Promoting healthy lifestyles for children & families

Resources

Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing A Community’s Assets

This guide to what the authors call "asset-based community development," summarizes lessons learned by studying successful community-building initiatives in hundreds of neighborhoods across the United States. It outlines in simple, "neighborhood-friendly" terms what local communities can do to start their own journey down the path of asset-based development.

Related Links: 
Introduction to "Building Communities from the Inside Out."

Chicago's NeighborSpace: Community Managed Open Space

NeighborSpace is an excellent example of a diverse group of community members in an urban setting coming together to protect, expand, and improve the safety of their neighborhood gardens and parks.

Community Gardening Toolkit

Download or order the Community Gardening Toolkit and accompanying Gardeners' Welcome Packet from the University of Missouri Extension website. Topics covered in the toolkit include:

• What is a community garden?
• Starting a community garden
• From idea to action — Ten steps to success

Health Equity and Prevention Primer (HEPP)

Health inequities are more than disparities or differences in health and safety outcomes. Inequity describes unfairness and the systematic nature of disparities.

Healthy Counties Database

The Healthy Counties Database allows you to search for model policies, programs, and initiatives that counties nationwide have enacted to promote wellness and help prevent childhood obesity. No need to reinvent the wheel! Find out what your peers in local government have done to enable and encourage nutritious diets, physical activity, and healthy built and social environments.

National Public Health: April 7-13, 2003 Planning Guide & Tool Kit

This American Public Health Association (APHA) toolkit was developed to help communities and public health personnel plan their National Public Health Week activities. It includes media advocacy tips, sample news releases, talking points, and tips on reaching legislators.

Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook

This CDC resource outlines the six basic steps of program evaluation and illustrates each step with physical activity program examples. Appendices provide information about physical activity indicators, practical case studies, and additional evaluation resources.

Roadmap to Improving Food and Physical Activity Environments

This 140-page guide is designed to help coalitions working to build healthier communities, where people have access to healthy foods, and where being physically active can become a way of life for everyone. It is for coalition leaders and members who are new to this work, as well as those who are applying their experience to a new arena or are working with new partners.

The Body Positive

The Body Positive has produced the eating disorders prevention guide Body Aloud!, the award-winning DVDs BodyTalk 1, BodyTalk 2, and BodyTalk 3, and a compelling, accompanying standards-based curriculum that integrates self-inquiry and creative projects to help students identify their own beliefs and to make positive choices related to their bodies, eating and exercise.

The Food System: Building Youth Awareness through Involvement

"The Food System: Building Youth Awareness through Involvement" is a guidebook for parents and educators of youth in grades 4 through 12 who are enrolled in 4-H clubs or other youth programs. The 142-page guidebook introduces educators and youth to the concept of the food system, emphasizing interactive learning, skill building and using the community as a classroom.