Let’s Move Faith and Communities 

Toolkit for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Organizations 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 

“It’s clear that when it comes to ensuring our 

children’s health and well-being... when it comes 

to tackling childhood obesity... our faith-based and 

community organizations have a critical role to play.” 

–Michelle Obama 

First Lady of the United States 

This toolkit was produced by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships team, led by the 

Centers for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Corporation for National and Community Service, in 

collaboration with the Office of the First Lady and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

You can find more ideas for supporting Let’s Move! and download the full version of the Let’s Move Faith and Communities 

Toolkit for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Organizations at www.hhs.gov/partnerships/letsmove.
	

What’s Inside...
	

Executive Summary 4 

Let’s Move Faith and Communities: Participant Challenges 5 

Background 7 

The Need 8 

The Opportunity 9 

Action Items 9 

Healthy Choices 11 

Healthy Schools 21 

Physical Activity 29 

Affordable and Accessible Food 37 

Additional Resources 44 

Building Networks and Partnerships 51 
Executive Summary 

The Let’s Move! initiative, started by First Lady Michelle Obama, has an 

ambitious national goal of addressing the challenge of childhood obesity 

within a generation so that children born today reach a healthy adulthood. 

Let’s Move! engages every sector impacting the health of children and 

provides schools, families, and communities with simple tools to help kids be 

more active, eat better, and get healthy. 

Faith-based and neighborhood organizations have a unique and critical role 

to play in ending childhood obesity and addressing related issues of hunger. 

Your organizations are trusted leaders in your community, which makes you 

well-positioned to take action. Children learn many lessons about healthy 

living and well-being in faith- and community-based settings that set the 

foundation for their lifestyles as adults. 

Let’s Move Faith and Communities is designed to help faith-based and 

neighborhood organizations transform neighborhoods, engage communities, 

and promote healthy choices. There are a variety of activities and resources 

provided in this toolkit, so please don’t feel as if you need to do all of them. 

We invite you to explore the menu of options and decide which ones could 

work best for your organization. 

4 | Let’s Move!
	
 

 

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Let’s Move Faith and Communities: Participant Challenges
	

CHALLENGES! 

In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama launched Let’s Move Faith and Communities with a 

conference call that included over 4,500 people from around the country. The call featured 

faith-based and community leaders representing more than 100 national and local faith- and 

community-based organizations that have committed to getting their communities involved in 

the challenge to end childhood obesity within a generation. 

Please consider joining Let’s Move Faith and Communities as congregations and 

organizations around the country get active to meet one or more of these challenges from the 

First Lady: 

Walk a total of three million miles 

Complete 500,000 Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards (PALAs) or establish 

new exercise programs 

Host 10,000 community gardens, farmers markets, or other fresh food access points 

Host 1,000 new Summer Food Service Program sites 

To learn more and sign up for one or more of the First Lady’s challenges, please visit 

www.hhs.gov/partnerships/letsmove, email partnerships@hhs.gov, or call 202.358.3595. 

Let’s Move! | 5
	
 

 

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FIVE IDEAS TO GET STARTED

Here are five activities to help your organization get moving: 

Grow a garden: Open up land at your house of worship or organization to community 

members who may not have their own space to grow food (see the step-by-step guide 

on page 41 for information on how to get started). 

Take the President’s Challenge: Help children get physically active by hosting the 

President’s Challenge in your organization. To earn a Presidential Active Lifestyle 

Award (PALA), children must be physically active for five days a week for six weeks! 

For more information, visit www.presidentschallenge.org (see the step-by-step guide 

on page 31 for information on how to get started). 

Make community meals healthier: At community or congregation potlucks or meals, 

provide healthy options, including fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Use 

smaller plates at events to encourage smaller portions. Studies show that using smaller 

plates reduces the amount of food people eat, which is a healthier choice and saves 

money. For more information on healthy choices and portion size, 

visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. 

Partner with a school: Provide community access to your buildings and facilities to 

operate a Summer Food Service Program or afterschool program to ensure that 

children have access to healthy meals when school is out. For more information on the 

Summer Food Service Program, visit www.summerfood.usda.gov. For information on 

creating formal agreements for community access to your buildings and facilities (for 

any after-hours activities), visit www.jointuse.org. 

Encourage families in your community to make small, simple changes to their 

daily lives: Families can add a side of fruit or veggies to every meal, drink more water 

and skim milk, go for family walks and get screened for obesity. At their next family 

checkup, they can ask the doctor to take each child’s Body Mass Index. It’s an easy 

way to assess whether kids are at a healthy weight. 

6 | Let’s Move!
	
 

 

 

Background
	

To meet the challenge of childhood obesity in America, the First Lady, Michelle Obama, is leading an 

Administration-wide effort with the bold, ambitious goal of reversing the trend of childhood obesity within a 

generation. She launched Let’s Move!, an initiative designed to engage parents, families, teenagers, children, 

schools, and communities in an effort to promote healthy living and ensure access to affordable and healthy 

food. 

Over one-third of American children are overweight or obese. At the same time, more than 17 million children 

in the United States did not get enough to eat in 2009. We need your help to reverse these trends. This toolkit 

is designed to help faith-based and neighborhood organizations engage their communities and promote 

healthy choices and access to healthy food. Since there is a great deal of variation among faith-based and 

neighborhood organizations, we included a variety of activities so that every organization or congregation has 

the opportunity to be part of Let’s Move! 

Let’s Move Faith and Communities is designed to support local efforts and highlight accomplishments in 

communities across the country. We want to work with community leaders, hear about what you’re doing 

in your neighborhoods, and learn from each other through this effort. We’re excited to join together as we 

challenge ourselves to walk three million miles, complete 500,000 Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards 

(PALAs), host 10,000 community gardens or farmers markets, and host 1,000 new Summer Food Service 

Program sites at faith-based and neighborhood organizations. 

This toolkit provides concrete action steps that an organization can take around four themes: 

• 

• 

Healthy Choices • 

• 

Physical Activity

Healthy Schools Affordable and Accessible Food 

Think of these action steps as a menu of options – you don’t have to order the whole menu! Rather, this toolkit 

provides different steps for you to consider which strategies match up with resources and interests in your 

community. A web-based version of this toolkit can be found at www.hhs.gov/partnerships/letsmove. 

Thank you for all you do in your communities and for being involved in this important initiative. 

Now, Let’s Move! 

Let’s Move! | 7
	
The Need 

Obesity has increased rapidly in the United States. Since 1970, the percentage of 

children who are overweight has more than doubled, and the percentage of overweight 

adolescents has tripled. Obesity affects children, adolescents, and adults of all 

ethnicities and income levels. 

Childhood obesity impacts health immediately and sets the stage for a number of health 

problems later in life. Type 2 diabetes is increasingly reported among children and 

adolescents who are obese.1

1. “Overweight and Obesity: Additional Health Risks.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 

www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/consequences.html 

Adults who were obese as children have a higher risk of 

poor health and may be more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease.2 

2. “Childhood Overweight and Obesity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. www.cdc.gov/ 

obesity/childhood/index.html 

They are 

often afflicted with poor self-esteem and forced to fight social stigma and discrimination. 

These conditions can lead to depression and other emotional problems, as well as 

social isolation, and can prevent children from achieving their full potential. 

Furthermore, a poor diet combined with a lack of physical activity can negatively impact 

student concentration, performance, and motivation to learn. Research shows that 

there is a direct link between good nutrition and a child’s ability to learn, play, grow, and 

develop. Well-nourished children have higher test scores, better school attendance, and 

fewer behavioral problems. 

At the same time, nearly 17 million or 14.6% of children in the United States live in 

households that are food insecure. This means that at some point during the year, they 

simply did not get enough to eat. These households may also lack access to fresh 

produce, including farmers markets and community gardens. As a result, many children 

and their families are not only undernourished but malnourished. So, despite facing 

hunger, many of these children also face the risk of obesity because they lack access to 

balanced and nutritious diets. 

8 | Let’s Move!		
 

The Opportunity
	

Leaders in faith communities and neighborhood organizations have a unique and critical role to play in ending 

childhood obesity and hunger. These organizations are trusted in their communities and can motivate people 

to take action. The neighborhoods we live in teach us about healthy behavior and shape many of the ways we 

see health and success. 

More than 120 million people in the United States attend religious services regularly, providing opportunities 

for sharing information and organizing initiatives to combat malnutrition and obesity. Community-based 

nonprofit and volunteer-driven organizations are also well-positioned to address the challenge of obesity 

among children and youth. 

Trusted leaders and members of faith communities and neighborhood-based organizations can contribute 

valuable resources, including people, buildings, kitchens, and land, to projects that encourage children and 

their families to live healthier lifestyles. Leaders and members of congregations and community organizations 

– people like you – know their communities well and can communicate important health and nutrition 

information in motivating and effective ways. 

Solving the challenge of childhood obesity will take all of us – parents, faith-based and neighborhood 

organizations, state, local and tribal governments, schools and child care centers, health care facilities and 

businesses – working together. 

Action Items 

Faith-based and neighborhood organizations can help create a community of support by initiating, expanding, 

or coordinating activities described in the following menu of activities. For several of the activities, we have 

provided step-by-step guides to help you get started. 

