tired of watching the region’s youth grow up without a sense of connection to their land, bodies, and heritage. La Semilla Food Center was born out of this frustration, their mission being to build a healthy, self-reliant, fair, and sustainable food system in Paso Del Norte. La Semilla established its Youth Food Policy Council (YFPC) to build awareness around food issues and create healthier changes in communities. By the end of the first YFPC, 10 youth had been totally immersed in the food system, learning how polices big and small ...
Families living in food deserts, areas with limited access to grocery stores, have a harder time eating healthy because of limited fresh foods options. H.B. 725, introduced by Texas State Representative Ryan Guillen (D- Rio Grande City) in January 2013, would work to end food deserts by establishing a revolving loan fund to support investment in low-income areas in need of grocery stores. To qualify for the loan, these new groceries would be required to accept SNAP and WIC benefits, ensuring that all Texans, regardless of their zip code, would have access to healthy, quality ...
San Antonio's downtown is growing. Walking and biking around is easier than ever, and many young people are heading to downtown for the business and night life. However, downtown San Antonio is missing one thing that is keeping it from becoming a pale where young people and families want to live: a grocery store. Would you want to raise your family in a place where you couldn't buy fresh fruits and vegetables for your kids? City officials decided recently to solicit proposals from anyone serious about opening a major grocery store downtown, an amenity they think is necessary to revitalize the urban core. La Fiesta is one food retailer considering a downtown location. Currently, it looks like HEB might be the lucky food retailer that gets to claim stake to San Antonio's downtown ...
Some Houston community leaders and groups are getting together to try and help people in high risk neighborhoods have more access to healthier food. These leaders have formed the Houston Grocery Access Task Force. Part of the Healthy Houston Initiative created last fall, the task force reports that one of the main things the city needs to do is set up economic development programs that encourage grocery companies to build in underserved areas. The task force is focusing on four Houston neighborhoods in particular: Sunnyside, Eastside, Third Ward, and Fifth Ward. Check out the task force's complete findings here! When parents start having access to fresh, healthy foods, they can begin feeding that food to their children and teaching them the importance of healthy eating, the task ...
GO TO 2040 is metropolitan Chicago's first comprehensive regional plan in more than 100 years and establishes coordinated strategies that help the region's 284 communities address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues. One target area of GO TO 2040 is to promote and sustain local food systems, like encouraging more urban farming and equal access to fresh, healthy foods. Another target area hopes to expand and improve parks and open space; less than half of Chicago-area residents have adequate parks nearby. Public policies for land use, transportation, and many other issues in the GO TO 2040 plan influence the effectiveness and sustainability of our food systems. To benefit the region's economy and the health of ...
The after-school program at Judson W. Robinson Jr. Community Center just got a whole lot healthier. The Houston city council approved a meal program that would provide healthy meals to students at the community center; some kids aren't picked up by their parents until 6:30 or 7 at night. The program, funded by a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture, will be available to children attending after-school programs run by the city Department of Parks and Recreation at 49 community centers, as well as at four programs run by nonprofits. The sites were chosen based on areas in which half of the students in the local school are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The meals delivered by the grant initially will be given to about 1,500 children, who will receive a 3 p.m. snack and ...
Providing a healthy food environment at school can play a huge role in reducing childhood obesity. In 2010, the Texas State Board of Education amended school nutritional guidelines to prohibit the sale of competitive foods during school hours for elementary schools and during meal periods for middle and high schools. Competitive foods are defined as items sold in vending machines, in school stores, or through school fundraisers by parents, administrators or other groups or organizations. The new rules also state that carbonated beverages are not allowed to be provided to students anytime, anywhere until after the end of the last scheduled ...
In July 2009, a state-wide policy went into effect in California that prohibited public schools from selling food containing artificial trans fat, either through a vending machine or school food service establishment during school hours and up to 1/2 hour before and after school. Authored by California State Senator Elaine Alquist (D- Santa Clara),the law prohibits the use of artificial trans fat in the preparation of a food item served to to students as well. Hispanics make up 51% of K-12 students in California, making this victory especially sweet for Latino ...
On February 1st, USDA proposed national school nutrition standards for vending, a la carte, school stores, and other foods sold outside the school meal programs. Highlights include strong criteria for calories, fats, sugars, and sodium in foods sold outside the school meal plan. The comment period is 60 days, then the final plan will be instated. Competitive foods have hurt many schools' attempts at bringing in healthier food options, because these vending and a la carte options tend to be high fat and sugar and are not federally ...
