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Last week, the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership met in Brooklyn with community members and
officials to share information about the Partnership and the three focus areas of our
work - active living, community food and school food. We had a great turnout and thank you all for coming out to learn more about the Partnership!
As we mentioned in our April 2010 newsletter, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygience (DOHMH) was awarded $31.1 million as part of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) initiative, funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Like the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership, the CPPW initiative will implement policy, systems, and environmental changes to reduce risk factors and prevent/delay chronic disease and promote wellness in both children and adults. The NYC Food & Fitness Partnership has been asked to sit on CPPW - Obesity's Leadership Team! Read more about the CPPW Initiative in New York City, its goals and proposed activities.
There have been a lot of other exciting news over the last month about efforts to transform our food and activity environments.
On May 11, the
White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, appointed by President Barack Obama,
delivered a 124-page Report to the President, with 70 recommendations in five areas to
tackle child obesity: early childhood, empowering parents and caregivers, health food in
schools, access to healthful, affordable food and increasing physical activity. The
report includes key recommendations and strategies related to land use, zoning, complete
streets, food system planning and the built environment. The full report is available at here.
The Task Force stresses several key components needed to solve the problem of child obesity within a generation. First, community prevention is
fundamental - that our efforts must go beyond individual or family behavior and we must
look at how our environment is designed and shapes the choices and opportunities
presented to us. Second, safety is linked to chronic disease - that violence
and perceptions of safety greatly affect how people use public spaces. Third, multi-sector
collaboration is essential - that there is a need to change the way major parts of the
community function and are linked together. Finally, decreasing health disparities is critical to
efforts to address obesity - that efforts and resources must be targeted to communities with the greatest burden of disease.
Just two days later, Mayor Bloomberg and Rachael Ray announced new gardening, cooking and nutrition programs to promote healthy eating! Read on for more information. |
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Update on Child Nutrition Reauthorization | |
Congress members on record twice saying that Congress should find additional funds for CNR! They are also urging leadership in both Chambers to take swift action on the bill. First, 221 Representatives, including every single member of the NYC Delegation, signed on to the House of Representatives Dear Colleague letter to Nancy Pelosi calling for full funding for CNR. Second, last week, Reps. McGovern, Emerson and Bishop (GA) offered an amendment to the Defense Reauthorization Bill highlighting obesity/hunger and its impact on military recruitment and calling for full funding for CNR. Every Rep from NYC voted in favor of the amendment. While this bill does not allocate funding to CNR, it is a record that Congress feels the bill should be fully funded at the level requested by the President ($1 billion a year or $10 billion over ten years). These actions also helped prompt House Education and Labor Committee chair George Miller (D-CA) to announce that he would mark up the legislation immediately following the Memorial Day recess.
Additionally, Senator Gillibrand is asking fellow Senators to sign on to her letter calling for $4 billion a year ($40 billion over ten year) for CNR. Senator Gillibrand has kept her word to NYC that she will fight for a greater investment in child nutrition, even while most of the national groups have backed down.
For more information, see the "committee report" filed by the Senate Agriculture Committee on May 5th which includes many details about the bill such as the purpose, history, funding and impacts of the legislations.
Now, it's our job to hold them to their promise to pass a robustly funded and comprehensive child nutrition reauthorization bill!
What you can do now:
1) Urge Senate leadership to fully fund the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, but DO NOT use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Nutrition Education funds, and pass CNR by the end of the 111th Congress. Organizations can sign on to a letter to show their support. Individuals can find contact information for their representatives here.
2) Thank Senator Gillibrand for her continued fight for a greater investment in child nutrition. You can find her contact information here.
3) Ask Senator Schumer to sign on to Senator Gillibrand's letter. Regardless of if he signs onto this particular letter, urge him to find additional funding for CNR. Remind him that his constituents care about this issue and have sent over 1,000 letters! You can find his contact information here.
NYC School Gardens Initiative
On May 13th, Mayor Bloomberg launched the NYC School Gardens Initiative. Supported by Rachael Ray and her Yum-0! organization, new resources will help schools to build gardens or connect schools to local community gardens. The City is also launching new cooking and nutrition programs at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) sites, including instruction for teens on the culinary arts as a career path beginning this fall in partnership with the Sylvia Center and Children's Aid Society. Prior to the start of the coming school year, a new website will be in place that lists available resources, including technical assistance, curriculum assistance and a mini-grants program for schools that want to start a garden. This initiative will also start a teen intern program to take care of school gardens during summer months and expand the "Garden to Caf�" pilot program from 25 schools to more than 50 schools in the 2010 school year. For more information, click here.
Why gardening? Youth tend to eat healthier when they are exposed to gardening activities
and understand where their food comes from. Gardens also provide an excellent learning
environment, teaching kids about science, environmental stewardship, nutrition and
cooking - long-term life and health skills.
School Food Training June 5th!
