This progress report was prepared by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities reaches its midway point in the grant. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities: Supporting Community Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity is helping 49 community partnerships across the nation promote changes to local policies and the physical environment that foster healthy living and prevent childhood obesity. The program places special emphasis on reaching children who are at highest risk for obesity based on their race or ethnicity, income, or geographic location. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) launched the national program in December 2007, and authorized it for up to $33.4 million through December 2013. Funded projects must provide a 50 percent match over the funding period, which can include both cash and in-kind support. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill houses the national program office. Sarah L. Strunk, MHA, directs the program.
The annotated resource guide for Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities includes a variety of resources for communities working on physical activity and the build environment. The guide is organized by different topic areas, some of which are: Youth Engagement, Safety and Crime, and Land Use and Transportation. It also includes action tools and a list of organizations working the connection between physical activity and the built environment.
Successful collaborative efforts to create healthier communities are fed by passionate people who believe this work is vitally important. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC) leaders are no exception. For a glimpse into the personal journeys of 30 grassroots leaders who help create change in their communities, check out Active Living By Design’s newly released collection of HKHC Leader Profiles.
A citywide assessment of the walking environment around New Orleans public elementary and middle schools conducted by the New Orleans HKHC partnership. The methods, best practices and policy recommendations presented in this report may be useful for others.