Blog

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/20/2021                                          QUEENS, NY— State Senator Jessica Ramos (D,WF-SD13) and Assembly Member Sarah Clark (D-AD136) introduced the Early Learning Child Care Act (S7615 - Assembly number pending) on Friday, bringing their respective e...

 November 22, 2021   ROCHESTER – The Planning Team for the Rochester Food Policy Council (FPC) is excited to announce the selection of its inaugural members. This diverse group of individuals will lead efforts to create a healthier and more equitable Rochester food system. The planning team...

NATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT TO KICK OFF PLAYFUL LEARNING INITIATIVE FOR ROCHESTER YOUTH Healthi Kids’ Coalition Brings Together Community to Prioritize the Power of Play in the Rochester City School District   What: National early childhood expert Dr. Brian Wright kicks off Healthi...

B+Healthy Fresh Food Market continues to expand its presence of good health in the inner-city. Since 2018, the marketplace has provided healthy and flavorful food and beverage options to neighborhood residents. Owner Kaptah AmenRa Xi Amaru continues to work to expand the markets in Rochester. In...

  We're happy to share good news from New York State’s Office of Children’s and Family Services (OCFS)! Out of school time providers are finally going to get paid for work they already completed throughout the pandemic. Out of school time providers are the organizations that provide before...

Did you know over 1 billion people across the world actively use TikTok every day? TikTok prompts social media users to lip sync and other entertaining, and educational videos. Chances are local youth and families who use the app are following local creative educator Chaz Bruce. Chaz has over 5 m...

    COVID-19 has changed so much in our community. We know all caregivers have been navigating challenges to keep their kids safe during the pandemic. We also know that many caregivers have had to find new and emergency forms of childcare for their babies, school-aged kids, and teens. Comm...

This blog was first published in June 2021 by Brookings Institute as part of their Placemaking Postcard Series and is authored by our Advocacy Manager Jenn Beideman Over the last year, the intersecting crises of COVID-19, economic insecurity, and systemic police brutality have compounded to...

New Funding! We’re thrilled to share that Healthi Kids has been awarded a 5 year grant through New York State called Creating Healthy Schools and Communities! This funding will let us continue to advance our work in building equitable communities and supporting healthy learning environments....

  This week, Healthi Kids staff submitted comments to the Rochester City School District (RCSD) Superintendent and School Board on where we believe stimulus dollars should be spent.  The Rochester City School District is currently seeking feedback to determine the best way to spend stimulu...

We did it! On May 11th, Rochester City Council voted to support the creation of a local Food Policy Council (FPC), making Rochester’s FPC one of the few in the country that is formally recognized and supported by legislation. As part of a long community engagement and planning process, Healthi K...

  Take the survey in English: student survey; parent/primary caregiver survey Take the survey in Spanish: student survey; parent/primary caregiver survey    CLICK ABOVE FOR ENGLISH VERSION                      CLICK ABOVE FOR SPANISH VERSION   ABOUT THE SURVEY: Play is fundamenta...

(Wednesday, May 5, 2021) – Officials from the City of Rochester and the Healthi Kids Coalition were joined by teens and community members today to cut the ribbon on the newest addition to the City’s Play Walk sidewalk trail. “The Ripple” is an interactive attraction featuring constantly changing col...

    COVID-19 has changed so much in our community. We know all caregivers have been navigating challenges to keep their kids safe during the pandemic. We also know that many caregivers have had to find new and emergency forms of childcare for their babies, school-aged kids, and teens. ...

Last week we posted some information about Federal nutrition guidelines and the Smart Snack standards. School meals are governed by Federal, State, and local regulations. They are part of an economic system and food system that is not designed to provide kids with fresh food. School food service ope...

We know. School meals should be better.  Our first campaign 13 years ago was called "Lunch is Gross” – where RCSD students in a 4th grade classroom headed to the School Board and demanded changes. Those kids were successful. They solidified better food standards before the federal government made th...

Over the last year, we have faced several crises due to COVID-19, and the ongoing and systemic acts of police brutality on Black and Brown residents in our community. The current reality for families in our community has changed dramatically from loss of jobs and homes, to losing any semblance o...

The last several months have indeed brought countless challenges for us all. However, they have also opened the door for many new opportunities for Healthi Kids’ work. A light has been shed on the importance of, and need for whole child health in our community, and our team has certainly been fe...

Did you know that fresh air is healthy - even in the winter? Outdoor play in the colder months is fun, benefits the social-emotional and physical development in kids, boosts the immune system and promotes wellness overall.  #PLAYROCSATHOME was introduced last May to remind families about the...