Remember, you don’t have to do everything. Picking one or two activities that make sense for your community 

or organization, and that you feel you have the capacity to implement, will get you off to a good start. You can 

then build on success and choose more steps from the menu if you want to expand your efforts. 

Let’s Move! | 9
	
Before you begin... As a trusted leader in your city or 

town, you have the potential to create change beyond 

your congregation or community. Meet with your local 

decision-makers (e.g., mayor, town administrator, city 

council or county commission member, parks and 

recreation director, city planner). Encourage them to 

sign your municipality up as a Let’s Move City, Town or 

County. Learn more about the lasting policy changes 

Let’s Move Cities, Towns and Counties are making at 

www.hhs.gov/intergovernmental/letsmove. 

10 | Let’s Move!
	
Healthy 

Choices 
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Healthy Choices
	

Parents and caregivers play a key role in making healthy choices and shaping lifelong healthy habits. Kids 

learn about healthy eating from their family and from the food served at home and in their community. Parents 

and community members can model healthy decisions about physical activity and nutrition. But in today’s 

busy world, figuring out the healthier choices isn’t always easy. Parents and caregivers need a community of 

support. Here are some ways faith-based and neighborhood organizations can provide that support: 

Make Community Meals Healthier: Provide healthy selections, including fresh fruits and vegetables 

and whole grains, at community potlucks or meals. Work to limit portion size by using smaller plates and 

beverage containers or eliminating buffet-style meals. People do not usually notice differences in portion 

sizes and unknowingly eat larger amounts when presented with a larger portion. For more information on 

healthy choices and portion sizes, please visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. 

Motivational Groups: Challenge members of your community to form motivational groups for those who 

decide to change food buying patterns or switch to healthier eating habits (see the step-by-step guide on 

page 14 for information on how to get started). See the Physical Activity section for some great ideas on 

how to form similar motivational groups around physical activity. 

Serve Healthy Drinks and Water: Always have plenty of water around! For your body to function 

properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water. If 

you have vending machines in your facility, replace offerings with water, 100% fruit juice, or low-fat or fatfree milk. 

Community Cookbook: Create a community or congregational cookbook that features healthy, locally 

grown seasonal food (see the step-by-step guide on page 15 for information on how to get started). 

Open your Facility: Provide open access to your organization’s facilities, such as large open green 

spaces, gymnasiums, recreation rooms, fellowship halls, or other meeting spaces. Allow afterschool 

programs, clubs, or groups to use these spaces to increase youth opportunities for physical activity after 

school and on weekends. Concerned about the complications of opening your facilities to the community? 

12 | Let’s Move!
	
 

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• CHALLENGE!

Develop a joint-use agreement to facilitate a partnership between your organization 

and other nonprofit, private or governmental organizations in your community. This 

formal agreement can clarify and define shared responsibilities over maintenance, 

operations, ownership, liability, and cost of your facilities. The following website 

offers a step-by-step guide on how to develop a joint-use agreement: www.

jointuse.org. 

Teach Healthy Living to Kids: Utilize youth education curriculum to communicate 

culturally appropriate health habits connected with the teachings in your 

community or faith tradition. Curriculum should encourage young people to identify 

and prepare healthy meals, reduce their consumption of unhealthy foods, and 

participate in physical activity. 

Support New Mothers in Your Community: The majority of women initiate 

breastfeeding; however, many women indicate barriers to exclusively breastfeed 

for six months or to continue breastfeeding to one year. Support breastfeeding 

by establishing a lactation room at your organization or congregation for staff and 

members, having a breastfeeding friendly child care environment, and offering 

peer support groups for new moms (see the step-by-step guide on page 17 for 

information on how to get started). 

Start a Community Supported Agriculture Club: Partner with local farmers 

and businesses to sponsor Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) clubs at your 

place of worship or organization. Subsidize CSA shares for families with limited 

resources. For an example of a CSA club, visit www.justfood.org/csa. 

Let your kids serve themselves at 

dinner. Teach them to take small 

amounts at first. Tell them they can get 

more if they’re still hungry.1 

1. “FNS Core Nutrition Messages,” Core Nutrition Messages. Web. www.fns.usda.gov/fns/ 

corenutritionmessages/Files/AllMessages.pdf. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

Healthy Eating Index shows that 

children 2 to 17 years old need to 

increase their consumption of whole 

fruit, whole grains, and dark green and 

orange vegetables and beans because 

they are consuming less than one-fifth 

of what they need from these food 

groups.2 

2. “The Quality of Children’s Diets in 2003-04 as Measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2005: Nutrition 

Insight 43,” April 2009, USDA/CNPP. Web. www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/NutritionInsights/Insight43. 

pdf. 

Let’s Move! | 13
	
Step-by-step guide 

Motivational Groups: Challenge members to form motivational 

groups to focus on changing food buying or eating habits. 

Healthy food choices are important for good health and well-being. Eating well 

means eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods from a variety of food groups and 

staying within your caloric needs. Providing healthy meals at home is easier 

when you know what to shop for and understand how to make healthy choices 

about the food you eat. Members in a motivational group can encourage each 

other to improve and maintain healthy food shopping strategies. For more 

information on planning a healthy, balanced diet, you can visit 

www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. 

What are some healthy food shopping tips that my motivational group 

can use? Grocery stores have thousands of products, with most food items 

grouped together to make your decision-making easier. Many grocery stores 

have sections where foods are shelved much like the food groups (e.g., 

fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein foods). The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s MyPlate recommendations include: 

•	 Enjoy your food, but eat less. 

•	 Avoid oversized portions. 

•	 Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. 

•	 Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. 

•	 Make at least half your grains whole grains. 

•	 Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Choose 

foods with lower numbers. 

•	 Drink water instead of sugary drinks. 

Infants given breast milk are 22% less 

likely to be obese than infants given 

formula.1 

1. “Breast Milk Associated With Greater Mental Development in Preterm Infants, Fewer Rehospitalizations,” October 1, 2007, National Institutes of Health (NIH), NIH News. Web. www.nih.gov/ 

news/pr/oct2007/nichd-01.htm. 

Milk and other calcium-rich foods are 

key building blocks for strong, healthy 

bones, but more than 90% of girls and 

75% of boys ages 9 to 13 fail to get 

the recommended 1,300 milligrams of 

calcium per day.2 

14 | Let’s Move! 2. “Milk Matters Calcium Education Campaign” The National Institute of Child Health and Development. 

Web. www.nichd.nih.gov/milk/prob/critical.cfm. 
 

What resources are available on how to shop for healthy foods that a 

motivational group could use? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

(FDA) has an interactive website that educates readers about the different 

parts of a Nutrition Facts Label, such as serving size and calories, on 

packages of food. For more information, visit www.fda.gov and click on 

“Food.”

The U.S. Government’s nutrition website has information on shopping, 

cooking, and meal planning available in both English and Spanish. Please visit 

the website at www.nutrition.gov for more information or call the National 

Hunger Hotline at 1.866.348.6479. 

Step-by-step guide 

Community Cookbook: Create a congregational or community 

cookbook that features healthy, locally grown food in season. 

Food is a fundamental part of the traditions and cultures that make up a 

community. In order to support your community in making healthy choices, try 

creating a community cookbook with your congregation or organization. 

What is a community cookbook? A community cookbook is a collection of 

recipes that reflects the cultures and traditions of a specific group. Recipes 

are submitted by members of the community and are bound together in 

one collective volume. Through this sharing, community cookbooks provide 

members with an abundance of healthy meals at their fingertips. 

An NIH study found that maternal 

smoking during early pregnancy is 

associated with a greater risk of obesity 

by age 8.1 

1. Chen A, Pennell ML, Klebanoff MA, Rogan WJ, Longnecker MP. IJE Advance Access originally 

published online on October 31, 2005. Maternal smoking during pregnancy in relation to child

overweight: follow-up to age 8 years. International Journal of Epidemiology, 2006 35(1) : 121-30. 

Kids and teens that eat breakfast have 

more energy, do better in school, and 

eat healthier throughout the day. So 

make time for breakfast – for you and 

your kids!2 

2. “Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative” Office of the Surgeon General, Department 

of Health and Human Services. Web. www.surgeongeneral.gov/obesityprevention/parents.html

Let’s Move! | 15 

. 
What kinds of guidelines should a healthy community cookbook have?

When selecting recipes for the community cookbook, you should make sure 

they all focus around a common theme: being healthy! Below are guidelines 

suggested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for creating healthy 

standards in any meal. The community cookbook will allow making healthy 

choices easier and more convenient: 

•	 Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk 

and milk products. 

•	 Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. 

•	 Make sure the recipe is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt 

(sodium), and added sugars. For an example of a heart healthy cookbook 

that was created with community input, look for “Recipe Collections” at 

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health. 

Here are some great internet resources to help you get started:

•	 Find a Farmers Market in your state: 

http://apps.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets. 

•	 Practice Seasonal Food Safety: www.fsis.usda.gov. 

•	 Learn Great Tips on Food Shopping and Meal Planning: 

www.nutrition.gov. 

