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House Passes Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Members of Congress, the First Lady, and thousands of food advocates tireless efforts to improve children's access to healthy and nutritious meals has resulted in the US House of Representatives passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (s. 3307) by a vote of 264 to 157. This child nutrition reauthorization legislation will allow school meal programs to offer a greater variety of nutritious foods in school cafeterias nationwide and gives schools resources to reach more children with healthy school meals and to serve more fresh produce, whole grains and low-fat dairy products in cafeterias. The legislation also includes improvements to the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs including the creation of standards and a certification process for school foodservice professionals and the establishment of guidelines on which local school expenses can be charged to school nutrition programs. The bill will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.
Many advocates opposed the bill's use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds to offset the cost of child nutrition reauthorization, but the Administration has offered assurances that they will work to recover funds for SNAP. For the full School Nutrition article, click here and for the Associated Press article, click here
FoodWorks
FoodWorks is New York City's first comprehensive blueprint for the city's food system and as a means to improve public health, create jobs and support the environment. It was first announced by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in December 2009 and released in November 2010. It contains 59 proposals across all aspects of the food cycle - agricultural production, processing, distribution, consumption and post-consumption. The plan emphasizes supporting regional food producers by bolstering the regional supply chain and better connecting the urban market with Upstate and regional farmers through more farmers markets and CSAs, redevelopment of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, and increased local processing capacity. It also looks to increase urban food production, improve the Green Carts program by expanding EBT acceptance, support food coops and improve bodega infrastructure. Additionally, it will seek to leverage the city's economic power by encouraging city agencies to track and procure food regionally, particularly as Department of Education contract come due for renewal, to mandate breakfast in the classroom for high-need schools and expand salad bars in New York City public schools.
The NYC Food & Fitness Partnership is excited to see such a comprehensive proposal that looks at initiatives from the entire food system and cycle. We are looking forward to opportunities to work together with the Speaker's Office and others to move this forward. Click here to read the entire plan.
2010 Annual Hunger Survey Report realeased by NYCCAH
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH) has released the annual hunger survey report. In these tough economic times, the number of New York City residents who rely on emergency food assistance programs at soup kitchens and food pantries is growing. Please think of those less fortunate than you this holiday season and read the 2010 report "New Yorkers Barely Hang On" to find out how you can help those in need.
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2010-2011 NYC Strategic Alliance for Health (SAfH) Excellence in School Wellness Award
In the 2009-2010 school years, the NYC Strategic Alliance for Health and its partners launched the Excellence in School Wellness Awards to recognize elementary schools for their efforts in creating a healthy school environment as a means to prevent childhood obesity and improve academic achievement. This Wellness Award serves to publicly acknowledge and applaud schools that are champions in nutrition, physical activity and wellness. In its first year, 40 Northern Manhattan and Bronx elementary schools received Excellence in School Wellness Awards. For the 2010 - 2011 school years, NYC SAfH is working with partners, including the NYC Food & Fitness Partnership, to extend the award application to additional elementary schools in North and Central Brooklyn. Applications are expected to be released in early December so stay tuned!
Let's Move's New Initiatives
Mrs. Obama has brought together a grassroots coalition of public and private groups to raise $15 million to place 6,000 specially designed, child-sized salad bars into school cafeterias across the US over the next three years.This is a campaign to boost the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables for children who participate in the National School Lunch program and to reward schools that have best-practices in the lunchroom. Any K-12 school district or individual school participating in the National School Lunch Program is eligible to apply for a salad bar grant. Schools/districts with Bronze status or above in the Healthier US School Challenge (HUSC) will have priority in receiving a fully funded salad bar as money is raised.For more information on the campaign, click here and for information on the salad bar grants, click here.
Nourish Middle School Curriculum Guide
This food literacy curriculum from WorldLink and the Center for Ecoliteracy invites teachers and students to explore the question: "What's the story of our food?" The standards-aligned curriculum contains a viewing guide, six learning activities, action projects, and suggested resources designed to engage students in a meaningful conversation about food and sustainability. It is appropriate for science, health, social studies, garden education, or English classes. The curriculum, as well as more information about a national initiative designed to open a meaningful conversation about food and sustainability, is available here.
New Report Released: "School Gardens as a Strategy for Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption"
The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management report reviews the impact of nutrition education interventions on children's food choices, specifically that of school-based gardens, and provides recommendations for implementation of such programs and further research.For full report, click here.
