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W.K. Kellogg Foundation's 10th Annual Food & Community Gathering in Chandler, AZ
Last week, representatives of the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership traveled to the tenth annual Kellogg Foundation Food & Community Gathering. The meeting was held on the sacred land of the Gila River Indian community in the Sonoran Desert and brought together more than 600 people from academia, advocacy, consumer marketing, policy and more! |
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 The meeting provided an opportunity to connect with those involved in the Good Food and Active Living movements and to grow the movement supporting healthy kids through equitable and accessible healthy food systems and active physical environments.
Our delegation included nearly 20 people comprised of members from our Brooklyn community, youth delegates, policy experts, and partners. We had a chance to meet with delegations from the eight other Food & Fitness collaboratives and share our experiences. We learned about regional food systems, school food, youth leadership, community food enterprises, racial equity, media strategies, worker's rights and much more. We came away with lots of new knowledge, insight, connections and excitement to move forward with our work! |
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City Council Hearing on Child Nutrition Reauthorization | |
On Monday, the New York City Council Committee on State and Federal Legislation held a hearing calling on Congress to renew and strengthen the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act. The NYC Alliance for CNR rallied together many supporters to testify at the hearing, all in support of the Council's resolution calling on Congress to reauthorize and strengthen the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act and to continue to call for a $4 billion investment in CNR.
The Council's Resolution on CNR is available here.
What you can do now:
The office of the Speaker Christine C. Quinn is circulating a letter for New Yorkers to sign in support of a stronger Child Nutrition Act. These letters will be delivered to our Congressional Representatives in about two weeks, as that is when the House Committee on Education and Labor may introduce their bill on CNR. If you'd like to help gather signatures, you can disseminate this link for electronic signatures or contact Kristin Mancinelli for additional information.
Poll finds Americans want better food in schools
A survey commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation found that the majority of Americans believe nutrition in local school meals falls far short of what children need with 63 percent of parents of school-age children describing the nutritional quality of local school food as "poor" or "only fair." Most Americans want to change school lunch menus by limiting the stereotypical pizza, chicken nuggets and hamburgers and offering more fresh fruits and vegetables. Read more about the findings. |
| Fresh Food for Under-served Communities |
In an effort to address the prevalence of food deserts in many urban and rural communities, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Nydia Velázquez launched the Health Food Financing Initiative in April. This Initiative would invest $1 billion through loans and grants to help build over 2,000 new grocery stores and farmer's markets nationwide, including an estimated 357 stores in New York State, creating thousands of new jobs in the process and providing increased access to healthy, fresh food. President Obama has already dedicated $345 million in his FY2011 budget for a similar proposal and access to healthy food is a key tenet of the First Lady's Let's Move Initiative. Read more here.
Greenest Block in Brooklyn!
The purpose of the contest is to promote streetscape gardening, tree stewardship, and community development in the borough of Brooklyn through block and merchant associations and other community groups. The contest is free to enter. In addition to prizes for residential and commercial blocks, prizes are also awarded for Greenest Storefront, Best Street Tree Beds, Best Window Box, and Best Community Garden Streetscape. Winners will receive cash prizes or gardening tools, and all participants will be awarded a recognition certificate. To be judged for all these prizes, your block must enter either the Residential or Commercial block categories. |
| Complete Streets Legislation Clears NYS Senate Committee! |
Last week, the New York State Senate Transportation Committee reported out Complete Streets legislation and moved it to the Senate floor. This legislation (S5711) would require transportation projects in New York State to "accommodate all users," specifically pedestrians, cyclists and "individuals of all ages and mobility capabilities." The bill is sponsored by Brooklyn Senator Martin Malave Dilan and has broad support from a coalition of interests, including transportation advocates, public health groups, and AARP. However, there has been no movement on the Assembly version of the bill, sponsored by Assembly Member David Gantt and Transportation Committee Chair. Read more here.
The Challenge of Creating Health Communities
Listen to this NPR Marketplace clip about the challenges of creating healthy communities featuring Shin-pei Tsay from Transportation Alternatives, one of the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership's co-conveners!
May is Bike Month!
Over 200 events available! All month long, there are many opportunities to get out and ride a bicycle for cyclists of all levels. Participants can take a class in basic bike maintenance, embark on a cultural or culinary bike tour, enjoy an organized twilight ride across NYC's bridges, or take a guided bicycle ride to public art sites throughout the city and much more. While you're at it, participate in Transportation Alternatives' Commuter Challenge - a challenge issued to NYC to ride 10 million miles during Bike Month - and rate your NYC riding experience. Taking part in either will automatically enter you into a raffle for a commuter bike!
National Physical Activity Plan has launched!
The National Physical Activity Plan aims to increase physical activity and to create a national culture and environments that supports all Americans in being physically active. Click here to view the Plan and its comprehensive set of policies, programs and initiatives. |
| Highway to Health Festival and Youth Forum | Join us on June 12th at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx for the Highway to Health Festival and Youth Forum! This interactive community health festival and conference is for youth and planned by youth and builds on the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership's successful Youth Forum last year which attracted more than 400 participants and 70 organizations. This year's event is sponsored by the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership. It will showcase youth leaders involved in food, gardening, active living and community improvement and is designed to engage and support youth in their efforts to promote healthy lifestyles as well as to foster civic engagement and advocacy. Students, mentors, and professionals will lead workshops and trainings; indoor and outdoor exhibits, games and performance will be offered by organizations that support youth and wellness. Highlights will include: live music, cooking competitions, biking, yoga, gardeners and filmmakers, and a Healthy Food Mall. All generations are invited to participate and the event is free. Registration is recommended.
