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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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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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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Good Laws, Good Food: Putting State Food Policy to Work for our Communities



The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic has published a toolkit intended to serve as a reference for food policy councils, food advocates, state policymakers, and non-profit entities.This toolkit is composed of nine sections that cover a range of potential topics that a state food policy council may wish to explore--- from food assistance programs to land use and ...

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Dig In! Engaging 5th and 6th grade students in gardening!



Team Nutrition, through the USDA, provides a guide called Dig In! for those looking to engage 5th and 6th grade students in gardening, and the nutritional and educational experiences that go with it! They provide lessons, handouts, and posters. For teachers they provide a guide that discusses how to feature different items of produce in fun educational lessons that teach food safety, have tasting activities, teach food preparation, and gardening techniques. The resources created by Team Nutrition are made to be fun lessons, that give students hands on experience with new foods and teach them how to create sustainable gardens so that they may use this knowledge throughout their lives. ...

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National Parks Across U.S. are Offering Creative, Healthier Food Options



This summer, when families set out to visit our country's variety of beautiful national parks, they won't have to sacrifice health for a fun vacation. The National Park Service announced a new nationwide plan in June 2013 that would ensure all its parks offer healthy food and beverage choices. Called the Healthy and Sustainable Food Program, the new standards include requirements that fruits and vegetables be offered with all entrees or as a la carte side dishes. Low-fat and low-sodium options must be available as well.The park service worked with the companies that supply foods and beverages to come up with new menu items and is encouraging companies to use locally grown and raised food when possible. About 23 million people buy food at national parks each year; what can they ...

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South L.A. Doctors Write Prescriptions for Produce



Hispanics make up almost two-thirds of people living in South Los Angeles, a community where chronic disease rates are high and fresh, affordable food is hard to find. A partnership between a family health clinic and a local non-profited focused on getting folks good food has led to doctors at the clinic writing prescriptions for a new kind of medicine: fresh fruits and vegetables. St. John's Well Child and Family Center has partnered with Community Services Unlimited to run weekly produce stands at two of its sites for patients, families and clinic staff. Besides making healthy food available, doctors are writing their patients "prescriptions" to purchase the produce. The prescriptions reinforce the fact that diet can be as important as medication when it comes to feeling ...

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Summer Food Stand Kicks off in East Austin



One Hispanic community in East Austin has been making healthy changes not only at home, but in their neighborhood as well. Manantial de Salud -- the Dove Springs Health Network -- is dedicated to promoting well-being in the Dove Springs community of Austin, through healthy lifestyles and positive environments. They have community-wide campaigns targeted at eliminating sugary drinks and getting more active. This summer, Manatial de Salud and its partners at GO! Austin / VAMOS! Austin (GAVA) in Dove Springs, the Sustainable Food Center, Urban Roots, and Austin Parks and Recreation Department are coming together to host a neighborhood food stand. The Neighborhood Farm Stand will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00p.m. every Wednesday beginning June 5 through July 17 at the Dove ...

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