The Brooklyn Food Coalition is hosting a School Food Organizing Training Fair on June 5th from 2pm-4pm in Ft. Greene Park, Playground at Myrtle and St. Edwards. This will be an informal informational session where you will be able to meet other
parents educators, and facilitators who are working on fixing school food and improving
the health of Brooklyn's kids. |
| 2010 Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Awards |
WhyHunger and The Chapin Foundation Announce the 2010 Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Awards which honor community-based organizations judged
outstanding for their creative and effective approaches to fighting hunger and poverty
in the U.S. WhyHunger and the Harry Chapin Foundation administer the program together to
distribute cash awards of up to $7,000 to 10 organizations annually. Further instructions can be found in the application on the Harry Chapin
Self-Reliance Awards website. The deadline is July 15, 2010
Fast Food Regulations: Promoting Healthy Food Options for Kids & Families
Free Webinar, June 10, 1 PM Nearly 1/3 of American children eat fast food everyday, consuming an average of 187 additional calories per day more than those who don't, and accounting for an extra six pounds of weight gain per year. The marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children greatly influences these food choices. Recent reports show that the food and beverage industry spends more that $1 billion a year marketing to children and teenagers. Also, studies have found that the food and beverages marketed specifically to African American and Latino audiences are often not as healthy as those marketed to general audiences. Through this webinar, participants will learn about the zoning and police power of local governments to enact food sales and marketing regulations and what can be done to steer restaurants toward providing healthier options. Register Here
GreenThumb's Summer Program Guide is here!
You can download it here from their website. |
| Emergency Funding for Transit Systems! |
The Senate just introduced new legislation providing emergency funding relief for local
transit systems. The new bill - the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 - was
recently introduced in the Senate. It contains $2 billion in grants for transit agencies
across the US for preserving vital service - and it couldn't come at a better time.
Senators Gillibrand and Schumer were among bill's sponsors read more here at
The Assembly Transportation Committee has been blocking better bus service for three
years. The bill, A10201, would authorize the MTA and DOT to keep parked cars and traffic out of bus lanes with camera technology. Currently, New York City's buses are the slowest in the Nation. On average, buses travel at 7mph, with some lines crawling along at 3mph during rush hour. This legislation would allow for safer, more reliable and higher quality public transit in the city.
1) Let Assembly Member David Gantt know that he should put A10201 on the agenda of the next Transportation Committee meeting. Millions are waiting for better bus service. Click here.
2) Join the Bus Brigade! Join the
campaign to organize bus riders and straphangers, so that we can get what we deserve: a safe, clean, dependable and timely commute.
Opportunities to improve physical activity in schools
There are several pending policy opportunities at the City, State and Federal level to improve physical activity in schools. Here's a summary thanks to Food & Fitness Partner - the Healthy Policies Work Group at Hunter College!
City: New York City Council members have introduced a resolution ( Res 0038-2010) that calls on the NYC Department of Education to develop a plan for the construction and/or renovation of school gyms as part of its Five-Year Capital Plan to ensure that every school has adequate facilities to comply with New York State physical education requirements and to provide for healthy children and youth. The resolution was referred to the education committee on February 11, 2010.
State: While the state legislature continues to be absorbed in its budget and economic crisis, several pieces of legislation are under consideration. 1) Assembly bill 4695 directs the State Commissioner of Education to create a pilot program to improve physical education and activity programs in at least 10 elementary, middle, or high schools where at least 50% of students qualify for federal free and reduced price lunches, and where the school has demonstrated limited facilities and/or resources to implement a physical education program. 75% of the schools would be located in New York City. This bill was introduced by Assembly member Annette Robinson, and referred to the education committee on January 6, 2010; and 2) Assembly bill 2998 establishes a task force on food, nutrition and physical education develop appropriate and healthy meal plans and physical education standards for NYC schools. This bill was introduced by Assembly member Robinson, and was amended and referred to the education committee on January 14, 2010.
3) Federal: One bill is under active consideration. The Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act ( H.R. 1585/S634), introduced by Representative Ronald Kind (D - Wisconsin), passed in the House on April 21, 2010, and has now been read twice in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. This bill requires annual state and local educational agency report cards to include information on school health and physical education programs. While the bill does not provide resources, it would place increased pressure on schools to develop and improve physical activity programs.
For more information, contact BE ACTIVE NYS, formerly the New York State Physical Activity Coalition, a statewide health promotion initiative whose mission is to increase physical activity in the State of New York.
Simple Ways to Transform Our StreetsAs most of you know, our country has a severe shortage of parks. According to a recent Center for Disease Control report, only one in five homes has a park within a half-mile and half of the children surveyed said that it's difficult to get to a playground or park from their house. While parks may be hard to come by, streets are one thing that are abundant in cities and suburbs. Read about some simple, innovative and cost-effective ways that streets can be transformed into communal domains for gathering, exercising and playing. |
| Highway to Health Festival and Youth Forum | |
PS 64, 1425 Walton Ave between E 170th and E 171st Streets (near the 4, B, and D subways)Presented by Baum Forum and HealthCorps, this interactive, community health fair and
conference showcases youth leaders in food, gardening and active living and builds on the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership's successful Youth Forum last year which attracted more than 400 participants and 70 organizations. 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, health screenings, gardeners and filmmakers, and a Healthy Food Mall. You will also hear from Food & Fitness Partnership youth discuss their efforts to create change to the health and wellness environments in their schools and community.
