For the month of December, the Wellness Coalition would like to highlight one of its members: the San Benito County CalFresh Healthy Living Program.
The CalFresh Healthy Living Program is a program from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that is found in most counties in California and throughout the country. It was established permanently in San Benito County since 2014. The goal of the CalFresh Health Living Program is to prevent chronic diseases and improve food security among persons eligible for CalFresh Food (food stamps). The program focuses on implementing nutrition education, policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to increase access and consumption of healthy food and beverages as well as decrease sedentary behavior. With current obesity rates for adults at 69% and teen obesity at 49% in San Benito County, more than ever are services needed that address nutrition behaviors, policy systems, and environmental changes.
The CalFresh Healthy Living Program enables change within San Benito County residents by educating adults and children on nutrition from different community-based organizations, local elementary schools, and afterschool programs as well as school nutrition services.
San Benito County’s CalFresh Healthy Living Program empowers San Benito County residents by:
Providing nutrition education for adults and children in various settings
Collaborating with elementary schools and afterschool programs
Community engagement with community-based organizations, after school centers, etc.
Promoting the Rethink Your Drink campaign, a healthy beverage initiative which promotes decreasing the consumption of sugary beverages and encourages public to drink more water
Physical Activity promotion and integration along with nutrition education
Providing technical assistance and trainings to partners with nutrition and physical activity implementation
Providing guidance and technical assistance to committees in schools and school districts
Collaborate with members of the Wellness Coalition of San Benito County, Safe Kids Coalition of San Benito County, and the Oral Health Advisory Committee
Partner alongside schools and community-based organizations to create nutrition and physical activity supporting Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) changes in San Benito County.
PSE changes implemented in community throughout the years include the following:
School gardens, school salad bars, healthy messaging in retail settings, Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
For more information on CalFresh Healthy Living and other resources, please visit the following websites:
· County Program Website: https://hhsa.cosb.us/public-health/calfresh-healthy-living/
· CalFresh Healthy Living CDPH Website: https://calfreshhealthyliving.cdph.ca.gov/en/Pages/default.aspx
· Healthy Recipes and Tips: http://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/healthyliving/home
· Rethink Your Drink Information and Beverage Breakdown Calculator: https://rethinkyourdrinkday.com/
· Harvest of the Month:
· Let’s Get Healthy (Dairy Council of CA)
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