Mini Grants Available!

So we know that 1 in 3 American school children is overweight or obese. And we know that most kids are not active enough and are consuming too many high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods as well as sugar-sweetened beverages.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelinies for Americans "Primary prevention of obesity must begin in childhood. This is the single most powerful public health approach to combating and reversing America's obesity epidemic over the long term."

So where can your community begin to tackle this problem?

Well think about this...what if our schools' vending machines looked like this?

Instead of this?

Prevention Connections has two great opportunities for Virginia schools!

Take a look at the website www.preventionconnections.org/funding.shtml for Vending Machine Audit/Replacment and Safe Routes to School mini grants. The application deadlines are quickly approaching in December but the projects themselves can be conducted any time before November 2011. Call or email me with any questions!

VFHY Local Celebrities

Kudos to two VFHY Grantees

American Lung Association

and

YMCA at Virginia Tech (Waldron Family YMCA in Shawsville)

On October 29th, Billie Murray of the American Lung Association hosted a legislative visit from Delegate Joe Johnson. Delegate Johnson visited Highlands Juvenile Detention Center in Bristol to see the Not On Tobacco (N.O.T.) program in action. Eight youth were enrolled in the teen cessation program and Delegate Johnson had very positive things to say about the work that we are all collectively doing to make kids healthier. Pictured here: Yours truly, Billie Murray, and Delegate Johnson with HJDC staff - Patti Mumpower, Yolanda Stuart and Tim Dotson.





And earlier this week, one of our new Healthy Communities Action Team grantees, YMCA at Virginia Tech was featured in a WDBJ 7 News story about their N.E.W Family program - which stands for Nutrition, Exercise and Wellness. (WOW - that's gotta be a record for number of times the word NEW can be used in one sentence...)


Anyway, the story is fabulous so click here to see it:

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj-new-program-in-shawsville-to-c-103110,0,5587900.story



Remember, sharing our success with our elected officials and broader communites is a WIN-WIN-WIN for us all! And don't forget to cite VFHY as the funding source when talking with your legislators and the media. If you need any assistance with press releases or meetings with State Delegates or State Senators, be sure to contact me and/or Richard Foster in our Richmond office.

I look forward to posting more examples like this in the future!