Action for Healthy Kids is a national non-profit organization aimed at improving physical activity and nutrition by focusing on changes in the school environment. Model wellness policy tools, and state by state information is provided on their website.

 

This planning and resource guide – one of many resources for faith communities on this website –  provides African American church staff and members, health department staff, community partners and others with information and tools to plan and conduct multi-level nutrition and physical activity programs in the church.

 

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. The Alliance offers programs for both public and private partnerships to promote health.

 

The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is a bi-national nonprofit membership organization of professionals, volunteers and supporters of community greening in urban and rural communities. ACGA provides networking, publications, trainings and annual conferences to assist community garden organizations across the United States and Canada.

 

The American Dietetic Association provides educational materials and speakers on healthy eating topics.

 

The American Heart Association provides educational materials, local programs, tool kits, and speakers on nutrition and heart disease. You can request information and materials on the website.

 

American Public Health Association (APHA) builds a collective voice for public health, working to ensure access to health care, protect funding for core public health services and eliminate health disparities, among myriad other issues. APHA communicates the latest public health science and practice to members, opinion leaders and the public. They also publish the American Journal of Public Health and the Nation’s Health.

 

Body & Soul is a wellness program developed by African American churches. The program empowers church members to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables every day for better health. It contains tools and handouts on how to create a Body & Soul program to fit your congregation.

 

California Center for Public Health Advocacy provides a number of resources for policy reform at the state and local level, trends and background reports on the national obesity epidemic and related chronic diseases, and tactics and strategies that build momentum for policy change.

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides resources on many health topics, and intervention and promotional materials to help communities, non-profits, and government agencies prepare presentations, implement wellness practices, and conduct other health promotion interventions. CDC has updated its fruits and vegetables website to reflect the new Fruits & Veggies-More Matters TM campaign, which takes the place of the 5 A Day program. Visit www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov for more information.

 

Center for Science in the Public Interest has been a strong advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and sound science. CSPI has long sought to educate the public, advocate for government policies that are consistent with scientific evidence on health and environmental issues, and counter industry’s powerful influence on public opinion and public policies.

 

The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a North American membership-based coalition of diverse people and organizations working from the local to international levels to build community food security. CFSC is a national leader in food and farm policy strategies to improve community food security.

 

CHP: OPHI, founded in 1999, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve the health of Oregonians through advocacy and support of effective public health policy and activities. The organization’s current focus is on the prevention of childhood obesity.

 

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) is a regional faith-based group focused on interfaith dialogue, community services, advocacy and environmental ministries. The mission of EMO's Interfaith Food and Farms Partnership (IFFP) is to empower faith communities, farmers and neighborhoods to build urban-rural alliances and create innovative partnerships for just and sustainable food systems that promote community health. It provides on-line manuals for organizing farm-to-congregation partnerships to increase neighborhood access to fresh, local produce for all and on how to use congregational assets such as kitchens, land, meeting space and land to enhance food security at www.emoregon.org/food_farms.php.

 

The Congregational Wellness Project, which focuses on shifting the eating and physical activity environment at congregations through policies, practices and building and grounds use, was created by IFFP. The project website: faithandwellness.org, offers an assessment tool (Congregational Health Index), resources, and best practices for healthy eating and active living on your congregational campus. See EMO's fact sheets on: "Quick Tips for Healthy Eating," "Tips for Feeding Picky Eaters" and "Keep Your Family and Faith Community Moving."

 

A national program sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to create opportunities for healthy eating by implementing changes to the built environment (places we live, work, learn, play and worship). Case studies, community profiles, and many resources are available to help you start initiatives in your own community.

 

An exemplary model vending machine policy with guidelines for food and beverage selections and rationale.

 

The Let’s Move! campaign, started by First Lady Michelle Obama, has an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. Let’s Move! is a comprehensive approach that engages every sector impacting the health of children and provides schools, families and communities with simple tools and suggestions to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy. You can sign up to receive email updates and tips for healthy living.

 

National Dairy Council focuses on providing general nutrition information and recipes for low-fat dairy options.

 

The mission of the National Food Service Management Institute is to provide information and services that promote the continuous improvement of child nutrition programs. The Institute takes its programs and services nationwide through seminars and workshops, satellite presentations, teleconferences, participation at professional meetings and conferences, and via the NFSMI website.

 

Resources on the Oregon Department of Human Services’ website will give you tools to improve the health of your employees and make your organization a healthier place to work. Try the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ workplace wellness page too: http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/NHP/worksite.htm and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthier Worksite Initiative page: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/index.htm.

 

The Food and Nutrition Services of the USDA provides a number of resources for governments, schools, and communities on food and nutrition guidelines and recommendations, and promotional materials including an online program using the Food Pyramid to plan healthy meals for all ages at http://mypyramid.gov/index.html.  They also have a soul food pyramid and one in Spanish.