CHEFs for Schools
CHEFs for Schools, Inc. is a NYC based nonprofit organization that strives to address issues of food inequality in underserved communities by training and placingvolunteers in worthwhile service opportunities. CHEFs' ultimate goal is to enable the constituents of the communities they serve to recognize the injustice associated with access to nutritious food, and together with those communities, work to eliminate the inequities prevalent in our current food system. CHEFs does this through partnerships with established nonprofit organizations to provide them with the resources - mainly volunteers - to increase their capacity. For more information or in order to learn how you can get involved, please email chefsforschools@gmail.com, and check out our website at www.chefsforschools.org. |
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The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is seeking suggestions for Specialty Food Cart & Truck Locations
The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (Parks) is currently seeking suggestions for locations for specialty food carts and trucks on city parkland in all five boroughs. Parks is looking to permit mobile food units (pushcarts, processing carts, and mobile food trucks) with menus that are inventive, interesting, and serve a variety of options beyond hot dogs and pretzels. If you have suggestions for possible locations for specialty food carts and trucks, please email your ideas and make sure to include the name of the park, the exact cross streets (if applicable), and what type of unit (pushcart, processing cart, or mobile food truck) you think would work best for that location.
New York City Community Garden Coalition's Response to NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation's Rules for Community Gardens
On October 13, 2010, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation's "new rules" for community gardens under their jurisdiction went into effect. New York City Community Garden Coalition (NYCCGC) was at the table during the initial process of drafting the new Parks Department rules concerning community gardens, and looks forward to being involved in the drafting of future policies and legislation that will permanently preserve our city's vibrant community gardens, and create opportunities for the development of more.
However, NYCCGC has several concerns about the new rules, identified by its leadership, members, and legal counsel. NYCCGC has created recommendations that will offer better support for community gardens that include: creating transparent Processes for gardens in "default" and "accelerated default;" identify all permanently protected community gardens; and collectively forge new legislation and policy. For the full press release, go to website.
Healthy Supermarkets Program at the NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is working with supermarkets to ensure that community residents have access to delicious and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. The Healthy Supermarkets Program is seeking the help of community residents to (1) tell supermarket managers that you want high-quality, affordable fruits and vegetables and (2) make sure that supermarkets that have partnered with the DOH continue to stock high-quality produce. For more information on how you can get involved, contact Nora Gilbert, Coordinator of the Healthy Supermarkets Program at or call 212-442-0016. For flyers and other materials make sure to go to website.
Walgreens Tackles 'Food Deserts'
New York Times, Rob Walker, 11/12/2010
Perhaps the marketplace can reverse its own failure, but a little prodding from other entities may be required. One example emerged this summer in Chicago when Walgreens, the drugstore chain founded in that city more than 100 years ago, started selling an expanded selection of food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, at 10 locations selected because they were in food deserts. Read more here.
Senate Passes Food Safety Modernization
The Food Safety Modernization Act is one of the most important bills that addresses food safety-systems. The bill passed with bipartisan supporting the Senate 73 to 25.It will focus on food-borne illness prevention, detection and response and hold imported foods to the same standards as food produced in the United States.The House passed its version of the bill with bipartisan support back in July 2009. The Senate version has few changes to the House bill and includes an amendment by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to exempt small farmers from new controls if they sell directly to consumers and bring in less than $500,000 in annual sales. Though the bill has yet to be reconciled, there has been some indication that the House will adopt the Senate's bill. For more on this story, click here. Real Time Farms Real Time Farms is a new national online food guide designed to help citizens around the country learn about farms in their area and find farmers markets, farm stands, and locally sourced restaurants where they can purchase locally produced goods. Visit Real Time Farms website. |
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Health is on the Move: Transportation Policies and Physical Activity
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national program Active Living Research conducts a lot of research on how the built environment can support - or discourage - physical activity among children and teens. A research synthesis ALR produced last summer shows that walking or biking to school can help kids be more active overall, sidewalks and bike lanes promote physical activity, and public transit use is linked to more physical activity and lower rates of obesity. How does your neighborhood help you be active, or hinder you from being so? How should we think about planning and transportation issues in ways that will help children in all neighborhoods get enough physical activity? To read more on these reports, go to website.
Walkable, Rollable City Forum Recap
Noah Budnick of Transportation Alternatives, Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, and Moderator John Hockenberry posed critical questions on how friendly is the city to walkers and rollers at this year's Municipal Art Society's Jane Jacobs Forum.In a city's that relies heavily on subway and vehicle transportation, as these forms of transportation that are so often overlooked. Not only did the discussion highlight that more people walk to work in New York City (9.2%) than in any other major U.S. it also included difficulties in navigating New York's streets and sidewalks for residents in wheelchairs and who are blind. A common theme of the evening was street and sidewalk designs can improve to create a more livable city if like if the concerns and ideas of residents and advocates are heard by our city's decision makers.Read a fully summary of the forum here and learn more about the annual Jane Jacobs Forum on website.
Play Streets 2011
In 2011-2012, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will continue its work with community groups and schools to create Play Streets - consecutive street closures to open up street space for outdoor recreation. This past year, Play Streets were hosted next to farmers markets, schools, and other community sites and attracted hundreds of children and adults to take part in free, outdoor fitness and recreation. DOHMH is currently looking for groups who would like to apply for a play street for 2011.
