Until today, Missouri was one of the few states that did not participate in the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Thanks to State Rep. Martha Stevens, State Sen. Lauren Arthur and advocates across the state, legislation establishing the program passed as an amendment to House Bill 432.

WIC FMNP is a federally funded program that provides WIC participants with coupons to purchase fresh, local fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. It puts healthy food within reach for moms and kids while injecting federal dollars into local economies across Missouri.

"This bill is a win for families, farmers, and local economies around the state," Stevens said. "This measure provides direct support for women and children and helps address the serious issue of food insecurity in our state."

WIC participants include low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children up to 5 years of age who are found to be at nutritional risk. Feeding America estimates over 290,000 Missouri kids were food insecure in 2020.

House Bill 432 also establishes the Missouri Food Security Task Force to make recommendations to improve food access and ensure food security for urban and rural communities.

In 1912, Kansas City, Missouri became the first city to criminalize pedestrians in public streets. Today city council members will vote on an ordinance that would reverse that traffic law. It would also exempt people using active transportation, like bikes and scooters, from being ticketed for dirty or muddy tires and no longer allow cyclists to be stopped for a bike inspection.

While we want to ensure that kids and teens are safe to walk and bike, these laws does little to protect their safety. Reporters in Jacksonville, Florida analyzed five years of data but found "no strong relationship between where tickets are being issued and where [pedestrians] are being killed."

What they did find was that enforcement of pedestrian laws disproportionately impacted Black people and people in low-income neighborhoods. The same inequitable trends have been observed in other cities.

It is also unreasonable to punish people for walking in the street when many neighborhoods still lack safe and accessible sidewalks, especially in under-resourced and Black and Brown neighborhoods.

Because of this, some street safety experts have argued for decriminalizing walking and biking. There are better ways to decrease pedestrian injuries and fatalities. That's why we advocate for policies, like Complete Streets, that invest in sidewalks, streets and public spaces that are safe and accessible for all users.

Learn how jaywalking became a crime and why we advocate for streets designed for people.

By Nancy Osborn, Ph.D., Psychologist/Trainer
​
Early childhood education centers are among the hardest hit services during this current pandemic. Some have closed temporarily, and some have closed permanently. All of the centers have had to make major changes in their operations as they follow recommended guidelines for child care programs.  

There have also been major decreases in the number of children coming into the centers, either because of parents’ understandable concerns about COVID 19, or countless other stressors that they are facing such as unemployment, housing instability, etc.   

What makes these challenges particularly heartbreaking is that early childhood educators are still caring for our children, whether the children are there or not — they have compassion toward the children they care for and they, as many of us, are concerned about the children’s safety and their emotional and social development during this time. Early childhood educators remain engaged with the children and families.

Educating caregivers about trauma
KC Healthy Kids has received several grants, including one from Health Forward Foundation, to educate early childhood teachers and staff about trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed care is a perspective that educates people about how widespread trauma is, how trauma impacts people, and how to sensitively and safely approach others.

KC Healthy Kids’ trauma-informed care training began in February 2020, and it couldn’t have come at a more relevant time. It is important for early childhood educators to recognize that children and families have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and to use trauma-sensitive principles to support children and their parents. 

Through our training, we demonstrate that challenging behavior may be a sign that a child has experienced trauma. They have been impacted by what has happened to them and have developed behaviors that help them cope or get their needs met. This can result in behaviors that are challenging to comprehend and, for early childhood educators in particular, to manage. If educators embody trauma-sensitive principles, they can show a child that the world is actually safer than he or she may believe.

Trauma-sensitive principles emphasize the importance of safety, trust through transparency, voice and choice, collaboration and empowerment. When people approach others with these principles in mind, it can lead to the development of healthy relationships. Developing healthy relationships is crucial in early childhood education (and any other kind of setting) and can lead to healing.

Another important facet of our trauma-informed care education is teaching self-care to caregivers. There is no doubt that early childhood educators are impacted by the trauma the children have experienced in their lives so it is particularly important that these teachers understand the impact of trauma, learn trauma-sensitive principles, and to take good care of themselves. 

