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MPHA Organizes Municipal Leaders In Support of Active Streets
Together with our Act FRESH partners and other allies, MPHA has been actively organizing municipal officials from across the state to speak up in support of the Active Streets Bill. On November 18th, more than two dozen mayors, town managers, and other municipal leaders released a letter to the Speaker of the House and the Senate President calling on the legislature to pass the Active Streets Bill as part of the broader Transportation Bond Bill. The municipal leaders come from 12 of Massachusetts' 14 counties and represent large metropolitan areas, small towns, suburbs, and Gateway cities - the full spectrum of Massachusetts communities! Read on
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Healthy Food Access Bill On the Move!
On November 7th, Sen. Michael Moore's Healthy Food Access Bill (Senate Bill 380, "An Act Relative to Food Trusts"), was reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture.
The bill is one of the Act FRESH Campaign priorities, and campaign members have been active providing oral and written testimony urging passage of the bill. The legislation will help address the problem of access to healthy food in underserved areas by providing loans, grants, and technical assistance to support the development, renovation, and expansion of grocery stores, farmers markets, and other retailers. Click here to learn more about the bill and read the Act FRESH testimony in support.
Read on
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"A Tale of 3 Projects: How 3 State Agencies are Promoting Active Living in MA"
On Monday, November 18th, MPHA held a webinar titled A Tale of Three Projects: How Three State Agencies are Promoting Active Living in Massachusetts. The webinar featured three Massachusetts agencies - the Department of Transportation, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the MA Water Resources Authority - that are shifting the paradigm by incorporating health goals into their strategic planning and business practices and policies. The webinar featured presentations from each agency on an innovative policy or program area that each is heading up, as well as discussion with participants.
To listen to a recording of the webinar or download a copy of the presentation slides,please click here.
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Help Make Our Shared Vision a Reality!
Because of your past support and partnership, MPHA is firmly established as the  Commonwealth's leading voice for high-impact policy solutions that address critical social determinants of health. Together, we've protected public health funding, fought for health equity through transportation policy, improved school nutrition for 1 million kids, and worked to improve access to grocery stores. Together we created the first-in-the-nation Prevention & Wellness Trust. Together, we've fostered connections among local leaders in every corner of the state to build a stronger and more powerful team of advocates working together as a powerful force for change.
Please make a donation today so that we can continue this crucial work and maintain our momentum.
Be sure to read our 2013 Annual Report to learn more about the accomplishments that your support made possible in the past year.
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Tell Congress to Protect Hunger and Nutrition Programs this Thanksgiving!
 Critical nutrition programs are at risk as Congress works to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the farm bill. The bill passed by the House would cut critical nutrition programs by $38 billion over 10 years. These cuts come on the heels of an automatic reduction in monthly benefits for every participating SNAP household that took place November 1.
MPHA is joining APHA in working to ensure that funding is protected and damaging policy changes are rejected for programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP Nutrition Education and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
Take the time this Thanksgiving week to send a message to your representatives and your senators urging them to protect important public health and nutrition provisions in the farm bill to help ensure that all Americans have access to adequate and nutritious food!
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One Step Closer to Comprehensive Health Education
Please join MPHA and the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts to thank State House Leaders for taking one more step towards making comprehensive sexuality education a reality for more young people across Massachusetts.
The Healthy Youth Act will ensure that if a school district in Massachusetts teaches sexuality education, its curriculum must be comprehensive, medically-accurate, and age-appropriate - so students get the information they need to stay healthy. The Education Committee voted to give this bill a favorable report, which means it is one step closer to becoming law.
Please thank the leaders who are committed to setting commonsense standards for comprehensive sexuality education in Massachusetts.
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Event: Climate Health Roundtable, Wednesday, December 4, 2013The American Lung Association of the Northeast will hold a Climate Health Roundtable at Harvard Medical School on Wednesday, December 4th from
9:30 am- 11:00 am. Hear a panel of experts from the research, practice and political fields discuss the health impacts of climate change. To RSVP, contact Annie Rushman: arushman@lungNE.org or 781-314-9011. For more information about the event, please click here.
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Webinar: Learn About the New Healthy Workplace Toolkit, Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Join the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace for a webinar on December 4th from 1:00 pm- 2:00pm for an overview of CPH-NEW's new Healthy Workplace website toolkit that provides organizations with a systematic, participatory approach to develop successful health, safety, and wellness programs.
You will gain insight into:
- How your organization will benefit by participatory and integrated program approaches
- How to use the website to start a new health, safety, or wellness program, or build upon an existing program
- How to get started with the 5-minute online survey
For more information and to register, click here.
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The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) is the state's leading voice for public health. As a statewide membership organization, we engage communities in advocacy to protect and improve the health of all the Commonwealth's residents. Our focus is on preventing disease and injury. For more information visit us at www.mphaweb.org or call 857.263.7072
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