Please find the letter of interest form and eligibility worksheet attached. If you are interested in applying, please complete the forms and mail or fax by DECEMBER 15th to: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Playstreets Coordinator, Built Environment Program, 120 Wall Street, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10005, or fax to: 212-361-2169.
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Garden Apprentice Program in Brooklyn
The Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a great way for teens to learn about urban agriculture and the environment while working in one of the most exciting public gardens in the world! Apprentices can work their way up the four-tier program, potentially earning a paid position as Senior Apprentice. If you enjoy getting your hands dirty and want to work with other teens, GAP may be for you. You are the future-help make it greener! Apprentices make a ten-month commitment to GAP, from March to December, which includes spring training, summer programming, and a weekly commitment throughout the academic year. See the tier descriptions for more information and application links. For more information, please email
Youth Bike Summit
The Youth Bike Summit is a 3 day gathering geared towards students, educators, and advocates in New York City and in the Northeast United States. The conference aims to inspire people from different educational disciplines together to explore, network, and learn how bicycling can be a legitimate and safe form of transportation for today's youth. With this mission in mind, the Youth Bike Summit will offer educational workshops and panel discussions on subjects ranging from how to advocate for bike lanes to basic bike maintenance. It will also provide tools and information on fundraising and best practices for schools that wish to incorporate bikes into the physical fabric of the learning environment. The Summit is being organized by Recycle-A-Bicycle. For more information, visit their website.
WHEN: Friday January 14 - Sunday January 16, 2011
WHERE: The New School in New York, NY
ADMISSION: $10.00 per person for the three-day event. |
GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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Growing Green Awards
Deadline: Dec. 12, 2010
The Natural Resources Defense Council annually recognizes extraordinary contributions that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, climate stewardship, water stewardship, farmland preservation, and social responsibility from farm to fork. A Growing Green Award will be given to an outstanding individual in each of four categories, including Food Producer, Business Leader, Knowledge Leader, and Young Food Leader. Learn more and submit a nomination here.
Summer Food For Children Demonstration Grants
Deadline: Dec. 15, 2010
USDA is requesting applications for states to enhance the current Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) by testing and evaluating home delivery and food backpack programs designed to reduce hunger among children when school is out. Read more about the grant and how to apply on the USDA website.
General Mills Foundation 2011 Champions for Healthy Kids Grant Program
Deadline: Dec. 15, 2010
The General Mills Foundation, in partnership with the American Dietetic Association Foundation and the President's Council on Physical Fitness, is accepting applications for the 2011 Champions for Healthy Kids grant program. This national program annually awards 50 grants of $10,000 each to community-based groups that develop creative ways to help youth adopt a balanced diet and physically active lifestyle. The target audience must be youth between the ages of 2 and 18. For more information, click here.
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
Deadline: Dec. 22, 2010
The USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program has recently released the 2011 request for applications. In FY 2011, $19 million will be available to support beginning farmers and ranchers. For the purpose of this program, a beginning farm is considered to be one that is operated by one or more operators who have 10 years or less of experience operating a farm or ranch. In 2007, approximately 21 percent of family farms met that definition. For more information on how to apply, or for program management contacts, click here.
CPPW Obesity High School Wellness Initiative-due December, 22, 2010
Deadline: Dec. 22, 2010
The Fund for Public Health in New York (FPHNY), on behalf of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to participate in the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) Obesity - High School Wellness Initiative. Fourteen $1,000 grants are available - these mini-grants provide an opportunity for high school students to explore and address the issue of what foods and beverages are available, promoted, and consumed in and around their school building. Please note that eligibility is restricted to non-charter public schools grades 9 through 12. Also, applications may only be submitted by School Principals or Assistant Principals. To download a copy of the RFP, click here. For questions related to this RFP, please contact Gabrielle Ettlinger, MPA, CPPW School Wellness Specialist at gettling@health.nyc.gov.
Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge
Deadline: Dec. 30, 2010
As part of the Let's Move! campaign, the USDA is offering cash prizes for winning student teams who submit original recipes that meet the whole grain foods, dark green and/or orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas (legumes) nutrition requirements for school meals. Go to the Recipes for Healthy Kids website for more information about how to enter and win.
NCR-SARE 2010 Call for Proposals
Deadline: Jan. 14, 2011
Proposals are now being accepted for the 2010 North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) Youth and Youth Educator Grants. Questions? Contact Joan Benjamin at 402-472-0809 or 1-800-529-1342.
Fresh Ideas for a Just and Equitable Food System
Deadline: January 18, 2011
IATP Food and Society Fellows program provides fellowships for individuals to envision advocate and create a just, equitable and healthy food system from its roots up. Applicants, therefore, should have "fresh ideas" that have a policy component, pilot innovative projects that can be widely replicated by others, or build and engage the voice of communities for self-advocacy around important food issues. People of color and applicants who work in communities of color are particularly encouraged to apply. For more information and application information, click here.
