For many years, Baltimore’s inner city neighborhoods have been missing supermarkets and healthy food options, but in one neighborhood that’s about to change. In early March 2013, Apples and Oranges Fresh Food Market opened its doors for the first time to the East Baltimore community. With the goal to bring healthy, affordable food into the neighborhood, Apples and Oranges also boasts a large prepared foods section as well. In addition to offering fresh produce and healthy prepared food, the market boasts no sugary drinks in sight, a unique and welcome feature of this new healthy ...
A New York City school in Flushing Queens has become the first school to adopt an all vegetarian menu for school meals. They are creating a nutritious and healthy environment for students, while giving students the opportunity to eat more fresh vegetarian foods. This meat-free and fish-free menu is a perfect match here because many of the students attending this school are already accustomed to vegetarian diets because of the large population of students hailing from East Asian counties. The "inaugural meal — which schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott sampled alongside dozens of kids — consisted of black bean and cheddar quesadillas served with salsa, red roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli." Among the other items on the menu are tofu vegetable wraps, vegetarian chili with brown ...
After struggling to be placed on a list of projects to be funded by the 2012-2017 Bond, residents living in the St. James and Normoyle Park Area located in the Southside of San Antonio (district 5), secured funds to create a safer park for their children. A united community and support from local residents was an important aspect of demonstrating the need for improvements in this park. In this video residents from district 5, near Normoyle Park, gathered to discuss why improvements to the park were needed. The need for lights in the park, as well as fairness in how bond funds should be distributed among the community were discussed. This video demonstrates how Maria Lugo, Gerry Noriega, and residents from the St. James and Normoyle Park area addressed the city council to thank former ...
During 2006-2007, the North Carolina State Board of Education implemented a policy--Healthy Active Children--to improve physical activity standards and reduce the risk of obesity among children. The policy requires that each school district maintain a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) to help plan, implement, and monitor the Healthy Active Children policy. It also recommends that elementary school students move towards 150 minutes of physical education (PE) and middle school students towards 225 minutes a week of Healthful Living Education, taught by certified health and PE instructors. For recess and physical activity, the policy recommends that recess not be taken away and that exercise not be used as a form of punishment. It also recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of ...
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina has been mindful about supplying nutritious food to the hungry in the past, but the staff wanted to do more. Supplying healthy food can be tricky for a food bank, which relies on donations. Sometimes it does receive cash instead of food. When buying food, the food bank always chooses items that fall within the USDA’s nutritional guidelines. But what about when the food bank has to rely on someone else’s generosity? Saying no isn’t easy. But Second Harvest has taken a big step in the right direction by hiring a full-time nutritionist; they are the only food bank in the state that has one. She handles such tasks as reviewing purchase plans to make sure the food bank is buying the healthiest foods it can. She also teaches ...
Maryvale on the Move works to influence and bring about healthy changes to Maryvale and Canyon Corridor--two predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Phoenix. Residents from the Maryvale neighborhood of Phoenix met for a series of workshops to provide input as to what improvements needed to be made in their community. Some expressed concern over a lack of lighting and a need for more physical activity and less junk food in their neighborhoods. Residents also made recommendations like installing a roundabout to calm traffic and establishing Farmers' Markets. After meeting with groups of local residents from these neighborhoods, and community organizations, Maryvale on the Move identified four goals. The four goals are: (1) create community gardens; (2) increase availability of ...
San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro appointed the Mayor’s Fitness Council (MFC) in May 2010. The mission of the Mayor’s Fitness Council is to transform San Antonio into a healthier and more active community in which citizens, groups, and organizations achieve targeted health and fitness goals through initiatives in the following areas: media and promotions;
fitness;
nutrition;
healthy schools;
work-site wellness; and
policy. The MFC is also encouraging youth to be health ambassadors through the Mayor's Fitness Council Student Ambassador program. These outstanding kids are committed to bringing healthier lifestyles into their schools and communities. Watch the video to learn more about the Student Ambassador Program. To learn more about the Mayor's Fitness Council ...
The Dallas Mayor’s Youth Fitness Initiative (MyFi Dallas)—a public/private partnership led by City of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and community and business leaders—is making long-term improvements in the way Dallas children eat, play and live. MyFi Dallas is uniting government with local leaders to evaluate and leverage existing projects, and design and implement new activities supportive of healthy eating and active living in kids. Through a partnership with the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department MyFi Dallas delivers programs to promote healthy lifestyles for children. The program was developed in 2010, when programs at recreation centers across Dallas were in jeopardy of being closed. Fortunately, city leaders joined with Oncor--a corporation who decided to contribute $1 ...
Minneapolis schools are changing their food offerings to provide a healthier environment for students. They have hired three extra kitchen employees to create a new menu and offer more variety to students. New menu items include orange chicken, wheatberry salad, black bean burgers, and roasted red potatoes- instead of fries. The way the food is prepared is the biggest and greatest change being made in Minneapolis schools. Instead of using all prepared and packaged foods, they are making more food fresh in their kitchens. Previously they only heated up pre-made pizzas, but now they now make pizzas by hand with a variety toppings like roasted vegetables and pepperoni. In order to create a new menu, and keep up with the preparation and cooking, the district had to hire two new prep cooks ...
