Greetings! This week we're exploring the importance of getting active. Check out some stats on the impact of physical activity in schools, the latest on efforts to make recess mandatory in Florida, and an inspiring profile of Civil Bikes' founder Nedra, below! As always, please read and share! 

1. TOP STORIES

Making the Case for Active Schools

As parents, we know how important it is for kids to “get the wiggles out” before dinner, take activity breaks on long car rides, and more. So we really get why physical activity in school is SO important for our kids. It's common sense, right?Yet surprisingly, it's not always the norm. In many schools, districts and states, many kids don't have access to regular physical activity classes, recess, and/or places to walk and play after school. These are all critical components of healthy communities.

Here’s why it matters SO much:

• Regular physical activity increases academic performance. 
• Just one session of physical activity can increase attention and behavior. 
• Children who have access to recreational equipment at their schools outside of the school day are more likely to be active.

We'd love to hear from you if you're involved in a local campaign to make your school an active one. And check out more facts and action ideas on the blog! 

Make Sure Florida Kids get Recess

It’s sad, but true—right now some Florida children in elementary school are going through the entire school day without recess!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends recess as a “necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.” We need to make sure lawmakers know that the health and happiness of our kids should be a top priority!

Florida members: Please join us in calling on state lawmakers to support 20 minutes of recess every day for Florida’s children! Sign on now. 

2. TIPS AND RESOURCES

• A Hidden Cost to Giving Kids Their Vegetables, by Caitlin Daniel in the New York Times. February 16, 2016.
• In the Case of School Lunch, Kitchens Might Be as Important as Ingredients, by Bettina Elias Siegel on Civil Eats. February 16. 2016.
• Aldi bans neonicotinoids, goes organic, rivals Whole Foods as healthiest grocery store, in Alternative World News Network. February 9, 2016. 
• Are you a college student concerned about food and farm issues? Check out Plate of the Union's Campus Challenge, a youth-driven effort to organize campuses to push presidential candidates to talk about food issues. 
• Minimum Stocking Levels and Marketing Strategies of Healthful Foods for Small Retail Food Stores, new report from Healthy Eating Research. 
• Make Eating Veggies Fun with VegOut! 30 Ways in 30 Days. This March expand both your veggie range and have fun with the VegOut mobile app and website, featuring hundreds of recipes, toolkits and more.

3. CONNECT

Meet other parents, share experiences and find great resources with us on Facebook and Twitter. Here are a few conversations happening this week: 

• The Good Food Force Facebook group! This week we're talking about healthy classroom celebration ideas, the SI cover model, the hidden cost of giving kids vegetables, and more. Everyone is welcome to join!  
• Join us every Friday from 1-2pm ET for the #FoodFri Tweetchat. This week we're talking about heart health with @CSPI!

4. VOICES OF THE GOOD FOOD FORCE

Meet Nedra, Founder of Civil Bikes

Civil Bikes uses bicycles as a tool to build community and bring awareness and attention to social issues that exists within our broader community. The one thing constant activity in my life is the pursuit of personal evolution and making positive contributions to society. Over the years I’ve learned that what is most needed is someone who demonstrates care towards people, place and planet. I aim to live out my values and a life that builds deeper connections and honoring my ancestors.

After years in social work and several attempts to develop a business that resonated with my skills, interests, beliefs, passion and values, I started Civil Bikes in 2013, a bike tour company retelling Atlanta’s civil rights history. Soon after its inception, my work quickly turned to bicycling education and equity issues; getting more women riding more and issues like gentrification, immigration, economic development, and other social issues; questing to gain visibility for marginalized communities.

Every day in Atlanta there is a loss of history as buildings come down and people are displaced due to increase of investment in neighborhoods long neglected. Since 2012, 95% of Atlanta’s development has been luxury condos, townhouses, apartments and homes all the while removing those who have less money, less options, less social and political clout, by removing affordable housing.  Conceivably these developments meet another need, however I perceive these as hostile actions because they effectively erase social concerns, such as poverty instead of stretching towards solutions.  In the background, health and economic disparities increase nationally. Civil Bikes is a voice valuing equity and inclusion, a place where all residents matter by holding a place and telling stories of the people embedded in the history of the landscape. Read more from Nedra!  

Thank you for all you do! 

Be sure to sign up for the Good Food Force to get these updates delivered straight to your inbox! 

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