Making the healthy choice, the easy choice!
 Healthy Portland is a coalition of health care organizations, nonprofit agencies, schools, law enforcement, and community members. The coalition's purpose is to create lasting changes in our community that reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, promote healthy eating, and prevent underage drinking and substance abuse through implementation of policy, systems and environmental changes.  
In This Issue
Wear Red for Heart Health
Basic Skills Tobacco Intervention Training
Colorful Additions to Cafeterias
Financial Bootcamp Workshop
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 Go Red for Women

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February 2012

Happy and healthy February! The aim of the Healthy Portland Newsletter is to keep you  informed on our projects, as well as health-related events and happenings in the city. If you prefer to not receive the newsletter, please reply to unsubscribe from our mailing list. 

Wear Red for Heart Health Month!
On February 3rd, wear red to support National Wear Red Day as February is American Heart Month.  The American Heart Association began National Wear Red Day to raise awareness that heart disease kills more women each year than all cancers combined.
 
In a collaborative effort, the Portland Public Health Division and the American Heart Association will be holding a press conference on the steps of Portland City Hall at 11:00am on Friday, February 3rd, as well as illuminating City Hall for the month.  
 
For more information about Wear Red Day and the American Heart Association's efforts during the month of February, visit www.goredforwomen.com  
Scholarships available for Tobacco Intervention Training

Healthy Portland is offering scholarships for professionals to attend the Center for Tobacco Independence Basic Skills Training on March 13th in Bangor or April 2nd in Portland. The workshops are encouraged for social service providers who work with youth, as well as professionals who could use the tools in their workplace.

 

The Basic Skills Training develops the skills one may use when delivering brief messages to patients, students, or clients about tobacco treatment. The faculty conducting the program are leaders in the state with extensive experience providing treatment for tobacco dependence.

 

For more information and to register, please call the Center For Tobacco Independence at      207-662-7122 or email    Becky Hendrix at [email protected]

 

 Cafeteria posters and digital screens serve as healthy eating reminders

The children of Portland's Public Elementary Schools are eating alongside bright posters that have been hung in the cafeteria to remind students to choose foods that make a healthy, balanced diet.     

 

The signs, purchased with funds from a federal obesity prevention grant, contain nutrition advice from USDA MyPlate guidelines. The same grant also funded digital screens, like the one running in Casco Bay High School, that show the caloric information of the daily menu choices. 

 

The nutrition promotion is part of a multi-year effort to improve the quality of Portland's school lunch program.  Every school cafeteria now has a self-serve bar with fresh fruit, vegetables, grains and beans.

 

The district's central kitchen is cooking more food from scratch and serving more local produce, meat and fish, including vegetables grown in school gardens.  Students and staff have participated in taste

tests for new recipes and menu items such as baked haddock and mango smoothies.

 

 Financial Fundamentals Bootcamp Workshop

On Wednesday, February 29th, Maine Medical Center will offer a workshop designed to educate and share information on a number of financial topics.  
 
This three-part seminar will focus on early career financial decision making, planning for college funding for employees with children and finally pre-retirement considerations including an overview of current social security benefits. The seminar will provide useful information and tools for you to share with employees/families through your wellness programming.
 
The workshop will be from 8:30am-11:30am at USM on February 29th. To reserve your space, please contact Tom Downing before the February 24th deadline. He can be reached at [email protected] or 207-781-1545
                                      City Seal