Welch's Harvest Grants - Harvest Grants Program
Deadline: Feb. 11, 2011
Welch's is partnering with Scholastic Publishing Company and the National Gardening Association to offer grants to support school garden programs in the belief that hands-on experiences with planting, tending, and growing gardens provide a dynamic setting for learning and benefit kids of all ages. For more information, click here.
Call for Papers on Small- and Mid-Scale Food Value Chain Development
Deadline: Manuscripts due Feb. 15, 2011 The Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD) invites researchers, ag/food system development professionals, and others to submit applied research papers, critical reflection essays, commentaries, and other manuscripts that provide critical insights into small and mid-scale food value chain development. Food value chains (FVCs) are a hot topic among agriculture and food systems development professionals. Values-based food supply chains are strategic alliances between farms, ranches, and other supply-chain partners who distribute rewards equitably across the supply chain. For details about JAFSCD and author guidelines, visit website.
ING Unsung Heroes Program Opens Grant Program for K-12 Educational Projects
Deadline: Apr. 30, 2011
The ING Unsung Heroes program annually provides grants to K-12 educators utilizing new teaching methods and techniques to improve learning. Educators are welcome to submit grant applications describing projects they have initiated or would like to pursue. Each year, one hundred educators are selected to receive $2,000 each to help fund their innovative class projects. Visit the ING Web site for 2011 program guidelines and application materials. Go to website.
The Carl Henry Nacht Fellowship
Deadline: Rolling applications
Transportation Alternatives seeks urban minded scholars with adventurous spirits to work with us for a semester on projects to help people rethink their relationship with the built environment, challenge the status quo and unlock the potential of New York City streets to produce healthier, happier citizens. We are looking for urban planning and health graduate and undergraduate students from in and around New York City. Spanish proficiency is a strong plus. While applications winter/spring semester 2011 should be received by Dec. 5, the fellowship has a rolling application process. For more information on the Carly Henry Nacht Fellowship, go to the Transportation Alternatives website.
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Brooklyn Food Coalition Farm Bill/Food Policy Brainstorming Session
Date: Dec. 9, 2010, from 7pm to 9pm
Location: Brooklyn Public House (247 DeKalb off Vanderbilt)
Meeting will touch on the Farm Bill and the city-wide organizing effort related to the bill, along with BFC engages in policy in general. Go to site for more info on this meeting and others.
Share Your Greens: Feast and Celebrate to Support Conuco Farm and Evolutionary Organics
Dates: Dec 10-14, 2010
This October, Conuco Farm and Evolutionary Organics were struck by a devastating fire, losing a season's worth of storage crops, farm equipment, and personal belongings. Join the farm for three upcoming fundraisers to help rebuild what was lost so these farms can grow for many seasons to come.
Conuco Farm is the Community Supported Agriculture farmer for Bed-Stuy Farm Share.
More information? Go to website.
The Hattie Carthan Holiday Market
Date(s): Dec. 11 and Dec. 18, 2010, 12pm to 8pm
Locations: Hattie Carthan community market - Clifton place & Marcy Avenue
Come support our Special Holiday market .Get last minute veggies for the holidays, apple cider, specialty foods, local pies, canned products, delicious chutneys and other unique affordable gifts while supporting the Brooklyn community revitalization project. Also, there will be cooking demos throughout the day. African marketplace craft vendors and holiday crafters are welcome. Please contact 718-638-3566 or email to sign-up for the Holiday Markets in our community market. The booth fee for 1 day is $25, registration for both markets $40
Holiday Networking at Living Concrete/Carrot City
Date: December 14, 2010, from 12:30pm to 2:00pm(Open Networking meeting)
Location: Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery, The New School, 66 Fifth Avenue at 13th Street
Please join Food Systems Network NYC for their Open Networking holiday networking meeting and view Living Concrete/Carrot City, a multi-media urban agriculture exhibit at The New School. The exhibit features creative research projects and design interventions that examine connections between people and food production that affect neighborhoods, health and the environment. *Please bring printed information about your organization for networking.
What New York Should do Now to Prevent Obesity
Date: January 20, 2011
In partnership with the NYC Food and Fitness Partnership, the NYC Strategic Alliance for Health, the New York State Health Foundation, and the NYU Nutrition and Obesity Prevention Policy Research and Evaluation Network, the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) is hosting a unique symposium on January 20, 2011, where community based organizations, faith organizations, public health practitioners, researchers, and others will have chance to tell New York City area officials "What New York Should do Now to Prevent Obesity." For more information, please contact Jeanelle Roman, NYAM Policy Assistant, via email or 212-822-7261. Register here.
 
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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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