It is also important for early childhood staff to recognize that they are impacted by all of the stressors that they may have experienced in their past as well as what they and their own families are experiencing now. Managing these stressors, recognizing when they are overwhelmed, and practicing good self-care will most likely help them make better decisions; keep their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions better regulated; and ultimately help them in their work, home, and personal lives. 

Education for families
Families that may have already experienced trauma are additionally burdened by the upheaval caused by the pandemic. Even families without a history of trauma are currently stressed by the new roles they have had to take on, in addition to following guidelines recommended by the CDC and the scientific community. This stress can certainly impact mental health, which can result in atypical behaviors for children and adults. 
Fortunately, through the grants KC Healthy Kids has received, parents will also have the opportunity to receive trauma-informed training and education. 

Get involved
Early childhood educators interested in this training can contact me directly at ncosborn@kchealthykids.org. If parents have specific concerns about their child, they can contact their local community mental health center. See our list of Mental Health Resources

This post was originally published on Health Forward Foundation's blog in 2020 as part of a series.

The epidemic of violence in this country is a public health crisis. It shatters families and impacts our sense of safety and overall health and well-being, including the ways we access food, physical activity, community, school and work.

KC Healthy Kids emphatically condemns and remains committed to confronting violence and oppression which create barriers for many who want to access the community-based solutions KC Healthy Kids promotes: youth advocacy, mental health, good food policy, local food, and active communities.

As we work to advance the health and well-being of kids and their communities, we strive to recognize and support the incredible resilience communities demonstrate in the face of violence and to remember to start by listening

Here are some things we’re doing now. We’ve provided links so you can learn more and take action too. 

• Teaching trauma-informed care. We support early care and education centers located in communities disproportionately impacted by violence by providing trauma-informed care education for staff and teachers. And provide stipends for parents to attend. Learn More
• Advocating for safe, equitable communities. We support BikeWalkKC’s advocacy efforts to decriminalize walking and biking, such as proposed ordinance 210100 in Kansas City, Missouri. Ticketing for pedestrian offenses like jaywalking and dirty bicycle wheels should end. Read the ordinance and testimony from various groups, including KC Healthy Kids. Contact Michael Kelley at  to learn more.
• Speaking out against “public charge.” We engaged advocates in defeating the public charge rule change which would have impacted food security and well-being in immigrant communities.  Learn more. 
• Using our words with care. We’re continually updating our editorial guidelines with up-to-date best practices for inclusive language based on these resources published by journalists and advocacy groups.  

We realize there are other food system maps in Missouri and Kansas, but Kansas City is uniquely situated to envelop both sides of the state line so we need a map that reflects our connections all around the Kansas City metropolitan area and beyond. This map is regional and will span a radius of 250 miles around Kansas City to show the entire network of farmers, infrastructure, and buyers who work together to feed our region.

Eat Local KC was created in partnership with several organizations working together to build relationships within the local food system, to increase local food purchasing in institutions, and to help beginning farmers and seasoned growers create opportunities to sell local food. 

Partners include West Central Missouri Community Action Agency, Cultivate KC, ​K-State Research & Extension, New Growth Missouri, The KC Food Hub, and University of Missouri Extension​. Funding was provided by the Health Forward Foundation and USDA.

If you want to be included in the map or have questions on how to use the map, please reach out to Autumn Winegar at awinegar@kchealthykids.org. 

VICTORY! 
The Supreme Court made it official; the former administration's "Public Charge" rule change is dead. The rule was a big barrier to safety net programs, including those which prevent hunger. Learn more. 

RELIEF!
​We've provided a very brief run down, below, on some of the ways President Biden's pandemic relief package relates to our work. Click here for complete information and here for the President's remarks about the package. 

The American Rescue Plan

• Expands eligibility to Child and Adult Care Food Program meals. 
• Strengthens SNAP (food stamps): extends benefits through September 30, 2021, provides extra administrative funds for states and additional funding for access to SNAP online purchasing. Read more about food security provisions.
• Extends Pandemic EBT through end of pandemic and provides it to children during summer.
• Funds to purchase commodity foods from farmers and to support their delivery to families, such as through Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
• Extends weekly unemployment benefit boost of $300/week, expands child tax credit, stimulus checks of up to $1400, and funding for housing and rental assistance programs
• Also provides billions for: relief for cities and states, coronavirus testing, contact tracing, vaccine distribution, reopening schools.
• The act includes more than 10 billion for agriculture. About half is for socially disadvantaged farmers, including debt relief, grants, training and more. It is being heralded as the most significant legislation for farmers who are BIPOC since the Civil Rights act of 1964. Read about the marker bill here. 