We are looking for youth planners, youth/youth org facilitators, exhibitors, volunteers!! Please contact Alexandra, call 718 884 5716 or visit the website for more information. |
| ADVOCACY TRAINING | Wednesday, May 12th and Wednesday, June 2nd - 5:30pm-7pm
Brooklyn District Public Health Office, 485 Throop Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Come attend the final two sessions of this Basic Advocacy Training, offered through the Brooklyn Food & Fitness Task Force. This training is for community members interested in advocating around food and fitness in North and Central Brooklyn. In order to learn advocacy in a "hands on" way, the participants will explore strategies and policies that promote public safety in Farmers' Markets and Parks. By creating an advocacy campaign around this specific issue, training participants will learn the general skills and steps necessary in organizing an advocacy campaign. For more info, contact Audrey Castillo, acastill@health.nyc.gov or646-253-5709
Growing Food Justice: How going local can help feed our city... and the world
Wednesday, May 12th - 6:30pm
The Commons, 388 Atlantic Avenue (between Hoyt and Bond Sts), Brooklyn, NY
Join the AJWS-AVODAH Partnership for an interaction program on hunger in NYC and what you can do about it! To register, click here.
HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge to Improve Health Literacy and Community Health
Friday, May 14th, 9am - 5pm
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY
HealthCampNYC is a regional health "unconference" - a free, participant-driven event where attendees will determine and manage program topics and sessions. This collaborative environment presents unique opportunities for learning, sharing and relationship-building. Information and registration (closes May 7).
Grant for Good Health
This essay contest, part of Post Cereals' Health and Wellness program, will award $25,000 to the best health and wellness plan to benefit a city, town or small community. The Post Grant for Good Health is designed to empower individuals to make strides to improve the health of communities across America and can have a broad range, from planting public gardens, to building a playground to creating a community fitness center. Reply by May 17 to Debra Gaynor
Fifth Annual Fit City Conference at the Center for Architecture
Tuesday, May 18th, 8:30am - 1:00pm
Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY
The AIA New York Chapter in partnership with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will host the fifth annual public conference to examine how design interventions create opportunities for increasing physical activity. This conference will bring together architects, planners, designers, developers, and public health professionals, to address how building design and policy decisions can increase physical activity, thus helping to prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and asthma. Through case studies, and analysis, conference participants will explore recommendations for modifications in the "built environment" as a means of facilitating physical activity and improving health. The focus of this year's conference is Implementation of the NYC Active Design Guidelines, released in January 2010.
National Bike to Work Day - May 21!
Join Transportation Alternatives, the Borough Presidents, Self Magazine, and the DOT at various locations around the city. Check out the full listing of events for Bike to Work Day here including a DOT ride from Brooklyn to Midtown
Promise Neighborhoods federal application available!
The U.S. Department of Education recently released its RFP for 20 planning grants to help urban, rural and tribal communities design a Promise Neighborhoods pipeline of programs to support children from birth through college, inspired by anti-poverty efforts of Harlem Children's Zone. Applications will be due June 25. Notices of intent to apply are due on May 21, 2010. For more information, go here.
Slow Food NYC Needs You!
Help Slow Food NYC build its first neighborhood farm at the Ujima Community Garden in Brownsville where they will offer its "Good Food and Gardens" program for seven weeks this summer. But they need help weeding, painting, pruning, etc. to get the garden ready for the kids. Come out and help on May 21 or 22, and June 4 and 5 from 11am to 4pm. For more info, contact Kate Ortenzi.
School Breakfast to School Wellness Partnership
School districts are invited to apply now to join a partnership with Action for Healthy Kids to expand and enhance their school breakfast programs during the 2010-2011 school year. Action for Healthy Kids will provide management, expertise, even manpower to make positive changes for kids, schools and communities. For more information, click here. Deadline is May 26, 2010
Tour de Brooklyn
Sunday, June 6 (registration opens on 5/14)
The 6th annual Tour de Brooklyn is an exciting, 18-mile family-friendly bike tour with NYPD escort. The tour will start and end in Williamsburg, with a brief rest stop in Red Hook Park. Riders of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate. Registration is required with limited day of registration.
Our Food Heritage: Foods from the African Diaspora
June 12, 12-9pm
Hattie Carthan Community Garden, Lafayette and Marcy Avenue, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Come learn more about the food and cooking techniques of the African diaspora! All dishes will be home made, some grown in the garden. There will also be a live African Dance class, home brewed beverages and live blues music. Questions? 718-638-3566 or email.
2010 Health Bucks Application for Community Organizations
The Health Bucks Program is designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by encouraging Food Stamp use at farmers markets and to support neighborhood farmers markets in target communities in the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem and Central Brooklyn. Apply to receive Health Bucksyou're your organization now! Priority application deadline is June 30, 2010. For questions, please contact Kasey Holloway at 212-676-2084. |
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Make News!
If you or your organization would like to be a part of the next upcoming newsletter, please send your stories, pictures or events to newsletter@nycfoodandfitness.org | |
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