Salt is America’s favorite food 

ingredient. While a small amount of 

salt is necessary for good health, the 

amount in the typical American diet is 

a major cause of high blood pressure 

(hypertension). Cutting back on salt is a 

good idea for everybody, even kids.1 

1. “Salt and Sodium: Ten Tips to Cut Back,” Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture. Web. www.mypyramid.gov/downloads/TenTips/SodiumTipSheet.pdf. 

Deep orange and dark green 

vegetables provide vitamin A, vitamin 

C, fiber, potassium, and many other 

nutrients. Whole foods, rather than 

supplements, are the best source of 

vitamins and minerals. 2 

2. “Eat Deep Orange and Dark Green Vegetables: 10 Tips to Choosing a Harvest of Colorful 

Vegetables,” USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP). Web. www.mypyramid.gov/ 

downloads/TenTips/ColorfulVegetablesTipsheet.pdf. 

16 | Let’s Move!
	
 

Step-by-step guide 

Support New Mothers in Your Community: Support 

continued breastfeeding by providing peer support groups 

and supportive workplaces, child care centers, and community 

environments. 

Breastfeeding optimally supports infant growth and development and 

protects mothers’ and infants’ health. This protection increases with more 

months of breastfeeding and is strongest when babies receive no foods 

and fluids other than breast milk for the first six months of life. Studies have 

found that breastfed babies are less likely to develop ear infections or to 

be obese later in life than those not breastfed. Support from family, friends, 

health care workers, employers, and the larger community (e.g., allowing 

breastfeeding in public and private places, use of mother’s breast milk 

in child care centers) can help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals in 

today’s busy world. 

How can we support breastfeeding in our community? There are many 

ways to support mothers to breastfeed. In addition to providing secure, 

enclosed, and comfortable areas where mothers can nurse, communities 

can host breastfeeding peer support groups to help parents overcome 

barriers to breastfeeding and receive helpful instruction and tips. 

How can a community organize breastfeeding peer support groups?

A good way to begin organizing a breastfeeding peer support group is to 

identify breastfeeding experts in your community who would be willing to 

lead or present to the group. You can also identify experienced moms who 

are willing to share their stories with your group. Then you can reach out to 

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics and maternity care facilities and 

advertise the availability of the group. There are two groups of breastfeeding 

experts who you can engage with your group: 

Young people (79%) do not eat the 

recommended five servings of fruit and 

vegetables each day. Finding creative 

ways to encourage fruits and vegetables 

in your child’s diet can be fun for the 

whole family!1 

1. “Steps to Healthier US – Prevention Portfolio – Prevention Strategies That Work.“ Healthier US.gov Home 

Page. Web. www.healthierus.gov/steps/summit/prevportfolio/strategies/addressing/school/critical.htm. 

Since children grow at different rates 

at different times, it is not always easy 

to tell whether a child is overweight. 

Your health care provider can measure 

your child’s height and weight and tell 

you whether your child is at a healthy 

weight and what you can do to help.2 

2. “Helping Your Overweight Child,” January 2008, WIN – The Weight-control Information Network, National 

Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Web. win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/over_ 

child.htm. 

Let’s Move! | 17
	
 

Lactation Consultant – This person is a credentialed breastfeeding 

professional with the highest level of knowledge and skill in breastfeeding 

support. Many lactation consultants are also nurses, doctors, dietitians, or 

other kinds of health professionals. Ask your local hospital or birthing center 

for the name of a lactation consultant who can help develop breastfeeding 

support programs. For more information, you can visit the “Find a Lactation 

Consultant” Directory at www.ilca.org or call the International Lactation 

Consultant Association at 1.888.ILCA.ISU (1.888.452.2478). 

Breastfeeding Peer Counselor or Educator – A breastfeeding counselor 

can teach others about the benefits of breastfeeding and can help women with 

breastfeeding challenges and questions. A “peer” means a person who has 

breastfed her own baby and is available to help other mothers. You can find a 

peer counselor with the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, 

and Children (WIC) by visiting 

www.fns.usda.gov/wic/contacts/coor.htm or by calling the 

National Hunger Hotline at 1.866.348.6479. Some breastfeeding educators 

have letters after their names like CLC (Certified Lactation Consultant) or CBE 

(Certified Breastfeeding Educator). 

What resources are available for mothers interested in breastfeeding 

their child? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS’) 

Office on Women’s Health hosts a breastfeeding helpline with trained peer 

counselors and website to help mothers with common breastfeeding problems 

and challenges. Breastfeeding Peer Counselors are available to answer 

emails and assist callers with questions and concerns. These counselors 

answer questions in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. 

to 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (1.800.994.9662 and TDD 1.888.220.5446). 

Information is available 24 hours a day on the HHS Office on Women’s Health 

website located at www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding. Pregnant and 

lactating women may also qualify for the Special Supplemental Program 

Kids don’t always take to new foods 

right away. Offer new fruits and 

veggies many times. Give them 

a taste at first and be patient with 

them.1 

1. “FNS Core Nutrition Messages,” Core Nutrition Messages. Web. www.fns.usda.gov/fns/ 

corenutritionmessages/Files/AllMessages.pdf. 

Offer your children new foods. 

Then, let them choose how much 

to eat. Kids are more likely to enjoy 

a food when eating it is their own 

choice. It also helps them learn to be 

independent.2 

2. “Messages for Preschool Moms,” December 2008, USDA/FNS. Web. www.fns.usda.gov/fns/ 

corenutritionmessages/Files/MomsofPreschoolers_Message.pdf. 18 | Let’s Move! 
 

for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) that provides food and nutritional 

counseling to encourage mothers to breastfeed their children. For more 

information on WIC, visit www.fns.usda.gov/wic or call 1.866.348.6479. 

Additionally, La Leche League International provides access to local 

breastfeeding support groups, online mother-to-mother support forums, and 

information on local breastfeeding laws and culture. Visit La Leche League 

International at www.llli.org. 

The HHS Office on Women’s Health also has the following breastfeeding 

resources available:

Your Guide to Breastfeeding: 

www.womenshealth.gov/pub/BF.General.pdf

An Easy Guide to Breastfeeding for African American Women: 

www.womenshealth.gov/pub/BF.AA.pdf 

An Easy Guide to Breastfeeding for American Indian and Alaska Native Families: 

www.womenshealth.gov/pub/BF.AIAN.pdf

The HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention invests in breastfeeding as 

a strategy to improve infant dietary quality and to prevent obesity and other chronic 

diseases. Information is available at 

www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/resources/guide.htm. 

2010 Breastfeeding Report Card

The CDC Breastfeeding Report Card provides state-by-state data so that health 

professionals, legislators, employers, business owners, community advocates, and 

family members can work together to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. 

The Report Card indicators measure types of support in key community settings as 

well as the most current data on the breastfeeding goals outlined in Healthy People 

2010. For more information, visit 

www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm. 

Let’s Move! | 19
	
 

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Notes:
 

What resources are available for creating a breastfeeding friendly 

workplace? HHS’ Office on Women’s Health and the Health Resources and 

Services Administration (HRSA) have partnered to produce The Business 

Case for Breastfeeding toolkit. This comprehensive program is designed to 

educate employers about the value of supporting breastfeeding employees 

in the workplace. The Business Case for Breastfeeding offers tools to help 

employers provide worksite lactation support and privacy for breastfeeding 

mothers and offers guidance to employees on breastfeeding and working. 

Resources to help lactation specialists and health professionals to educate 

employers in their communities are also available. To get more information 

and to order a free kit, visit 

www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/government-programs. 

20 | Let’s Move!
	
Healthy 

Schools 
 

Healthy Schools
	

Many children consume at least half of their daily calories at school. Families work to ensure their children eat 

right and stay physically active at home, but we also need to ensure that children have access to healthy food 

and opportunities to be physically active in their schools. 

Over 95% of young people are enrolled in schools, so the school setting can offer multiple opportunities for 

students to engage in physical activity, such as physical education classes, recess periods for unstructured 

play in elementary schools, afterschool programs, intramural sports programs, and physical activity clubs. 

These opportunities are particularly important because they are accessible to all students, including those with 

special needs. 

With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 

million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than 

ever. It is our nation’s largest feeding program. Let’s Move! to get healthier food in our nation’s schools. 

Faith-based and neighborhood organizations can work with schools to help students adopt healthy lifestyles 

by providing information and practical strategies. Here are some action step suggestions: 

•

•

 Partner with a School: Work with your organization or congregation to partner with a school, Local 

Education Agency (LEA), or other community-based agency to promote healthy living and physical 

activities in the school and community.
	

HealthierUS School Challenge: Identify strategies to support local schools in the HealthierUS School 

Challenge. The Challenge is a certification program that recognizes schools that take specific steps to 

improve their school environment by providing physical education classes, serving healthy foods, and 

teaching children about nutrition. For information on the Challenge, 

visit www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthierus/index.html. 

22 | Let’s Move!
	
Let’s Move! | 23
	

 

! 

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•

•

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CHALLENGE

School Salad Bars: Help your local school install a salad bar in its cafeteria to 

offer children a healthy alternative for lunch. The Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools 

initiative provides information on the benefits of school salad bars and can assist 

with fundraising to purchase salad bars. For more information on the initiative, visit 

www.saladbars2schools.org. 

