Seeking nominations to participate in Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative
Allamakee County is seeking nominations for individuals to participate on regional planning teams as part of the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative. The Food and Fitness Initiative goal for northeast Iowa is to create community environments that support healthy children, youth, and families by making available and promoting the procurement and consumption of local healthy food and the creation of space and structures for physical activity and play.
There are three regional Food and Fitness Planning Teams seeking members:
1) Local Foods - the Northeast Iowa Food & Farm Coalition has started work to ensure the availability and access to affordable, local, healthy, and fresh foods;
2) Physical Activity and Built Environments - this team will begin working to create opportunities for physical activity within families, neighborhoods, and communities using the natural and physical environments, for example, parks, playgrounds, trails, etc. to integrate physical activity into daily life; and
3) Community Health Initiatives - this team will begin focusing on the use of environmental strategies and policy change initiatives to promote and support healthy behaviors among individuals, families and communities. The work of these teams will also assist in responding to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Food and Fitness Initiative.
A five-county Northeast Iowa group, which includes Allamakee County, has been invited to submit a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant proposal that represents a potential of $500,000 in planning costs and $3 million in implementation costs flowing into the area. (See Front Page article for more information.)
Nominees should possess one or more of the following criteria: multi-county experience, visionary leadership, strong communication skills, and/or a connection with multiple interest groups. Nomination papers are due November 8 to Brenda Ranum, ISU Extension -Winneshiek County at 911 S. Mill Street, Decorah or via e-mail at ranum@iastate.edu. Nomination forms may be found at www.NIFFcoalition.org.
For more information about the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative, contact Ranum at ranum@iastate.edu; Lora Friest at lora.friest@usda.gov; or Ann Mansfield at mansan@luther.edu.
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