Springfield, MA is over 40% Latino, and many of these families live in areas without access to fresh, healthful, and affordable foods. The Mason Square neighborhood in Springfield is one of those areas. Since 2005 The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Mason Square Food Justice Initiative, and the Mason Square Health Task Force have been working with other community organizations to bring in a full-service grocery store into the neighborhood, one that would carry a large selection of fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh-baked goods, meats, fish and a deli. It’s part of the city’s master plan that includes the State Street Corridor Improvement Program and the 2012 Rebuild Springfield Plan, according to Jay Minkarah, President and CEO of DevelopSpringfield. He ...
The Harldendale Independent School District in San Antonio, TX has been awarded a $1.4 million Carol W. White Physical Education grant to expand their physical education and physical activity programs. In an article from the San Antonio Express News, Dolly Armstrong the district's coordinator for wellness programs, said the money would be used to start an intramural sports program and to fund technology to help students monitor their heart rates. Armstrong also stated that the district would be collaborating with the city to host events to teach families about the importance of fitness and nutrition. “Taking care of our kids is important, especially as we work to reduce obesity and diabetes plaguing children at a young age,” U.S. Rep. Pete P. Gallego, D-Alpine, said after ...
On March 13, 2013, nine non-profit organizations met at the Swansea Rec Center in Denver, Colorado to kick-off an 18-month partnership to engage youth in sustainable healthy eating, active living (HEAL) initiatives. The partnership, led by LiveWell Colorado, is supported by a $500,000 GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) IMPACT Grant which will target three low-income Denver neighborhoods: Globeville, Elyria-Swansea and Northeast. For the project, six non-profit groups and local business executives will guide youth in the development of innovative recreation center projects. The top 50 youth proposals will then be selected and implemented. LiveWell Colorado's six community health partners include: Share our Strength
Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver
LiveWell Northeast ...
More exciting new healthy living programs and policies are on their way to becoming realities in Southeast Raleigh. Grocers on Wheels is another one of the recipients of a mini-grant for their efforts to combat poor food access in the community. With the Latino population growing rapidly in North Carolina, these plans are exciting developments for Latino families. Grocers on Wheels is a year-round, mobile produce market that serves various organizations, housing developments, and neighborhoods in Southeast Raleigh. The new funding will pay for a cooler that will allow for the market to keep meats and produce fresh during the hot summer months. Voices into Action: The Families, Food and Health Project, a USDA-funded initiative of North Carolina State University, North Carolina ...
After two large grocery stores closed in Southeast Raleigh, North Carolina in 2012, the community became an official USDA-designated food deserts: a low income area without a full-service grocery store within a mile radius. Since then, the community has been brainstorming how they can bring healthy, fresh food back into this neighborhood. Voices into Action: The Families, Food and Health Project is a USDA-funded initiative of North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension that aims to increase access to healthy food and places to exercise in Southeast Raleigh. The group recently gave out 10 mini-grants to groups that proposed creative solutions to combat the community's low access to healthy foods. 16 individuals, ...
Lyford CISD, a predominantly Latino (97%) school district in rural South Texas, will soon be hosting a Bike N' Roll Family Festival. The event which is scheduled to take place at Lyford Elementary on Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 5:30-7:30 pm, is part of the district's efforts to get more students and families to participate in regular physical activity. At the event, there will be games, a farmers' market, a bike rodeo, and a guided community bike ride. In addition, ten free bikes will be given away! Bikes will be loaned to Pre-K-5th grade students who don't own a bike. According to Josephine Torres a program coordinator with MHP, Lyford CISD is a partner of MHP's in the Transforming Texas initiative. Transforming Texas is a federally funded initiative that seeks to create ...
Students at schools across Boise, Idaho are staying fit thanks to two new mobile playgrounds and free programming offered by the city's Parks and Recreation Department. In an Idaho Statesmen news article, Chris Camacho, a recreation coordinator with Boise's Parks and Recreation department, said that some kids might not be able to otherwise afford after school activities.Therefore, bringing after school programming directly to them through the mobile rec is a great way to address gaps in recreation services offered to children. Kay Mack, a retired employee of the Parks and Recreation Department, said she dreamed up the idea for the mobile rec over 15 years ago, but the vision only became a reality in 2008. Before launching the mobile playground the city worked with the National ...
Latinos make up 15% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients nationwide. In Delaware, lawmakers are considering restricting unhealthy food purchases with SNAP funds. SNAP already has some restrictions. According to the USDA, recipients cannot use the assistance to buy beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco; any nonfood items; vitamins and medicines; any food that will be eaten in the store; and hot foods. However, among the items food stamps can be used to purchase are soft drinks, energy drinks, candy, cookies, cakes, snack crackers and ice cream. Law makers in Delaware see banning certain junk foods as a public health issue, part of the state's effort to promote wellness and reduce obesity. The bill is expected to be introduced in the State House ...
New Haven is the second most obese county in Connecticut, with 60 percent of Hispanic adults in New Haven struggling with obesity. Luckily, there are groups that are working to get healthy, nourishing food to those in the area who need it. New Haven Farms (NHF) works to combat both food insecurity and health conditions including diabetes and obesity by providing families with fresh produce and nutrition lessons. The organization currently operates eight small garden sites throughout the city, growing 5,500 pounds of produce feeding 20 families over the winter and 40 over the summer. In collaboration with the City of New Haven, NHF is in the process of acquiring a new farm that will triple its food output, allowing them to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for more families in ...
