Does it seem like there is a whole new language around food? If you are new to the idea of eating this way, it can easily be overwhelming. Free-range? Animal welfare? What DOES it all mean? Here is a handy little vocabulary list to help you decipher these terms. Don't worry, there won't be a quiz later.
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
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:
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. Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between you and a farmer. It's a subscription program that allows you to become a member and shareholder of a local, organic, free-range farm for a season. By joining a CSA, you receive a weekly share of amazing local food directly from a farm in exchange for the guaranteed income that you provide to the farmers. You will also get to share in the risks and rewards of small-scale farming including amazing vegetables, healthy meats, and weather, insect damage, and bumper crops.
CSAs provide a perfect opportunity to build a relationship with the people who grow your food, to see where your food comes from, and to taste the freshest food our region has to offer. We have several member farmers who offer CSA programs. Most run May through October and there are some that run year round or into the winter. Please note: The KC Food Circle™ does not grow or deliver the food you are looking for. Contact the farms listed below to find the CSA that is right for you.
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 Congratulations to the following classrooms that participated in the Champions for Health Challenge! Winning classrooms will receive $1000 awards for health and wellness projects at their schools.
See the Winning Submissions The challenge encourages students to think critically about how their surroundings—walking trails or broken sidewalks, safe playgrounds or blighted lots, schoolyard gardens or fast food restaurants—impact their health. Past winners have purchased playground equipment, water bottle fountains, pedal desks, and hosted Zumba parties, local food tastings and more. All projects are designed for kids by kids. Since the contest began in 2013, KC Healthy Kids has awarded $61,000 to 136 classrooms in the six-county metro area. Challenge Winners – $1,000 Awards
Honorable Mention Recipients – $100 Awards
Learn more about the Champions for Health Challenge On December 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 was signed into law. The $900 billion pandemic relief bill extends and enhances aid programs that were set to expire at the end of the year.
A full summary of the bill is available here. Our policy team has highlighted emergency relief for food and farm programs, workers and businesses. Food Access
Food and Farm Workers
Food and Farm Businesses
For more information and resources, check out our COVID-19 Policy Resource Guide. By Nancy Osborn, Ph.D., Psychologist/Trainer The pandemic has brought greater focus on the inequities that exist in our communities. It appears that the inequities are only getting worse. Many have lost their jobs and are facing mounting bills and crucial concerns about housing, food, and basic necessities. The more fortunate and privileged are now working from home but may still be stressed about maintaining their jobs and navigating a new structure and responsibilities in their home with remote learning. With all these stressors, it is no wonder that news sources are reporting increasing mental health issues. The good news is that we can all stay centered and calmer if we first recognize that we are profoundly impacted by these life changes and then regularly participate in activities to care for ourselves. One of the recommendations is for people to focus on their own self-care to help ease the daily stressors almost all of us are experiencing. Another recommendation could be made that we need to also focus on community self-care. Most of us have likely heard that “we are all in this together,” which is moving in the direction of community self-care, but it is important for all of us to think about how we might intentionally take care of our communities. Many people may not quite understand why self-care is so important, especially because it may seem selfish. There also may be some misunderstanding of what is meant by self-care since some people think of self-care as small luxuries we “treat” ourselves to like a manicure/pedicure. The true meaning of self-care Someone said “true self-care is making a life that you don’t need to regulate or escape from.” Self-care in this context includes remembering to eat as healthy as possible, getting enough sleep, getting moderate exercise, going to the doctor when necessary, and making time for some downtime if at all possible. We also obviously need to make time for breathing and spiritual practices and time to connect with others safely. It is the same principle espoused by flight attendants who tell passengers that they need to first put the oxygen mask on themselves and then attend to others. We have to focus on ourselves first to be able to take care of our responsibilities. Community self-care Currently, and actually always, it is also important for us to think about community self-care. Let’s face it, we need each other. Our lives are fuller because we have each other so it is important that we take care of each other. So what are some ways we can do this? Right now one of the relatively small ways we can do this is to wear a mask, to keep physically distanced from others, wash our hands frequently, etc. as recommended by the CDC. This is a great example of individual and community self-care because it keeps us and others safe. Another way community self-care can be practiced is to challenge the inequities that have and are occurring. The easiest place to start is to listen to personal stories and learn from them. We can do what we can to ensure people have fresh food, or donate money or goods to nonprofits and agencies that serve our communities. We can also take an active interest in the governance of our communities by reading relevant news articles, watching live streams of city council meetings and education board meetings, and contacting our representatives. It is crucial for us to think of how we can assist others in this challenging time. It is truly good self-care for us as individuals as well as for our communities to think about what each of us can do to help others. This post was originally published on Health Forward Foundation's blog as part of a series.
Wow. 2020. What a year. The struggle and pain has been like nothing we’ve seen before. But we’re also seeing people reach out and help one another, speak out for others, lend a hand and give a little extra if they can. This #GivingTuesday, we want to say how grateful we are for the power of community and for those who give their time, lend their voice and donate to KC Healthy Kids. We also want to show our appreciation to the coalition of charitable, government and business partners who have created the Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to address Kansas City needs during the pandemic. The Kansas City region is known for its philanthropy and industry-leading best practices. This coalition is another example of Kansas City metropolitan area generosity. Thank you to our board of directors for supporting KC Healthy Kids as volunteers and donors, denoted with an asterisk.
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