The new Power2Play at Marbles Kids Museum gives children a place to skate, dribble, dance, climb, and try new activities. The exhibit is part of a Be Healthy, Be Active initiative, supported by a grant from the John Rex Endowment, to change attitudes and behavior by exposing families to healthy choices through hands-on, interactive play environments and programs. Watch the WRAL-TV news coverage of opening day.
Boys & Girls Club is making healthy options available for snacking. They are piloting a new healthy snack vending machine from Fresh Healthy Vending at the specific locations. Kids are participating in the process with taste tests, and the Entrepreneur Club is setting up HOT (Healthy Options Too) Spot concessions after school and at athletic events.
Advocates for Health in Action is teaming up with PTAs and schools around Wake County to get families moving and making healthier choices. This fall, AHA partnered with the North Carolina PTA (NCPTA) to offer a fun Parents Play Day at the Poe Center in Raleigh. In celebration and preparation for Worldwide Day of Play, parents participated in a grocery cart relay, limbo contest and a playground scavenger hunt.
Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) reported that at least 14 Wake County schools participated in the National Walk to School Day event Wednesday, Oct. 5. “Walking is one of the best physical activities in our community—it’s free, there are numerous greenways, and it helps communities identify safer routes for getting to school,” said Laura Aiken, director of AHA and WakeMed Community Outreach.
The Triangle was selected as one of 30 nationwide stops for the Milk for Thought “Latch on America” tour. The tour spotlights local breastfeeding support such as the work of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health's Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI) .
Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) has teamed up with AHA to promote a Sports Snack Game Plan, which encourages young athletes to eat healthy snacks of fruits and vegetables and hydrate with water after sports. More than 800 CASL Recreational and Challenge soccer team coaches are sharing the AHA Sports Snack Game Plan with team members and families to promote healthy snacking as they begin the fall season.
Last winter, farmers Ben Shields and Patricia Parker of Ben’s Produce initiated conversations with Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) about providing shares of locally grown, healthy produce to people in need in Wake County. The result was the creation of Farm it Forward, a community shared agriculture (CSA) program for Wake County citizens who need extra help as they work to improve their nutrition due to health concerns.
Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) is helping schools share ideas and learn from each other with the Brains and Bodies Awards program which recognizes schools in Wake County that are going the extra mile to meet and exceed local wellness policies and create a healthy school environment.
Chef Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard won over the taste buds of student judges by using rutabaga, a locally grown vegetable, as his secret ingredient at Lunch In!, a chef competition hosted by Underwood Elementary on March 31. In a friendly battle for the Iron Carrot Award, Chef Smith and Chef Todd Whitney of J. Betski’s both used their culinary creativity to prepare healthy lunch options. Lunch In!, sponsored by Advocates for Health in Action (AHA), is designed to raise awareness and engage the community to advocate for fresh and healthy school lunches in Wake County.
Youth in Wake County were selected for the 4-H Revolution of Responsibility, a national campaign which highlights youth who are making a measurable difference right where they live. Using mapping technology, Wake County 4-H youth identified community ‘food deserts’ – areas lacking in access to healthy foods. They also teamed up with Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) to persuade store owners to improve food selections in the community by adding healthier choices.