School Meal Programs: Encourage eligible families to enroll their children 

in school meal programs. Students may be eligible for free or reduced-priced 

breakfasts and lunches based upon family income levels. Please call the National 

Hunger Hotline at 1.866.348.6479 for more information. 

Start a Farmers Market: Work with others in your community to start a farmers 

market at your facilities or at a local school site (see the step-by-step guide on 

page 25 for information on how to get started). 

Increase Opportunities for Physical Activity: Work with local schools to 

increase opportunities for all students to enjoy physical activity. For more 

information, visit www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/keystrategies. 

Child and Adult Care Food Program: If your organization provides child day 

care services, or operates afterschool care programs, it may be eligible to receive 

reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks served to children who are enrolled 

for care through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Participating 

institutions must be licensed or approved to provide day care services. For more 

information on this program, please visit www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care or call 

1.866.348.6479. 

The average child drinks at least 20 

ounces of soda pop each day. Because 

each soda on average contains one-third 

of a cup of sugar, this amounts to drinking 

53 pounds of sugar a year!1 

1. “Portion Distortion and Serving Size,” We Can!, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Web. www.
	

nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/distortion.htm.
	

While 90% of schools offer students 

the opportunity to select a healthful 

meal, meals that meet all nutrition 

standards are usually chosen in only 

6% to 7% of schools.2 

2. “Healthy Meals, Healthy Schools, Healthy Kids,” April 2007, USDA School Meals. Web. www.fns.usda.
	

gov/cga/FactSheets/school_meals.pdf. 
• BackPack Program: Partner with your local food bank to support a BackPack 

Program to provide children with healthy food options when they are not at school. 

The BackPack Program gives hungry children food to take home on the weekends 

or during school vacations. For information on the BackPack Program, please visit 

www.feedingamerica.org and click on the link to “Programs & Services” and 

“Network Programs.”. 

• Walk or Bike to School: Organize parents to walk or bike with their children to 

school in walking school buses and rolling bike trains. For more ideas, check out 

the Safe Routes to School Center at www.saferoutesinfo.org. 

• Healthy Living Club: Create a healthy living club to facilitate health programming 

in schools and in the community. Assess healthy eating and physical activity 

policies, as well as programs that are currently offered, and establish a plan to 

work towards creating a healthier environment for children (see the step-by-step 

guide on page 26 for information on how to get started). 

24 | Let’s Move!
	
 

CHALLENGE! 

Step-by-step guide 

Farmers Market: Start a farmers market at a local school. 

How does an organization create a weekly farmers market for students 

and parents at a local school? Start by exploring several factors in running 

the farmers market, such as: 

•	 Identification of potential sites for the market; 

•	 Food sources for the farmers market; 

•	 Duration of the farmers market, including dates and days the market will 

be open; 

•	 Creation of a staffing plan for the farmers market, including liaisons to the 

community, school, and farmers; 

•	 Funding sources for the farmers market; 

•	 Other interested congregation or community partners who can 

collaborate; and 

•	 Creation of an outreach campaign that brings shoppers to the market. 

How do we leverage community partnerships for this activity? A great 

farmers market not only attracts students and parents from the school, but 

Let’s Move! | 25
	
also other people in the community. Local student organizations can volunteer 

at the farmers market. If you are in an urban center, you could consider 

partnering with distributors to bring produce from rural areas. 

For more information, USDA provides further valuable advice on how to start 

a farmers market at www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets. For information 

on legal and policy considerations related to this and other recommendations, 

please see the National Policy and Legal Analysis Network to Prevent 

Childhood Obesity at www.nplanonline.org and click on the “Document 

Library.”

Step-by-step guide 

Healthy Living Club: Create a healthy living club or partner 

with student groups at the school. 

How do we get started? Identify all interested students from a local 

organization or congregation. You can also connect with a student group at 

the school. We recommend engaging student and/or youth leaders to get their 

input and ownership. 

How can young people get community service credit? You will need to 

work with your LEA or school system to determine whether students can 

receive credit for community service activities. 

26 | Let’s Move!
	
 

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CHALLENGE! 

What are some community service projects youth should consider? Be 

sure to find out what young people want to do, but you can start by providing 

them with some project ideas. Encourage youth to consider ideas that not 

only have them being active, but also encourage other young people in the 

community or at the school to be active. Here are a few activities that could 

start the brainstorming session with young people: 

Celebrate Walk to School Month in October. There are many activities 

a community can adopt in celebration of our mobility. But don’t just move 

in October! Designate a day once a week or once a month to walk to 

school or your place of worship: www.walktoschool.org. 

Partner with other organizations to hold a healthy living week. 

Promote the week and hold activities in local places that young people 

frequent in the community. 

Hold a recipe contest and challenge young people to create healthy 

recipes for traditional meals. 

Set a physical activity goal like walking to another state, country, or 

continent and log the miles walked by members of the community. 

Offer intramural sports or physical activity clubs that are accessible 

to all community members, regardless of skill or ability. 

Let’s Move! | 27
	
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Notes: • Educate community members on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

• Volunteer at a local soup kitchen to produce healthy meals. 

What are some things that could help this process be a success for 

everyone involved? Remember that students like to create their own projects 

and many young people develop a commitment to service at a young age. 

Therefore, they will want to take leadership in the activities. Work with school 

health councils to coordinate school and community activities. Work with youth 

to incorporate social media into the planning and promotion of the events. 

28 | Let’s Move!
	
Physical 

Activity 
Physical Activity
	

CHALLENGE! 

CHALLENGE!

Being physically active is just as important to health as eating right. Children need 60 minutes of active play 

every day to maintain a healthy weight. If this sounds like a lot, consider that eight- to 18-year-olds devote an 

average of seven-and-a-half hours to using entertainment media including TV, computers, video games, cell 

phones, and movies in a typical day. Only one-third of high school students get the recommended levels of 

physical activity. 

To increase physical activity, children need physical education, safe routes to walk and ride their bikes to 

school, parks, and access to playgrounds and community centers. Children need access to sports leagues 

and dance or fitness programs that are exciting and challenging to keep them engaged. Let’s Move! to 

increase opportunities for kids to be physically active, both in school and in communities, and to create new 

opportunities for families to be physically active together. 

In addition to being fun, regular physical activity strengthens bones and muscles, increases self-esteem, and 

provides many other health benefits. Physical activity, along with eating healthy foods, can help children live 

healthier lives and perform better in school. 

Congregations and neighborhood organizations can help our children get the physical activity they need in 

many ways. Here are some ideas: 

• Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA): Help children earn an award by hosting the President’s 

Challenge within your organization (see the step-by-step guide on page 31 for information on how to get 

started). Sign up at www.presidentschallenge.org. 

• Support Community Sports: Support or start a community sports league, intramural sport or physical 

activity club that is accessible to all community members, regardless of skill, ability, or financial resources. 

This is especially critical in locations with no school-supported athletic or physical activity programs. 

• Safe Routes to Walk and Bike in your Communities: Walk or bike with kids to school, places of 

worship, and other activities. The National Center for Safe Routes to School provides more information at 

www.saferoutesinfo.org (see the step-by-step guide on page 33 for information on how to get started). 

30 | Let’s Move!
	
 

 

•

•

•

• CHALLENGE! 

CHALLENGE!

Organize Active Events: Create a physical activity club at your congregation or 

community center. Organize a walk, dance, bike-a-thon, 5K, field day, fun run, 

relay race, or come up with your own active event ideas. See this helpful resource: 

www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/popularevents.pdf. 

Promote Recreational Facilities: Partner with local community centers and 

schools to promote the use of recreation facilities, gymnasiums, playing fields, 

and playgrounds, especially if your organization lacks these resources. You can 

develop joint use agreements to facilitate these partnerships. For more information, 

visit www.jointuse.org. 

Support or Start a BodyWorks Program in your Community: BodyWorks is 

designed to teach active and healthy lifestyle habits to adolescents and families 

and to help them eat right and achieve 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per 

day. For more information on BodyWorks, visit 

www.womenshealth.gov/BodyWorks or call 202.401.9588. 

Participate in a CROP Hunger Walk to raise awareness about hunger and money 

for hunger-related causes, both locally and around the world. For more information, 

please visit www.cropwalk.org or call 1.888.CWS.CROP (1.888.297.2767). 

Step-by-step guide 

PALA: Participate in and encourage members to participate in the 

Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. 

Unfortunately, budget cuts in many school districts have led to the loss of 

physical education classes and afterschool sports. But faith-based and 

neighborhood organizations can help to keep our kids healthy and active by 

engaging members in the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. 

Adolescents who participate in 

physical education at school are more 

likely to maintain a normal weight as 

young adults.1 

1. ”What Causes Overweight and Obesity?” National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Web. www.nhlbi. 

nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/obe/obe_causes.html 

Let’s Move! | 31
	
What is the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award? The Presidential Active 

Lifestyle Award (PALA) is part of the President’s Challenge. It is a challenge 

for both children and adults to build healthy habits by committing to regular 

physical activity five days a week, for six weeks. Everyone can participate 

and you don’t need to be an Olympic athlete. You can walk, bike, run, or 

garden. As long as children are active 60 minutes a day and adults 30 

minutes a day, you are on your way to receiving your award! 

