The Heart Network is pleased to announce one of our newest grants.
Creating Healthy Schools and Communities grant, NYS Department of Health, will provide $250,000 annually for five years to implement strategies to combat obesity and other chronic diseases in three high needs school districts and their surrounding communities. The districts are Brushton-Moira, Malone and Salmon River. The Heart Network is one of 26 organizations statewide that will be working to increase access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity.
Staff will be working in both the community and school settings on the following initiatives:
Community Projects:
- Complete Streets – facilitate the development of policies or plans and implementation of projects that promote active transportation.
- Healthy Food Retail – recruit more convenience stores to participate in the North Country Fit Pix project by selling more fruits and vegetables and expand the focus of the project to include low sodium products and healthy beverages.
- Food Standards – work with local worksites, hospitals, & community organizations to develop standards for foods purchased or served.
School Projects:
- Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act – help schools comply with federal regulations for foods served at schools including vending, a la carte, school stores and other foods sold outside meals.
- Physical Activity – work with school districts to create and implement Comprehensive School Physical Activity Plans.
- School Wellness Policies – facilitate policy updates and implementation of policies.
The Creating Healthy Schools and Communities grant will allow the Heart Network to continue much of the work that has been done under the Creating Healthy Places program and will focus its efforts in communities with the greatest needs. Current staffers Andrea Goff and Jamie Konkoski will be facilitating the community projects. A full-time staff person will be hired to facilitate the school projects.
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