Healthi Kids supporting NY schools wellness policy
Healthi Kids is helping to raise awareness of the new statewide Wellness, Equity and Learning Legislation (WELL) campaign. The campaign was started by leaders at the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education and Policy, Teachers College Columbia University.
Campaign advocates are urging New York State to create a model wellness policy to share with districts statewide. Advocates are calling on the state to invest $10 million to support target districts with wellness policy implementation. They are also calling for the creation of an online hub to centralize district wellness policies and reports.
Healthi Kids was present at a lunch and learn March 26 in Albany to educate legislators on the issue. Also in March, the WELL Campaign toured schools 17 and 29 to learn about wellness efforts. At school 29, they learned about how inclusive recreation has been important to accommodate students of all abilities.
Learn more and contact Alicia Evans, healthy schools project coordinator, at Alicia.evans@commongroundhealth.org or call 585-224-3172 to get involved.
Safe driving campaign is honored with award
The drive2Bbetter community impact initiative was honored with an award for outstanding commitment to the issue of traffic safety within the community.
The Monroe County Stop-DWI Program Safety Board honored the campaign with the 2019 Mark Tuohey Jr. Award. The campaign aims to achieve a community where all people are safe and respected in whatever mode of transportation they choose.
Shown above are Cathy Flanagan, chair of the Monroe County Traffic Safety Board, Mike Bulger, healthy communities project coordinator of Healthi Kids, Mary Hadley, senior program manager of Causewave Community Partners, and County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo.
Learn more on our blog about the importance of this campaign in light of new crash data.
Healthi Kids supports ROC the Future schools effort
Healthi Kids is part of the ROC the Future Coalition, which on March 4 launched the "Our Children. Our Future." Campaign. The campaign calls for systemic and transformational change for the Rochester City School District. ROC the Future is a cross-sector alliance of more than 60 community institutions and leaders that works to improve child outcomes in Rochester.
At a Mar. 4 press conference, campaign leaders responded to the Rochester City School District's Board of Education's response to Distinguished Educator Jaime Aquino's report. Aquino was appointed by the state to review the district due to low performance in some key areas.
ROC The Future stands ready to support Commissioner Elia and to co-develop a solution with the New York State Education Department and the Rochester City School District to make transformative change.
Read ROC The Future's Core Community Agreements for Education, sign a petition to transform and improve Rochester's schools and volunteer for the ROC the Future task force.
PlayROCs Your Neighborhood is back!
PlayROCs Your Neighborhood, a city-wide day of play, is back, and it will be bigger than ever before.
For the last three years, children, families and neighborhood organizers have rallied together throughout the City of Rochester to raise awareness for safe and accessible play spaces for every child, in every neighborhood. PlayROCs your Neighborhood has brought together more than 55 neighborhood partners (local churches, libraries, block clubs, neighborhood groups, community organizations, and parents) who have worked together to repurpose, reclaim, and bring back play to their public spaces.
This year we're partnering with the City of Rochester to add additional sites to make this our biggest year yet. On July 13 we will be partnering with neighborhoods across the city to advocate for change!
Are you interested in hosting a play day in your neighborhood? Healthi Kids is recruiting locations for this year's event. We will be able to provide technical assistance, training, resources, and support to make your vision for play come to life. We have a limited amount of funding for new sites and will be providing resources on a first come, first serve basis.
For details on how Healthi Kids can support your play day, please reach out to Jenn Beideman at jenn.beideman@commongroundhealth.org or 585-224-3151.
We're hiring
Common Ground Health is hiring for a director of research to set research priorities for the organization. The director of research will seek funding partnerships to support the community and Common Ground's mission. Learn more here.
Thanks to kitchen equipment provided by Healthi Kids, students at School 3 enjoyed green smoothies made from spinach, strawberries, bananas and orange juice in honor of St. Patrick's Day.
Plan an event for Every Kid Healthy Week
Save April 22-26 for Every Kid Healthy Week, which celebrates the efforts schools make all year to improve the health and wellness of their students. Any school or neighborhood can participate.
From health fairs to fun runs, family fitness nights to field days, there are event options for everyone. Host an event-or two-at your school that highlights the importance of physical activity and good nutrition. It can bring the school community together for fun and solidarity.
Get resources to join the festivities.
Infographic explains early childhood development
What is infant and early childhood mental health? Learn more in the new infographic from Zero to Three.
Save the date:
April 5 - Apply by April 5 for a Game on Grant or Parents for Healthy Kids grant from Action for Healthy Kids. The $1,000 grants provide funds for nutrition or physical activity programs. Learn more.
April 27 - Restoring Rochester Conference, Riverside Convention Center, 123 East Main Street. The event focuses on healing and empowering the community through restorative practices. It features speakers Dr. Victor Rios and Dr. Yohuru Williams.
May 4 - Speak Life! Conference, Rochester Riverside Hotel. The African American Health Coalition with the Latino Health Coalition will focus on violence and its impact on the health of communities of color. Keynote speakers are RCSD School Resource Officer Moses Robinson and Dr. Irshad Altheimer, director of the Center for Public Safety Initiatives at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The conference will discuss youth violence, intimate partner violence and violence related to mental health and substance use.
May 4 - Urban Agriculture Working Group conference, World of Inquiry School 58. The conference is a day for community and home gardeners, educators and leaders in Rochester to connect and celebrate urban agriculture.
May 11 - Play the Riverway - join Healthi Kids and the City of Rochester as we shut down Broad St. and Court St. for a day of play before the Rochester Twilight Criterium. Stay tuned for more details in your inbox soon!
May 23 - 2019 Active Transportation Summit: Ideas Into Motion, Rochester Riverside Hotel. Active transportation advocate Mark Fenton will deliver the keynote speech. Paul Breyer, director of smart growth planning for the New York State Department of State, will give the plenary address.