Why should a community or faith-based organization encourage 

participation in the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award? Community 

groups possess a number of unique resources and characteristics 

that make them ideal for promoting the PALA. First, faith-based and 

neighborhood organizations create a social support network for individuals, 

couples, families, and friends to come together and work toward the 

common goal of incorporating physical activity into daily life. Second, 

community groups often have the facilities available to host physical activity 

programs or events. 

What are the steps involved in the President’s Challenge? The 

Presidential Active Lifestyle Award is easy and fun. It consists of only 

four simple steps and can be tailored to activities that suit the group or 

individual’s needs. 

Step One: Choose an activity.

Step Two: Get active.

Step Three: Track your activity.

Step Four: Order your award!

Visit www.presidentschallenge.org for more details about each step. 

32 | Let’s Move!
	

Be a role model. Children who see 

parents enjoying healthy foods and 

being physically active are more likely 

to do the same.1 

1. “Parents and Caregivers Checklist.” Childhood Obesity Prevention Initiative, Office of the Surgeon 

General, Department of Health and Human Services. Web. www.surgeongeneral.gov/obesityprevention/ 

pledges/parents.html. 

Balance what you eat with physical 

activity. Eating healthier foods is 

important, but we all need to be 

physically active – at least 60 minutes 

for kids and 30 minutes for adults – 

every day or most days of the week.2 

2. “A Healthier You – Chapter 9. The Balancing Act: Food and Physical Activity.” Web. www.health.gov/ 

dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/html/chapter9.html. 
 

CHALLENGE!

What kinds of activities count toward the Presidential Active Lifestyle 

Award? The program supports both traditional activities, such as walking, 

cycling, aerobics, and organized sports, as well as other activities like 

sledding, fishing, and dancing. For more ideas, there is a list on the website 

of almost 100 different activities in which you and others can participate. You 

can also visit the website of Up2Us, a national coalition of Sports-Based Youth 

Development organizations, at www.up2us.org or call 212.563.3031. Also, 

the California Department of Education maintains an afterschool physical 

activity website with fun activity ideas: www.afterschoolpa.com. 

Step-by-step guide 

Safe Routes to Walk and Bike in Your Communities: 

Ensure that children have safe routes to walk and bike through your 

communities. 

Many communities have experienced a decline in walking and bicycling. 13% 

of children ages five to 14 walk or bike to school, down from 44% of students 

in 1969. Parents often cite safety issues as reasons for not allowing children 

to travel to school by foot or bicycle. However, children who walk or bike to 

school report being more physically active than those who travel by bus, car, 

or train. 

Let’s Move! | 33
	
What can my organization do to help ensure the safety of pedestrians 

and cyclists? There are a number of ways that community groups can be 

involved in the following activities: 

ROUTE MAPPING

Identify a focused area surrounding schools and map the routes that children 

currently take to school. Walk the routes in groups and identify safety issues. 

Involve the students and have them map the routes themselves. Those who 

walk and ride regularly are already familiar with their streets, whereas those 

who do not will begin to learn about their neighborhood. 

Working with local government staff, develop an improvement plan for 

addressing safety issues such as speeding cars, dangerous intersections, and 

missing or ineffective crosswalks, sidewalks, and bike lanes. Check out the 

Safe Routes to School organizing manual for ideas: 

www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/steps. 

ESCORT PROGRAMS

Recruit adult volunteers who can accompany children to school. Often called 

a walking school bus, the group stops at designated locations at prearranged 

times so other children can join. Consider getting seniors involved as 

volunteers by working with the Senior Corps to create a formal program: 

www.seniorcorps.gov. 

Encourage school districts to place crossing guards at particularly dangerous 

intersections. 

34 | Let’s Move!
	
 

Have volunteers act as monitors on the street in urban areas where crime is a 

major concern. 

What are some ways that my organization can promote a safe routes 

program? It takes time to develop new approaches and change attitudes 

regarding transportation. 

Be sure to reintroduce your program every year at the beginning of the school 

year by doing some of the following: 

Notify families and parents about the program and its benefits. 

Participate in International Walk to School Day held every October (for 

more information, visit www.walktoschool.org). 

Inform your community about the work you are doing through press releases 

and newsletter articles. 

Keep your school community up-to-date on the latest street improvements. 

Every new success builds increased support for the program. 

Keep measuring your success through new surveys. The greatest 

satisfaction comes from seeing the increase in the number of children walking 

and biking to school and the reduction of cars entering the school grounds. 

Use existing toolkits to start your own program. Many schools and 

communities have already started walk and bike to school programs. Look 

at existing toolkits and see what will work in your community. For more 

information, click on “Program Tools” at www.saferoutesinfo.org. 

A regular routine of at least 30 to 45 

minutes of fast walking, bicycling, or 

working around the house or yard will 

reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, 

hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes!1 

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Notice to 

Readers: Publication of Surgeon General’s Report On Physical Activity and Health,” Morbidity and Mortality 

Weekly Report, 45(27), 591-592, July 12, 1996. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00042984.htm. 

Studies show a link between screen time 

and obesity, so set limits on your child’s 

TV-watching, gaming, and Web surfing. 

Experts recommend no more than two 

hours per day.2 

2. “Reduce Screen Time.” We Can! National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Web. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/ 

public/heart/obesity/wecan/reduce-screen-time/index.htm. 

Let’s Move! | 35
	
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Notes: Where should I go for more information? Every State Department of 

Transportation has a Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator to promote and 

facilitate the increased use of non-motorized transportation. This includes 

developing facilities for the use of pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as public 

educational, promotional, and safety programs for using such facilities. To 

contact your State Coordinator, please visit 

www.walkinginfo.org/assistance/contacts.cfm. 

Safe Routes to School Partnership – www.saferoutespartnership.org

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a network of more than 

500 nonprofit organizations, government agencies, schools, and professionals 

working together to advance the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) movement in 

the United States. SRTS can provide a variety of important benefits to children 

and their communities, including increasing physical activity, reducing traffic 

congestion, improving air quality, and enhancing neighborhood safety. 

National Center for Safe Routes to School – www.saferoutesinfo.org

Established in May 2006, the National Center for Safe Routes to School 

assists communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and 

bike to school. The Center strives to equip Safe Routes to School programs 

with the knowledge and technical information necessary to implement safe 

and successful strategies. 

The National Center for Safe Routes to School is maintained by the University 

of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with funding from the U.S. 

Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. 

36 | Let’s Move!
	
 

Affordable and 

Accessible Food 
 

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Affordable and Accessible Food
	

CHALLENGE! 

More than 23 million Americans, including six-and-a-half million children, live in low-income urban and 

rural neighborhoods that are more than one mile from the closest supermarket. These communities, 

where access to affordable, quality, and nutritious foods is limited, are known as “food deserts.” In these 

communities, people either don’t have regular access to grocery stores that sell healthy foods such as fresh 

fruit and vegetables, or if they do, these items are too expensive. 

Lack of access to proper nutrition is one reason many people, including children, do not get recommended 

daily levels of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Food insecurity and hunger among our children is even 

more widespread. Let’s Move! to ensure that all families have access to healthy, affordable food in their 

communities. 

In our effort to end obesity in children and adolescents, it is important that we focus on increasing access 

to healthy and affordable foods. Here are some ways that faith-based and neighborhood organizations can 

play an important role in providing access to affordable and healthy food options: 

Organize a Food Pantry: Partner with your local food bank to host a food pantry with healthy food 

options at your organization or congregation. Visit Feeding America at 

www.feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx to find the food bank closest to you or call 

1.800.771.2303. 

Host a Farmers Market: Host a local farmers market at your place of worship or organization, 

and advocate for vendors to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

For information on SNAP benefits, visit www.fns.usda.gov/snap or call the SNAP Hotline at 

1.800.221.5689. 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Help people in your congregation or community sign up 

for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides more purchasing power at the 

grocery store (see the step-by-step guide on page 40 for information on how to get started). 

Women, Infants and Children (WIC): Promote participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition 

Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in an outreach effort to pregnant women and new 

mothers. For information on WIC, please visit www.fns.usda.gov/wic or call 1.866.348.6479. 

38 | Let’s Move!
	
 

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CHALLENGE!

CHALLENGE!

CHALLENGE!

Summer Food Service Program: Your organization can help children in lowincome areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow throughout the 

summer months when they are out of school. You can do this by participating 

as a sponsor or a feeding site that receives reimbursements for serving meals 

and snacks through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). For more 

information on this program, please visit www.summerfood.usda.gov or call 

1.866.348.6479. 

Start a Community Garden: Donate land at your house of worship to 

community members without their own space to grow food or start a 

congregational garden. Create and cultivate vegetable gardens as healthy 

eating educational tools. Community gardening is also a great way for kids to get 

exercise and spend time outdoors (see the step-by-step guide on page 41 for 

information on how to get started). 

