El Paso children living in a predominantly Latino neighborhood were given the opportunity to walk to school with improved safety, thanks to a Safe Routes to School Program implemented at Rosa Guerrero Elementary. In 2007, The City of El Paso was awarded a $10,000 SRTS grant to develop a program for Rosa Guerrero Elementary School. Through the grant, the city of El Paso was able able hire a consultant, promote the SRTS program, and add signage to enhance the safety of areas near the school. Safety signage and increased driver awareness allowed the community to feel safer about allowing their children to walk to school and since the program at Rosa Guerrero was implemented test scores and student behavior at the school has improved. Read the full story ...
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programs across the nation are providing children the opportunity to participate in physical activity by walking to school, while also reducing vehicular emissions, and relieving cities of traffic congestion. The SRTS program was originally introduced as a Federal-Aid program of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) created by Section 1404 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Act (SAFETEA-LU) in 2005. With the passage of MAP-21, as of October 2012, federal funds specifically appropriated towards the SRTS program were no longer available to states. Still, states can still develop SRTS programs and seek support from the MAP-21's new transportation alternatives ...
According to this article, children in Taylor, Texas near Austin, have safer access to schools since the city was awarded $574,000 in Safe Routes to School infrastructure funds from the Texas Department of Transportation in 2008. The city strategically partnered with Taylor Independent School District to apply for funds to construct a sidewalk that would connect four schools: two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Once construction of the sidewalks are complete, the city anticipates that more children will be walking to school. While some components are funded by the state, federal funding is also available for these programs. Communities and school districts across Texas, have developed Safe Routes to School plans. Funding for Safe Routes programs exists for ...
The Indianapolis community knows first hand how obesity and hunger are linked. 40 percent of children in the city are overweight or obese, but at the same time 1 in 5 people in Indianapolis don't know where their next meal will come from. A group of city nonprofits want to change that by forming the Indy Food Council. Similar to councils in other cities, the Indy Food Council will act as a governing body for the city’s food system, addressing persistent problems, such as food deserts in the urban areas, plus capitalizing on opportunities for economic development. The council hopes to bring together folks who are already trying to bring better food into neighborhoods, like food banks, urban garden advocates, health officials and academics. The Indy Food Council, with its board of 18 to ...
In September of 2011, the Houston Endowment awarded a grant of $2.5 million dollars to The Harris County Healthcare Alliance to fund a local private-public partnership called Healthy Living Matters (HLM). The partnership consists of a multi-sector group of local leaders, engaged in a two-year planning initiative to curb childhood obesity in Houston/Harris County by using policy action to enact system and environmental change. HLM has partnered with students in undeserved areas to address needs in their communities. The students went out into the community and took pictures of things that make healthy living difficult and then presented their findings in at a summit that gathered health professionals, academics, and community members. The students also made ...
Novato Unified School District in the California bay area is a leader in bringing healthy, fresh options to their schools and removing unhealthy, competitive options. Serving a significant number of low-income families, serving nutritious food is important, since some kids may go home to meals lacking important nutrition. The district’s director of food and nutrition services, Miguel Villarreal, was named a runner-up for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) Golden Carrot Award for innovation in school food service. Mr. Villarreal eliminated red meat, soda, and most processed foods at the school several years ago. He uses the cost-savings from unhealthful foods to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Popular menu items include veggie burgers ...
A campaign run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that challenges school lunch programs to make healthier meals has awarded 32 Mesquite Independent School District elementary schools with Healthier U.S. School status. This year, the district has revamped school menus to focus on fresh fruit and vegetables and has eliminated some of the unhealthier options. Each school receives $500 for meeting the challenge. The city of Mesquite is a city in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and Hispanics make up the majority of students in the school ...
More than half of the children in the Coachella Valley are overweight or obese, according to the most recent statistic. The demographics of the Coachella Valley’s youth adds to the area’s challenge. Latino children and low-income children — 78 and 75 percent of the valley’s public school students, respectively — are more likely to be overweight or obese. Almost twice as many Latino children in the Coachella Valley were overweight as compared to white children, according to 2010 Health Assessment Resource Center statistics. Realizing the need for change, the valley has been implementing various programs around the area to help set kids back on the path to life-long health. One shining example of progress is Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD), who won the Healthy ...
What would happen if a group of teenage advocates came before policy makers to express concern about their community's health? Could this lead to safer streets, healthier food in schools, and more green space? CANFIT has trained and equipped directors of youth programs and young advocates, with the tools and knowledge they need to bring healthy changes to their community. Learn what youth in Santa Ana found when they conducted their own assessment of the environment. Young advocates received an award for their submission "What We See in Santa Ana" to the MO Project video contest. This video demonstrates many of the environmental factors which contribute to Latino childhood obesity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56RZzre0H3Y&list=UUN-aTdEpagQnFhVACxdnhcA Visit the resource CANFIT ...
