The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
Catholic Charities in Chicago hosted an event to celebrate the Let’s Move! initiative. Kids were treated to a free, healthy and nutritious after-school snack and exercised with the popular Power Panther.
Kids in Chicago get active with USDA’s Power Panther
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago marked the date with healthy snacks and a visit from the USDA’s Power Panther mascot.
Registered Dietitians were on hand to educate the children and their families about good nutrition with a ‘Be a Fit Kid’ activity. They tasted samples of sliced apples with peanut butter and got moving with jumping jacks and other simple exercises. The kids were taught the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and the value of physical activity. Families were also educated on limiting intake of juices and sodas, as well as ‘screen’ time on televisions, computers and video game devices. Kids were excited to get their pictures taken with the Power Panther and went home with goodie bags of fun tips and educational materials on nutrition from Let’s Move! and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The event was hosted at one of Catholic Charities’ sixteen Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Food and Nutrition Centers in Chicago and attended by local children and their families, representatives from Medill School of Journalism and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as Catholic Charities staff and supporters. Kids participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) at the WIC Center were treated to a free, healthy and nutritious after-school snack and exercised with the popular Power Panther.
“Catholic Charities is celebrating the first year of Let’s Move! by giving kids free, healthy snacks through CACFP,” said Angel Gutierrez said, Vice President of Community Development and Outreach Services for Catholic Charities, “Catholic Charities is doing our part to ensure children have access to quality food through our many food and nutrition programs.”
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is proud to support the Let’s Move! effort through its food and nutrition programs for children and families. We’re excited to see Let’s Move! Faith and Communities progress as partners around the country strive for some ambitious goals in 2011, including increasing the number of Summer Food Service Program sites amongst its member agencies and encouraging children, youth and staff to earn Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards.
Here’s to another wonderful year of health and activity in Chicago and in your community!
Want to learn more about how you and/or your organization can get involved in Let’s Move!? Visit letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov and be sure to send us your thoughts and comments to collaborate (at) usda.gov.