All generations are invited to participate and the event is free. Registration is recommended. Partners include: Children's Hospital at Montefiore, FamilyCook Productions,
Strategic Alliance for Health, Children's Aid Society, and the NYC Food and Fitness
Partnership. Please contact Alexandra, call 718 884 5716 or visit the website for more information. |
| CFSC report on Farm to School | |
Community Food Security Coalition released a new report on scaling up Farm to School Programs, highlighting CFSC's 3-year work with farm to school programs in New York City, New Mexico, North Carolina and California. The report is available for free download here.
L.E.A.D. Framework to address Obesity
The Institute of Medicine developed this action-oriented framework to guide the use of
evidence in decision making about obesity prevention policies and programs and as well
as the generation of new and relevant evidence. The L.E.A.D. framework, short for Locate
evidence, Evaluate it, Assemble it, and inform Decisions, is detailed in IOM's report,
"Bridging the Evidence Gap in Obesity Prevention: A Framework to Inform Decision
Making." Full report and a report brief here.
Active Living Research Rapid-Response Call for Proposals
Deadline for letters of intent: July 1, 2011
This call for proposals will support opportunistic, time-sensitive stuides on emerging or anticipated changes in physical activity-related policies or environments. Rapid-response grants are expected to accerlerate progress toward policy and environmental strategies to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. For more information, click here.
2010 Subaru Healthy Sprouts Award
Deadline: October 1, 2010
The 2010 Subaru Healthy Sprouts Award, sponsored by the National Gardening Association and Subaru, is aimed at supporting schools or organizations who plan to garden in 2011 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. The selection of winners is based on the demonstrated relationship between the garden program and education related to environmental, nutrition and hunger issues in the United States. More information is available here.
Shape Up NYCShape Up NYC is a FREE fitness program offered by the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and NYC Service dedicated to getting New Yorkers into a new habit of fitness. A new partnership with Equinox Fitness Clubs and dozens of fitness volunteers will expand Shape Up NYC to 41 locations across the city. Classes started May 17, so find a free class in your neighborhood and start to Shape Up today!
Young Bucks
Young Bucks seeks to preserve old school games (softball, stickball, handball) to reduce
and reverse obesity. Youth ages 8 - 16. To register or to request a program in your
community or school contact: Alex Sabater at 917-340-1117.Greater Brooklyn Health Coalition Summer 2010 MeetingJune 8, 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Lutheran Medical Center, 150 55th Street, Main Floor - Auditorium, Brooklyn, NY 11220Come hear about the New York Community Trust's healthcare funding focus; learn about the unique demographics and health needs of Sunset Park; network with local politicians and community leaders; highlight some of GBHC's member agencies; and participate in a dialogue on how we can work together to make these neighborhoods healthier. RSVP online or by calling 718-462-8654 x293.
Annual Brooklyn Children's Sports & Fitness Expo
June 12, 10am - 4pm, Boys & Girls High School on 1700 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, NY.
The goal of the Brooklyn Children's Sports & Fitness Expo is to promote increased physical activity among youth through exposure to and enrollment in sports they may have not otherwise considered. The event will offer sports clinics, nutrition workshops, health screenings, live entertainment, games, and prizes. If you are interested in being an exhibitor or vendor at the event, please call 718-346-5852 for more information or visit their website.
GBHC's Annual Health Affair
June 25, 11am - 3pm, Plaza of the Brooklyn Central Library at Grand Army PlazaNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Intern and Job PostingsBelow are three opportunities to support the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene work at Farmers Markets! Please contact Kasey Holloway for more information at 212-676-2084 or by email.
1) Health Bucks Program Internship: Intern will assist with the 2010 Health Bucks season promoting and advertising Food Stamps and Health Bucks use at participating farmers' markets in East Harlem, Central Brooklyn, the South Bronx, Staten Island and Queens. This is primarily a field based position and would require significant travel and work outdoors. This position is unpaid with the possibility of school credit.
2) Nutrition Education Consultants: Counsultants will deliver nutrition education and cooking demonstrations at farmers markets in select high-need neighborhoods. Consultants will also assist with the development and implementation of point-of-purchase nutrition information and social marketing activities. The position is seasonal to coincide with the market growing season (June 21st through November 15th) and full-time and part-time positions are available. At a minimum, the consultants must be a Registered Dietitian, Registered Dietitian Eligible or have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in nutrition.
3) Nutrition Assistants: Assistants will work directly with a Nutrition Education Consultant (Registered Dietitian) in the preparation and delivery of nutrition education and cooking demonstrations at farmers markets. |
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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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