Hold a Healthy Food Drive: Start a local produce exchange table for your 

congregation or community organization, or hold a food drive and encourage 

donations of healthy food items. Teach others about preserving local food by 

organizing canning and preserving sessions at your congregation, organization, 

or in homes of members. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has 

detailed information on canning and preserving at www.uga.edu/nchfp. 

Gleaning Program: Encourage participation in a gleaning program that 

harvests and donates nutritious food left behind in fields because of the high 

cost of harvest and comparatively low market price. Gleaning can also take 

place at farmers markets, restaurants, and grocery stores. For an example of a 

gleaning program, please visit www.endhunger.org or call 1.800.333.4597. 

Start a CSA Club: Partner with local farmers to start a Community Supported 

Agriculture (CSA) club at your organization or place of worship. Subsidize CSA 

shares for families with limited resources. 

Let’s Move! | 39
	
Step-by-step guide 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Help 

people in your congregation or community sign up for SNAP. SNAP 

is the new name for the Federal Food Stamp Program. Your State 

may use a different name, but it is still the same program. 

With SNAP benefits, low-income individuals and families can purchase 

healthier food, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, and dairy 

products. Food stamp benefits also bring Federal dollars to your community 

that can help the local economy. 

What is SNAP? SNAP helps low-income people and families buy the food 

they need for good health. You can apply for benefits by completing a state 

application form at www.fns.usda.gov/snap or get more information by 

calling the SNAP Hotline at 1.800.221.5689. Benefits are provided on an 

electronic benefits card (known as an EBT card) that is used like an ATM card 

and accepted at most grocery stores. 

How can my congregation help people apply for SNAP? Form an 

outreach group with the goal of helping eligible congregants sign up for SNAP. 

Train staff and volunteers at your congregation or organization with basic 

information about SNAP and how to apply. Have an information table before 

and after services where volunteers help eligible congregants apply for SNAP. 

Your local SNAP office can partner with you and help provide training and 

materials. To locate your local SNAP office, visit 

www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/map.htm or call the SNAP Hotline at 

1.800.221.5689. 

How can we let people know about the program? Consider displaying 

SNAP posters, flyers, magnets, and other materials in your place of worship 

or organization. You can order these free materials from the U.S. Department 

40 | Let’s Move!
	

An NIH-funded study found that the 

addition of one supermarket to a 

community increased people’s fruit 

and vegetable consumption by 32%.1 

1. Williamson, David. “Nearness of Supermarkets Boosts People’s Intake of Nutritious Fruits and 

Vegetables, Study Reveals,” The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Web. www.unc.edu/news/ 

archives/nov02/wing110102.html. 

In 2009, 17.2 million children did not 

get enough to eat; they had to cut 

the size of their meals, skip meals, or 

even go whole days without food at 

some time during the year.2 

2. “Food Security in the United States: Key Statistics and Graphics.” Economic Research Service, United 

States Department of Agriculture. Web. www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/stats_graphs.htm. 
 

CHALLENGE! 

of Agriculture (USDA) at http://snap.ntis.gov. Put SNAP information in all 

bulletins, newsletters, and other print and electronic items shared with the 

congregation or community. If your organization manages a food pantry, 

include SNAP information with food that you distribute. 

How can we support healthier food choices? Host a nutritious food tasting, 

cooking demonstration, or health fair at your place of worship. Give out 

recipe cards that also include information about SNAP. Check out the SNAP 

recipe finder for more ideas at http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov or by calling 

1.866.348.6479. 

Are SNAP materials available in Spanish? Yes! SNAP materials can be 

ordered or downloaded in Spanish from USDA at http://snap.ntis.gov. 

Step-by-step guide 

Start a Community Garden 

Get others involved! It is not a community garden without a COMMUNITY! 

Invite various groups, associations, and people in your congregation or 

community to help get the garden started. Involve young people (especially 

at-risk young people) as participants in the garden. Consider devoting a 

portion of the garden to cultivation by members of youth after school groups. 

Gardening is a great way for children and teens to get their daily physical 

exercise and spend time outdoors. 

Find the land: Look for a vacant spot that gets plenty of sun (at least six 

hours a day), is located near a water source, and has good drainage. The 

site should have soil that is free of trash and debris. Once you find potential 

sites, visit your local tax assessor or local government office to find out who 

owns the land. Consider partnering with government agencies to provide land 

for a garden. The National Park Service, for example, allows groups to form 

community gardens in parks. Try consulting with other community gardens in 

the area to find out how they obtained their site and got started. 

Let’s Move! | 41
	
Work out the logistics: After finding the site, contact the land owner or 

government agency to: 

• Ask for permission to put a community garden plot there; 

• Explain the benefit of the garden to the community and the environment; 

• Test the soil: Be sure to test the soil to ensure it is free of contaminants 

and safe for growing food. Your local land grant university will often offer 

this service for a small fee. To find the university closest to you, 

visit www.csrees.usda.gov/extension. 

• Sign a lease that includes the terms of agreement for use of the site; 

• Include a “hold harmless” waiver so that the land owner will not have to 

worry about injuries incurred at the site; and 

• Obtain a multi-year lease to ensure the continuation of your garden to 

future seasons. 

Each gardener should sign a gardener’s agreement that includes a hold 

harmless waiver and commits to upkeep of the plot and the garden throughout 

the year. Landowners can also obtain liability insurance as added protection. 

Design the garden: When designing a garden, consider: 

• Individual plots for participants can help ensure dedicated participation, 

or you could make the entire garden a shared space, where all gardeners 

work together throughout the season and share the harvest; 

• Plot size should be narrow enough to access plantings from all sides 

without having to stand in the plot. Also consider if you can provide 

access to gardeners with disabilities via raised beds or wider paths. 

• Factors such as irrigation, a tool shed for shared tools and supplies, 

and a fence around the perimeter if you anticipate problems with wildlife; 

42 | Let’s Move!
	
 

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• A communal compost area to turn excess green matter into free 

fertilizer;
	

• Posting a garden sign that displays partners and participants, as well 

as a community bulletin board to share your garden with interested 

passers-by; 

• Trash removal; 

• Plants on the perimeter that are drought resistant but draw in 

pollinating friends like bees or butterflies that are attractive and 

beneficial to the garden; and
	

• Adding children’s areas with small plots or sand boxes. 

Start GROWING! The People’s Garden Initiative challenges USDA 

employees to establish gardens at USDA facilities worldwide or help 

communities create gardens. People’s Gardens vary in size and type, but 

all have a common purpose – to help the local community they’re within and 

the environment. 

The People’s Garden Initiative website offers further resources for starting 

gardens. Please visit www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden for more information. 

Be sure to register your community garden on their map to help us reach 

our goal! 

Master Gardeners are strong resources for gardening advice. Trained by 

USDA’s Cooperative Extension System, Master Gardeners are community 

members who volunteer their time to help Americans plant, grow, and 

harvest fresh produce from gardens. To find a Master Gardener in your 

community, please visit: www.extension.org/mastergardener. 

Did you know? SNAP benefits can be used to buy seeds and edible plants 

from authorized retailers. 

Notes:

Let’s Move! | 43
	
Additional Resources 

The following section provides 

information on additional resources 

that are relevant to faith-based and 

neighborhood organizations interested in 

working on Let’s Move! 

Summary of grants for obesity 

programs and research from the 

National Institutes of Health

www.obesityresearch.nih.gov/funding/

funding.htm 

Summary of funding opportunities 

related to obesity from the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services’ Rural Assistance Center

Click on “Obesity” at www.raconline.

org/funding/funding_topic.php

Funding Opportunities from the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA)

www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm

www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer

Summary of USDA Nutrition 

Assistance Programs:

www.fns.usda.gov

The following organizations and programs 

provide information and resources that 

can assist faith-based and neighborhood 

organizations in their efforts to address 

childhood obesity. These organizations 

include: 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 

(RWJF) Center to Prevent 

Childhood Obesity

The RWJF Center to Prevent 

Childhood Obesity is a national 

organization dedicated to reversing 

the childhood obesity epidemic by 

changing public policies and creating 

healthier environments in schools and 

communities. The Center provides 

technical assistance to help communities 

achieve these goals and educate 

policymakers and advocates about which 

national, state, regional, and local policies 

are most effective in preventing childhood 

obesity. A host of technical assistance 

resources, including webinars, case 

studies, and toolkits, can be accessed via 

the Center website at 

www.reversechildhoodobesity.org. 

In addition to providing technical 

assistance, the RWJF Center serves as 

a repository of information from a number 

of the organizations and programs listed 

below that address childhood obesity. 

Active Living Research

Active Living Research contributes to the 

prevention of childhood obesity in lowincome and high-risk racial and ethnic 

communities by supporting research to 

examine how environments and policies 

influence active living for children and 

their families. Active Living Research 

manages grants to help build the 

evidence base and has a resource center 

of literature citations and active living 

news. For more information, 

visit www.activelivingresearch.org. 

African American Collaborative 

Obesity Research Network 

(AACORN)

The mission of AACORN is to improve 

the quality, quantity, and effective 

translation of research to address 

weight-related issues in African American 

communities. AACORN’s interests 

include research about healthful eating 

and physical activity, prevention of weight 

gain, and weight loss and maintenance. 

