Happy Spring! We're excited to finally be able to play outside and enjoy some warmer weather! Please find brief Good Food Force updates, below! :)

1. April Highlights: 60,000 speak out against junk food ads in schools! 

Together with our partners, we delivered 60,000 comments in support of the “Local School Wellness Policy Implementation” proposed rule which will, among other things, curb the marketing of junk food in schools. A big thanks to everyone who signed and circulated the petition. Once again, we've shown that moms are a force to be reckoned with! Read a blog post from our team explaining more about the rule on the Huffington Post. 

2. Spring GFF Opportunities! 

We have a few big things on the radar this spring, including: 

• Getting soda off kids’ menus! Join us in telling Burger King and Wendy's that with rising rates of children in the U.S. developing serious diseases like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, it’s time to get sugary drinks off kids’ menus! http://action.momsrising.org/go/4023?ak_proof=1&t=3&akid=5438.None.owV869
• Telling Nickelodeon to stop junk food marketing to kids! Join us in telling Nickelodeon to do the right thing and adopt strong nutrition standards for advertisements and marketing through its entire child-directed media! Our children are more than big business. http://action.momsrising.org/go/3624?ak_proof=1&t=5&akid=5438.None.owV869
• Keeping up the MOMentum in support of healthy school foods and snacks!Watch for ways to continue to keep the drumbeat going in support of the new school meal and snack standards this summer! 

3. Join us for the next #FoodFri Tweetchat: Instilling a Lifelong Love of Food in Your Children, with Chef Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution! Friday, May 9, 1pm ET on Twitter. 

Join the #FoodFri chat with @MomsRising, @FoodRev & @crunchacolor to learn how to instill a lifelong love of food in your children. We'll discuss Food Revolution Day and the various initiatives that are scheduled to happen on May 16, with a focus on getting kids involved this year. So bring your tips, and pick up a few, to get your kids excited about all things food! More on Food Revolution Day here: www.foodrevolutionday.com.

4. Join us for a webinar: Smart Snacks in School: From Regulations to Red Raspberries. Monday, May 12, 8-9pm ET online.

Join the National Education Association Health Information Network and MomsRising.org to discuss what the new Smart Snacks in School nutrition regulations mean for you – both in the classroom and at home. Experts will share resources, tips and ideas for making Smart Snacks a simple choice for today’s classrooms and busy lives. Register: neahin.org/smartsnacks

5. Other Action Ideas:

There's a lot going on! As a GFF Volunteer, we invite you to get involved and take action when you can, as you can. We're always happy to help brainstorm ways to bring these issues to your community. To kick things off, here are some easy ways to get involved:  

• Share news and actions you care about on social media. People listen to their friends more than they do news outlets or public figures. You are powerful! Feel free to use MomsRising Twitter or Facebook content at any time (and we'll send suggestions from time to time, too!)
• Get involved in Food Revolution Day! Chef Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Day is a fun moment to promote healthy eating! This year's focus is on healthy cooking, and the Food Revolution website has lots of ideas, activities, printables and more. Check it out! http://action.momsrising.org/go/4443?ak_proof=1&t=8&akid=5438.None.owV869. 

6. Volunteer Highlights: A big welcome to the new Good Food Force Volunteers and Bloggers who've joined us over the past month, including Leixa, Casey and Amy! Woot! 

7. What's Happening With Food This Week...  

New Report on Child Food Insecurity Rates
Feeding America released its annual Map the Meal Gap report with state, county, and congressional district data on overall and child food insecurity rates. The report also includes data on food cost variation by county and the percent of food insecure populations likely eligible for federal nutrition programs. Some top-line findings:

• Food insecurity remains high in 2012, both nationally and locally.
• Food insecurity exists among families living substantially above the poverty line. Twenty-seven percent of those who are food insecure have too much in income to meet eligibility rules for federal nutrition assistance programs but still struggle to put food on the table. 
• In every state, children are at a higher risk of food insecurity compared to the overall population. 
• Ninety-three percent of the majority African-American population counties fell into the top 10 percent of counties with highest food insecurity.

Read more: http://action.momsrising.org/go/4434?ak_proof=1&t=10&akid=5438.None.owV869

That's it for now everyone! Thank you!!

- Karen, Migdalia, Monifa, Donna, Dream and the rest of the MomsRising.org Food Team!

Good Food Force (GFF) Volunteers are real-life superheroes who take action in their schools and communities, and/or on their blogs and online networks, to get the word out about healthy school foods, junk food marketing to kids, and strategies that are working to reduce childhood obesity. Together with MomsRising.org staff, they help advocate for healthier kids and families. Help spread the word! Contact us: karen@momsrising.org