​Kids need to grow up in communities where physical activity can be a natural part of their day, and Kansas City has taken a big step closer to that being a reality with its first ever physical activity plan. We are proud to be a part of this plan that makes it easier and safer to walk, bike and play in our region. 
​
The vision of the Kansas City Physical Activity Plan is to foster a culture of physically active lifestyles in our region. To achieve this vision, a special work group has led the development of a comprehensive set of Kansas City-focused, sector-specific strategies and tactics designed to increase physical activity in residents of all ages. In total, 22 strategies and 67 priority tactics across societal sectors were identified to increase physical activity across society including:

• Early childhood settings
• Schools
• Community recreation, fitness, and parks
• Faith-based settings
• Healthcare
• Infrastructure 

• Sports
• Mass media & marketing
• Business
• Public Health

 
The Kansas City Physical Activity Plan is released in two formats, and all documents are available to read and download here. 

1. Kansas City Physical Activity Plan
This document includes strategies and priority tactics organized by societal sector, in addition to background information on The Plan, detailed information about the development process, action steps for local leaders and community members, and next steps.

2. Kansas City Physical Activity Plan Playbook
This document includes the strategies and priority tactics organized by societal sector and is designed as an easy-to-read summary of the Kansas City Physical Activity Plan.
 
Also available on the website is a video summary of the Kansas City Physical Activity Plan, a calendar of upcoming Kansas City Physical Activity Plan events, and opportunities for individuals to join a societal sector work group.  
 
About the Kansas City Physical Activity Plan Work Group
The Kansas City Physical Activity Plan Work Group is an expert group of community organizations working to promote healthy lifestyles for all residents in our region. This group provides specific leadership in societal sector work groups and overall strategic decision making for the Kansas City Physical Activity Plan. Member organizations include: BikeWalkKC; the Calvary Community Outreach Network; Children’s Mercy Kansas City; the Health Resources and Services Administration; KC Healthy Kids; KCMO Parks and Recreation; the UMKC Health Equity Institute the Community Health Research Group; and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. 

KC Healthy Kids is proud to join more than 100 businesses recognized for workplace wellness and steps taken to keep staff healthy. 
 
The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Healthy KC Initiative is recognizing 132 businesses and organizations as Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certified. KC Healthy Kids received platinum level certification.

For 2020, Workplace Wellness Certification had a specific focus on what policies and measures businesses implemented to ensure the health and wellbeing of their workforce, as well as creating a more inclusive and equitable environment to ensure employees’ mental health.

"As a nonprofit that advances the health and well-being of children and families through community-driven initiatives and advocacy, a healthy workplace culture has always been a priority at KC Healthy Kids. The Chamber’s certification motivated us to do even more, like establishing a formal wellness committee and offering regular mindfulness moments during staff meetings, to name a few,” says Danielle Robbins-Gregory, President/CEO of KC Healthy Kids.

"Over the past year, the wellness committee has helped us continue to strengthen our connections as a staff when we can’t be together in the office. The committee took suggestions from staff and arranged for a virtual happy hours, a watercolor workshop and distanced coffee dates at a park.”

The Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certification program recognizes area organizations for innovation and excellence in promoting a culture of health in the workplace. Certifications range from Honorable Mention up to Platinum and are based on five pillars of health: healthy eating, active living, tobacco cessation, work-life integration, and design-built environment.

The Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certification has taken place in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020 after the certification was moved to every two years. The next certification will be in 2022.

Kids who attended our 2020 Champions for Health Youth Summit put their plans to make a better world onto cotton squares that were later stitched into two quilts by artist NedRa Bonds. 

Two-hundred students designed quilt squares based on the stories NedRa told them about other youth activists and the question for the day, "What is your leadership superpower?"

NedRa is an American quilter, activist and retired teacher, born in Kansas City, Kansas and raised in the historic Quindaro neighborhood. Read more about NedRa