44 | Let’s Move!
	
 

AACORN addresses these issues in the 

contexts of social and family interactions 

and other aspects of day-to-day life in 

African American communities. For more 

information and to access AACORN’s 

community tools, visit www.aacorn.org. 

Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The American Heart Association and 

the William J. Clinton Foundation 

joined forces in May of 2005 to create 

a healthier generation by addressing 

childhood obesity. The Alliance for a 

Healthier Generation works to positively 

affect the places that can make a 

difference to a child’s health: homes, 

schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices, and 

communities. For more information and to 

access the Alliance’s print resources, visit 

www.healthiergeneration.org. 

American Community Gardening 

Association 

The mission of the American Community 

Gardening Association (ACGA) is to 

build community by increasing and 

enhancing community gardening and 

greening across the United States 

and Canada. ACGA is a bi-national 

nonprofit membership organization of 

professionals, volunteers, and supporters 

of community greening in urban and 

rural communities. ACGA staff, board 

members, and volunteers answer 

thousands of requests for information 

each year about community gardening 

and greening. They offer support, coach 

fledgling groups, and promote networking 

and information sharing on all levels. For 

more information, visit 

www.communitygarden.org. 

Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap is a research program 

with a goal to improve the understanding 

of how policies and environmental factors 

affect diet, physical activity, and obesity 

among youth. Bridging the Gap tracks 

trends and changes in these factors 

over time at the state, community, and 

school levels and disseminates findings 

to help advance solutions for reversing 

the childhood obesity epidemic. For more 

information, visit 

www.bridgingthegapresearch.org. 

Communities Creating Healthy 

Environments (CCHE)

CCHE is a national capacity-building 

initiative to support diverse, communitybased organizations and indigenous 

groups in developing and organizing 

for effective, culturally competent policy 

initiatives that address the root causes of 

childhood obesity at the local level. For 

more information, visit 

www.ccheonline.org. 

Community Action Agencies 

(CAAs)

CAAs are nonprofit private and public 

organizations established under the 

Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight 

America’s War on Poverty. CAAs help 

people to help themselves in achieving 

self-sufficiency. Today, approximately 

1,000 CAAs serve the poor in every state 

as well as Puerto Rico and the Trust 

Territories. 

The service areas of CAAs cover 96% 

of the nation’s counties. The CAAs are 

connected by a national network. Since 

each CAA is governed locally, each 

provides a different mix of programs and 

services. To learn more about CAAs and 

to find a nearby CAA, please visit www.

communityactionpartnership.com. 

Let’s Move! | 45
	
Cooking Matters

A program of Share Our Strength, 

Cooking Matters brings together local 

culinary and nutrition professionals and 

others who volunteer their time to lead 

hands-on courses that give participants 

the know-how to select tasty and lowcost ingredients, stretch them across 

multiple meals, and use healthy cooking 

techniques and recipes that help provide 

the best nourishment possible to their 

families. For more information, visit 

www.cookingmatters.org. 

Feeding America 

Feeding America is the nation’s leading 

domestic hunger-relief charity. Their 

mission is to feed America’s hungry 

through a nationwide network of member 

food banks and engage the country in 

the fight to end hunger. Contact Feeding 

America if you are interested in setting 

up a food pantry in your community or 

starting a Backpack Program to help kids 

get food on weekends and during school 

vacations. For more information, visit 

www.feedingamerica.org. 

The Food Trust

The Food Trust, a nonprofit founded 

in 1992, strives to make healthy 

food available to all. Working with 

neighborhoods, schools, grocers, 

farmers, and policymakers in more than a 

dozen states, the Food Trust promotes a 

comprehensive approach that combines 

nutrition education and greater availability 

of affordable, healthy food. The Food 

Trust is a partner in the Pennsylvania 

Fresh Food Financing Initiative. To find 

free resources on nutrition education, 

supermarket development, healthier 

corner stores, and other important food 

issues, please visit 

www.thefoodtrust.org. 

Healthy Eating Active Living 

Convergence Partnership

In 2006, a collaboration of funders came 

together to create the Healthy Eating 

Active Living Convergence Partnership, 

with the shared goal of changing policies 

and environments to better achieve the 

vision of healthy people living in healthy 

places. The Convergence Partnership 

supports multi-field equity-focused efforts 

to create environments that support 

healthy eating and active living. For more 

information and resources, visit 

www.convergencepartnership.org. 

Healthy Eating Research

Healthy Eating Research supports 

research on environmental and policy 

strategies with strong potential to 

promote healthy eating among children 

to prevent childhood obesity, especially 

among low-income and racial and ethnic 

populations at highest risk for obesity. 

Healthy Eating Research issues calls for 

proposals on a variety of topics related to 

environmental and policy research and 

develops research briefs that address 

major issues in childhood obesity. For 

more information, visit 

www.healthyeatingresearch.org. 

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities

The primary goal of Healthy Kids, Healthy 

Communities is to implement healthy 

eating and active living policy- and 

environmental-change initiatives that can 

support healthier communities for children 

and families across the United States. 

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities 

places special emphasis on reaching 

children who are at highest risk for 

46 | Let’s Move!
	
 

obesity on the basis of race and ethnicity, 

income, and/or geographic location. To 

get more information and to learn about 

how Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities 

supports local community leaders, visit 

www.healthykidshealthycommunities.

org. 

Kids Eat Right 

Kids Eat Right is the branch of the 

American Dietetic Association devoted to 

providing healthy meals, cooking ideas, 

nutrition recommendations, and parenting 

strategies for feeding children of all ages. 

All the site’s resources are produced and 

peer-reviewed by registered dietitians as 

approved recommendations in medical 

nutrition therapy. For more information, 

visit www.kidseatright.org. 

Leadership for Healthy 

Communities

Leadership for Healthy Communities 

supports local and state government 

leaders nationwide in their efforts to 

reduce childhood obesity through 

public policies that promote active 

living, healthy eating, and access to 

healthy foods. The program targets 

15 priority states: Alabama, Arizona, 

Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, 

North Carolina, Oklahoma, South 

Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West 

Virginia. For more information, visit www.

leadershipforhealthycommunities.org. 

National Collaborative on 

Childhood Obesity Research 

(NCCOR)

NCCOR brings together four of the 

nation’s leading research funders – 

the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, the National Institutes of 

Health, the Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation, and the United States 

Department of Agriculture – to address 

the problem of childhood obesity in 

America. NCCOR focuses on efforts 

that have the potential to benefit 

children, teens and their families, and the 

communities in which they live: 

www.nccor.org. 

National Heart, Lung, and Blood 

Institute (NHLBI): 

With Every Heartbeat is Life

NHLBI has created With Every 

Heartbeat is Life for the African American 

community. With Every Heartbeat is Life 

is a comprehensive, culturally appropriate 

12 session lesson plan on heart-health 

education. The curriculum is filled with 

hands-on demonstrations for health 

educators, skill-building activities, and 

handouts that can be copied. Community 

health workers can use this tool in 

community-based settings, including 

churches and health fairs, to increase 

knowledge of heart disease risk factors 

and promote health behaviors that 

prevent and control these heart disease 

risk factors. To learn more about ordering 

With Every Heartbeat is Life materials, 

visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/

healthdisp/aa.htm. 

National Hunger Clearinghouse 

(NHC)

The NHC collects and distributes 

information about community-based 

resources and government programs 

that address the immediate and longterm needs of struggling families 

and individuals. Funded by the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture and 

managed by WhyHunger, the NHC 

operates the National Hunger Hotline 

(1.866.3.HUNGRY), which receives 

calls from individuals and organizations 

in need of information and resources. 

According to the particular needs of the 

Let’s Move! | 47
	
caller, the Hotline provides referrals to 

emergency food providers, government 

programs and benefits, and communitybased organizations. For more 

information, please visit 

www.whyhunger.org. 

National Initiative for Children’s 

Healthcare Quality (NICHQ)

Led by experienced pediatric health care 

professionals, NICHQ’s mission is to 

improve children’s health by improving 

the systems responsible for the delivery 

of children’s health care. NICHQ’s current 

initiatives focus on ensuring that every 

child receives care in a high-performing 

medical home, including the prevention 

and treatment of childhood obesity; 

improving care systems for children with 

special health care needs; and improving 

perinatal care. NICHQ works with 

providers, funders, payers, policymakers, 

patients, and families to change care. 

NICHQ offers expert training, consulting 

support, educational materials, and data 

to entities working toward improving 

perinatal care and addressing childhood 

obesity. For more information, visit 

www.nichq.org. 

National Institutes of Health: 

Ways to Enhance Children’s 

Activity and Nutrition (We Can!)

The Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity 

and Nutrition (We Can!) program, a 

collaboration between a number of 

institutes at the National Institutes of 

Health, is a national movement designed 

to give parents, caregivers, and entire 

communities a way to help children eight 

to 13 years old stay at a healthy weight. 

Visit We Can! at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/

index.htm. 

National Policy and Legal Analysis 

Network to Prevent Childhood 

Obesity (NPLAN)

NPLAN provides leaders in the childhood 

obesity prevention field with focused 

legal research, model policies, fact 

sheets, toolkits, training, and technical 

assistance to explain legal issues related 

to public health. For more information and 

resources, visit www.nplanonline.org. 

