In This Edition...

Economic Stimulus Bill Includes $ for Prevention and Nutrition Spending

On February 18, 2009, President Obama signed a version of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the $789 billion economic stimulus plan that includes more than $1 billion for prevention and wellness. This investment in prevention will support more than 20,000 public health jobs and provide substantial support for efforts to create healthier communities. 

Additionally, significant funding includes provisions affecting a dozen different nutrition assistance programs. The economic stimulus bill boasts: a permanent 13.6% increase in benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), a $500 million infusion of supplemental funding for Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for the WIC Program, an extra $150 million over the next two years for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and a new $100 million equipment assistance program for school nutrition programs.

Landmark Improvements to the WIC Food Package

Since 1974 the federal nutrition program, WIC, has provided nutritious food, nutrition counseling and breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social services to women, infants, and children nationwide.  On October 1, 2009, California’s WIC food packages will be updated, for the first time since the program’s inception, to provide a much healthier and diverse array of food choices.  These landmark changes will not only benefit the state’s 1.5 million WIC participants, they hold the potential to improve access to healthy foods in low-income communities across the state. 

“There are a lot of major improvements,” says Laurie True, Executive Director of the California WIC Association (CWA).  Chief among them, the provision of cash-value vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables.  In addition, participants will be able to purchase a variety of low fat dairy products, soy foods, baby food and whole grains, including corn tortillas.  WIC will also be trimming back its provision of whole milk, cheese, juice, and eggs.  The new food package reflects WIC’s efforts to align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to provide greater flexibility in prescribing food packages to accommodate diverse ethnic and cultural food preferences. 

The new food package means that WIC participants have significant purchasing power that will increase demand for more nutritious foods.  But that’s not all: the changes will also increase the overall supply of healthful food.  “The minimum stocking requirements are where the rubber really meets the road in terms of local food environments,” says True.  These rules require every WIC-authorized grocer to carry a variety of WIC foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products, and whole grains, at all times.  With over 4100 WIC-authorized grocery stores across the state, these healthy options will be available not only to WIC participants, but to all low-income shoppers. 

The new WIC food package is also spurring the creation of healthier versions of existing foods.  “When the new WIC food list was being developed there weren’t any soy beverages on the market that met the USDA criteria of lower sugar and higher nutrients,” says True.  “Now, one soy company is making it, and others are likely to follow.”

Throughout the year, local WIC agencies will be working very closely with the California WIC Program and community partners to implement the new WIC food package successfully.  CWA will be providing plenty of web-based information, materials, and training opportunities for all persons interested in learning more about these historic changes and supporting or leveraging a successful rollout in California.

To learn more about the specifics of the new food package and the implementation process, please visit www.wicworks.ca.gov and www.calwic.org.

Save the date for ENACT Nutrition and Activity Day—April 29th!

ENACT 2009: Nutrition and Activity Day is an opportunity for advocates from across the state to come together to highlight the need to improve healthy food and activity environments for all Californians. Join fellow advocates on April 29th  in Sacramento as we share information with legislators about public policies that can improve opportunities for healthy eating and activity.  ENACT Day is designed for everyone to participate – parents, community leaders, and health, recreation, and transportation professionals.  The day will include a morning training and legislative visits in the afternoon.  There is no charge to participate and travel scholarships are available.

To register for ENACT 2009, please visit: http://www.cfpa.net/ENACT2009/mainpage.htm or contact George Manalo LeClair at george@cfpa.net. 

***

2009 Childhood Obesity Conference: Creating Healthy Places for All Children

Early registration for the 2009 Childhood Obesity Conference is now open. Over the course of three days, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from over 100 of the country's leading experts on the most pressing and innovative issues related to childhood obesity.  Speakers will share new strategies and opportunities for attendees to take back to their own programs and communities as they meet the current challenge of trying to provide more with less.

The conference will take place June 9-12, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA. To register before May 8th, 2009 and save $50 off the registration rate, please click here…

Project for Public Spaces 7th Annual International Public Markets Conference

Early bird registration is now open for the 7th International Public Markets Conference to be held on April 24-26, 2009 in San Francisco, CA. For this conference, Project for Public Spaces seeks to showcase the vital role markets play in reconnecting local economies and communities. The conference will feature sessions, workshops, tours and networking opportunities for conference attendees.

To register before March 2nd, 2009 and save $110-$150 off the registration rate, please click here…

***

Food Security and the Recession

At a recent Center for American Progress policy panel, PolicyLink President Judith Bell expressed the importance of equity in healthy food access and food security, significantly as these issues relates to disadvantaged communities. The policy panel entitled “All You Can Eat? How Hungry is America in Good Times versus Recession?” focused on food security issues in light of the current economic climate. Click here to view the full video of the discussion.

Transportation & Health 101 Toolkit

The Healthy Eating Active Living Convergence Partnership has released a new toolkit demonstrating the connection between effective transportation planning and policy and their impact on the health and well-being of individuals and communities.  This informative toolkit presents policy opportunities to create healthy transportation options, mainly on a federal level.

The toolkit also aims to help health advocates understand the link between transportation issues and health, and inform transportation advocates of the potential health implications of their work.

Much of this content was originally developed for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meeting, Linking Transportation Policy and Public Health in November 2008, co-sponsored by the Convergence Partnership.

To access the Transportation & Health 101 Toolkit, please click here…

***

Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE): Grant Proposals due February 26, 2009

2009 School Wellness Conference: All Workshop and Individual Proposals due March 20, 2009

***

Upcoming Events

Network for a Healthy California Conference

March 4-5, 2009, Sacramento, CA

Association for Community Health Improvement Annual Conference

March 11-13, 2009, Los Angeles, CA

Fourth National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: "Going the Distance and Shortening It, from Farm to Cafeteria"

March 19 - 21, 2009, Portland Oregon

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network Spring Convenings

Unlocking the Playground: Achieving Equity In Physical Activity Spaces

April 9, 2009 - Fresno

April 21, 2009 - Oakland

April 28, 2009 - San Diego

May 4, 2009 - Los Angeles

Registration and more information will be available in March.

CPEHN/California Medical Association Foundation/Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations

Legislative Briefing: Achieving Health Equity

March 20, 2009, Sacramento, CA

Stay tuned for additional updates in March.

The Praxis Project: Learning Circle Series, 2009

Community Organizing: Building Toward Long-Term Change, March 13-15, 2009

Policy Advocacy: Creating Better Policies, May 29-31, 2009

Back to the top

Thanks for reading!  The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership.  If you were forwarded this e-mail and want to receive your own copy in the future, please click here or e-mail shakirah@preventioninstitute.org.  And if you’re already a member, please forward this message to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition.  Thank you!

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus solely on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environmental influences and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA), California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS), California Project LEAN, California WIC Association (CWA), Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public’s Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates and PolicyLink.

Home | About Us | Our Approach