Contact Us                All of these words As a phrase Any of these words Natural Language As a Boolean query

Active Living Leadership

Basic facts on creating environments that encourage physical activity, including policy development resources. Also includes a calculator for communities and businesses to calculate what costs are associated with physical inactivity in their community or business.

Communities

Healthy Food Financing Initiative

The Healthy Food Financing Initiative, a new federal initiative, will promote a range of interventions that expand access to nutritious foods, including developing and equipping grocery stores and other small businesses and retailers selling healthy food in communities that currently lack these options. Residents of these communities, which are sometimes called "food deserts" and are often found in economically distressed areas, are typically served by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer little or no fresh produce. Lack of healthy, affordable food options can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. More information 

Safe Routes to Schools Funding

Start planning now to apply for Safe Routes to Schools funding. The application process requires a commitment of time from the city and school to create a detailed comprehensive plan. This plan must include educational programs about safety and health, encouragement activities to make the program fun, enforcement to change behaviors and an evaluation commitment to show your program works.  Applications are due March 25, 2010.  For more information, click here. 

South Dakota Schools Walk

Coordinated School Health is again offering Schools Walk.  The activity is designed for students in grades K-6 but does not exclude students of all ages from participating. After School Programs and other youth organizations are encouraged to participate.

Teachers, After School Program Coordinators and youth organization leaders can register for the South Dakota Schools Walk program and the accompanying “Mileage Club Incentive Packet” by clicking here.

Community Wellness Planning

Where you live can affect how active you are and what you eat. Are there safe places to walk and play? Are high quality foods available at a reasonable cost? "Strides to a Healthier Community" was developed to help South Dakota communities create healthy environments and policies.

• Examples of Community Policy and Environmental Changes
• Strategies to Promote Nutrition and Physical Activity Change
• Inventories
  • Community Policy and Environmental Inventory
  • Community Workgroup Inventory
• Vending

To download the entire Strides to a Healthier Community document, click here. Strides to a Healthier Worksite is also available, click here.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nutrition and Physical Activity, and Active Community Environments:

Active Community Environments (ACEs)

A CDC-sponsored initiative to promote walking, bicycling, and the development of accessible recreation facilities.

Walkable Communities

Provides information to help communities of all sizes become more walkable and pedestrian friendly. Provides information on workshops, training, and presentations.