New Jersey YMCA State Alliance 

The New Jersey YMCA State Alliance 

is an association made up of 44 YMCA 

from the State of New Jersey. Among 

its goals is to develop and implement 

strategic statewide programs that will 

have a positive impact on solving critical 

needs and issues in New Jersey, to 

provide a unified voice to address public 

policy issues, and to fulfill its mission to 

build strong kids, strong families, and 

strong communities. One such initiative is 

the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy 

Kids, in which the New Jersey YMCA 

State Alliance has partnered with the 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, local 

universities, local health departments, 

and other nonprofit organizations to 

reduce childhood obesity by 2015. For 

more information, visit www.njymca.org. 

PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a national research and 

action institute advancing economic and 

social equity by Lifting Up What Works®. 

Founded in 1999, PolicyLink connects the 

work of local residents to the creation of 

sustainable communities of opportunity 

that allow everyone to participate and 

prosper. Such communities offer access 

to healthy food and physical activity, 

48 | Let’s Move!
	
 

 

quality jobs, affordable housing, good 

schools, and transportation. PolicyLink 

shares its findings and analysis through 

its publications, website, and online tools 

and in briefings with national and local 

policymakers. For more information on 

PolicyLink, please visit 

www.policylink.org. Highlighted below 

are two recent reports from PolicyLink 

that relate to Let’s Move! 

Healthy Food, Healthy Communities: 

Promising Strategies to Improve Access 

to Fresh, Healthy Food and Transform 

Communities provides information about 

ways that communities across the country 

have succeeded in improving access 

to healthy food. To access the report, 

visit www.policylink.org/publications/

healthyfoodhealthycommunities. 

Grocery Store Attraction Strategies: 

A Resource Guide for Community 

Activists and Local Governments focuses 

on strategies for attracting grocery 

stores to underserved low-income 

communities. To access the report, visit 

www.policylink.org/publications/

grocerystoreattractionstrategies. 

The Reinvestment Fund (TRF)

TRF is an innovator in the financing 

of neighborhood and economic 

revitalization. Central to its mission 

is a commitment to put capital and 

private initiative to work for the public 

good. TFR provides financing for 

supermarkets or other grocery stores 

that plan to operative in underserved 

communities, where infrastructure costs 

and credit needs cannot be solely filled 

by conventional financial institutions. 

By improving the food landscape of 

underserved communities, TRF works to 

provide families with increased access to 

affordable healthy food. To learn more, 

please visit: www.trfund.com. 

Safe Routes to School 

National Partnership

The Safe Routes to School National 

Partnership is a network of hundreds of 

organizations, government agencies, and 

professional groups working to set goals, 

share best practices, secure funding, and 

provide educational materials to agencies 

that implement Safe Routes to School 

programs. The mission is to advocate 

for and promote the practice of safe 

bicycling and walking to and from schools 

throughout the United States. The 

mission is to advocate for and promote 

the practice of safe bicycling and walking 

to and from schools throughout the 

United States. The project brings together 

stakeholders from diverse fields to work 

with State Departments of Transportation 

to increase physical activity in students, 

to make the best use of available Federal 

funds, and to remove policy barriers to 

walking and bicycling to schools. For 

more information and resources, visit 

www.saferoutespartnership.org. 

Salud America! The RWJF 

Research Network to Prevent 

Obesity Among Latino Children

Salud America! The RWJF Research 

Network to Prevent Obesity Among 

Latino Children is a national network 

of researchers, community leaders, 

policymakers, and other stakeholders 

who are working together to increase 

the number of Latino scientists seeking 

environmental and policy solutions to 

address Latino childhood obesity. For 

more information, visit 

www.salud-america.org. 

Let’s Move! | 49
	
Save the Children: 

Campaign for Healthy Kids

Save the Children works to change the 

lives of children in need in the United 

States and around the world. Save the 

Children works in impoverished rural 

communities in Appalachia and across 

America to provide early childhood 

development, literacy, physical activity, 

and nutrition programming as well as 

emergency relief. To learn more, visit 

www.campaignforhealthykids.org. 

United States Breastfeeding 

Committee (USBC)

USBC is a coalition of national 

organizations dedicated to supporting 

breastfeeding in the United States. Its 

mission is to improve the nation’s health 

by working collaboratively to protect, 

promote and support breastfeeding. 

Members include nonprofit organizations, 

professional associations, and 

governmental agencies. The USBC 

strategic plan includes goals to improve 

the integration of breastfeeding services 

in health care, to support women in the 

workforce, and to address marketing 

of infant formula. For more information, 

please visit www.usbreastfeeding.org. 

Yale University Rudd Center for 

Food Policy and Obesity

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and 

Obesity seeks to improve the world’s 

diet, prevent obesity, and reduce 

weight stigma by establishing creative 

connections between science and public 

policy, developing targeted research, 

encouraging frank dialogue among key 

constituents, and expressing a dedicated 

commitment to real change. The Rudd 

Center assesses, critiques, and strives 

to improve practices and policies related 

to nutrition and obesity to inform and 

empower the public; to promote objective, 

science-based approaches to policy; 

and to maximize the impact on public 

health. The Rudd Center is dedicated to 

assessing and disseminating information 

about effective community and school 

interventions that address nutrition 

and obesity. For more information and 

resources, visit 

www.yaleruddcenter.org. 

YMCA of the USA (Y-USA): 

Pioneering Healthy Communities 

Y-USA’s Activate America® Healthier 

Communities Initiatives are helping 

more than 100 YMCAs and their 

communities take the action needed 

to increase opportunities for physical 

activity and healthy eating. Y-USA’s 

Healthier Communities Initiatives focus 

on collaborative engagement with 

community leaders, how environments 

influence health and well-being, and the 

role policy plays in sustaining change. 

In addition, these initiatives empower 

local communities with proven strategies 

and models to create and sustain 

positive, lasting change for healthy living. 

Participating communities represent 

a variety of sizes (urban, rural, and 

suburban), hard-to-reach populations 

(low-income, underserved, and racial 

and ethnic), and geographic diversity and 

committed leadership at the community 

level, including strong YMCA leadership 

and presence. To learn more, please visit 

www.ymca.net/healthier-communities. 

50 | Let’s Move!
	
 

Building Networks and 

Partnerships 

It will take all parts of our communities 

working together to help end the 

childhood obesity epidemic. The 

following section provides some tips 

to consider for building networks to 

implement these activities, as well as 

partnerships with the foundation or 

business community to support those 

activities. 

Strategies for Mobilizing Your 

Community 

Consider the following steps from the 

Communities That Care guide: 

1.		 Build a community action plan 

around Let’s Move! that includes 

shared goals, timelines, and 

assignments. 

2.		 Involve everyone in the community 

to most effectively use all available 

resources to achieve your goals. 

3.		 To ensure that the action plan 

continues to move forward, identify 

a leader who is willing to be 

responsible for the achievement of 

the community action plan’s goals. 

4.		 Collect data to monitor progress 

toward achieving the community’s 

goals. 

5.		 Focus on teamwork to accomplish 

goals: give everyone a part to play 

and make them feel involved and 

engaged. 

Ideas for Leveraging Public-Private 

Partnerships

There may be specific opportunities 

to collaborate with the private and 

foundation sector (e.g., the business 

community and foundations) to address 

obesity and hunger among children in 

your community. The kinds of initiatives 

that result from collaboration and 

mutual support between nonprofits and 

congregations and the philanthropic 

and business sector are often called 

public-private partnerships. The following 

are a few steps that can be taken in 

the process of exploring how these 

partnerships can support your efforts: 

1.		 In light of your community, define 

and establish your mission and 

goals. 

2.		 Define your assets and needs, 

and then determine what type of 

partnership with a private entity 

would best forward your goals. 

3.		 Leverage the skills of a private 

partner to develop a marketing 

plan for your organization and 

present the plan to your corporate 

partner. 

4.		 Identify several methods of funding 

other than the private partner and 

create grant proposals. 

5.		 Plan to communicate regularly 

with partners and identify a 

partnership manager who can 

communicate with both private and 

public institutions. 

Let’s Move! | 51
	
Consider taking the following steps to 

explore how these partnerships can 

support your efforts: 

1.		 Build a record of success through 

consistent, effective programs to 

gain support. 

2.		 Define the goals and objectives of 

the initiative and develop a realistic 

strategy toward attaining them. 

Make sure there is a system to 

maintain accountability. 

3.		 Stress strengths of your 

organization and highlight needs 

that can be fulfilled through 

partnerships. 

4.		 Establish good personal 

relationships in order to increase 

the ability to anticipate and resolve 

problems. 

For more information about how to 

support public-private partnerships, 

see “Maximizing Program Services 

Through Private Sector Partnerships and 

Relationships: A Guide for Faith- and 

Community-Based Service Providers,” 

which can be found at 

www.samhsa.gov/fbci/fbci_pubs.aspx. 

52 | Let’s Move!
	

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 

Center for Faith-Based 

& Neighborhood Partnerships 

200 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20201