News Archive

2009

Scholastic Announces Grand Prize Winner in Healthy Lifestyles Contest
Posted November 12, 2009

Teamwork. It's what Joseph Grant, the Grand Prize Winner of Scholastic's "Make it Happen!" essay contest, says keeps him healthy. "Staying Healthy Together" is the title of the first grader's winning essay.

Serendipity in D.C.: First Lady's Health Center Visit Generates High-Level Visibility for We Can!™
Posted November 12, 2009

It was a day of celebration at Unity Healthcare's Upper Cardozo Health Center on June 29, 2009, when First Lady Michelle Obama made a short trip from Pennsylvania Avenue to the diverse, primarily Latino, Washington D.C. neighborhood of Columbia Heights where the center runs a number of health programs, including We Can!.

Volunteer State Media Give We Can! Print and Broadcast Boost in Knox County, Tennessee
Posted November 12, 2009

Tens of thousands of Knoxville, Tennessee, residents who turned on their local CBS television affiliate (WVLT) in mid-September had a chance to hear about how some Knox County families are trying to maintain a healthy weight through We Can!

We Can! Healthy Berrien Uses Local Media to Expand Its Program throughout Michigan
Posted November 12, 2009

We Can! Healthy Berrien is not only promoting movement in Berrien County, MI, they are creating a movement. Lakeland Regional Health Center, a We Can! County since January 2008, is using local media to spread the We Can! word throughout the state.

Big Green Company Hops Aboard the We Can! Movement
Posted November 12, 2009

Fresh from distributing nearly 150 pounds of organic carrots to kids in the Rockies, winning four Heartland Emmy awards, and earning a Parents Choice Award from the nation's oldest nonprofit consumer guide to children's media, Charley the BIG GREEN RABBIT is jumping from the TV screen into the We Can! movement.

ODS Health Plan, Inc., Joins the We Can! Movement
Posted November 12, 2009

ODS Health Plan, Inc., (ODS)—provider of medical and dental insurance to more than one million Oregoneans—has signed on to the We Can! movement! As part of its own efforts to educate members about the benefits of healthy weight management, ODS will be reaching out to their members with We Can! resources. They will be providing access to We Can! materials; distributing fliers, tips, handbooks, and posters; and beginning collaborations with We Can! community sites throughout Oregon.

Karate Chops and Other Activities Kick Up a Pittsburgh We Can! Energize Our Families Program
Posted November 12, 2009

Kicks were had all around at a Youth and Wellness Fair for Families, hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh on September 13. From karate lessons, to African drumming, to a more relaxing Zen moment through yoga, there were options galore for some 50 to 100 Pittsburgh-area families who attended the first-time event. The center, a We Can! site since June 2008, used the event to highlight fitness as fun while simultaneously promoting the Center's new We Can! Energize Our Families program.

Montana Health Summit Update: We Can! Program Staff Reach out to the West
Posted November 12, 2009

You may recall that recently we told you that We Can! coordinator Karen Donato, S.M., was invited to participate as a panelist in U.S. Senator Max Baucus's (D-MT) "Make Health Happen: Promoting Wellness and Prevention in Rural Communities" summit in Bozeman, at Montana State University.

We Can! is Cooking Up a Storm this Holiday Season and Beyond, with Eight New Regional Trainings on the Menu
Posted November 12, 2009

We Can! has more than just the holidays to prepare for starting in December 2009. We have regional trainings planned for eight locations around the country; all are open to anyone interested in attending.

From the Big Apple to the Bayou, $838,000 Grant to Children's Museum of Manhattan Goes Beyond Manhattan
Posted October 22, 2009

What Do New Orleans and the Bronx Have in Common? New Funds to Launch a We Can!-based Childhood Obesity Project for Young Children. Can the core messages of We Can !—to eat nutritiously, be more physically active, and spend less time in front of the TV or computer screen—be communicated effectively to young children?

Longtime We Can!™ Partner Plans Fall Regional Training
Posted July 18, 2009

In order to teach someone to do something well, it's important to have first-hand knowledge of the topic. So it comes as no surprise that one of our most eager, active, and long-standing partners—UPMC Health Plan—is once again stepping up to the plate, looking to train We Can! leaders this fall.

Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma signs agreement with We Can!
Posted July 18, 2009

Cherokee Nation is determined to become a Healthy Nation, and they're using We Can! to help. After issuing a proclamation announcing the Nation's partnership with We Can! back in October 2008, Cherokee Nation included a We Can! training in their annual conference this past April.

Soccer Star to Score Big for Three We Can! Communities
Posted July 18, 2009

A former Olympic star will be spreading We Can! messages about healthy lifestyle choices to our community sites and their Latino and Spanish-speaking participants. And we can thank our partner, SUBWAY® Restaurants, for it. Find out why.

Building Good Health in the Summer Heat
Posted July 18, 2009

It’s a two-for-one punch in Kentucky, where We Can! site leaders aren't just looking forward to two chances to beef up their program leadership skills—they can't wait to connect with other We Can! KY supporters to learn about what works in their corner of the Bluegrass State.

Scholastic Magazine Draws a Hot New Site to the We Can! Fold
Posted July 18, 2009

We have Scholastic magazine to thank for bringing We Can! to the attention of an enthusiastic mother of two with a third on the way. She tracked us down, incorporated our We Can! messaging and materials into a kids' fitness event she co-hosted in June, and then signed up her firm as a general community site in order to further spread the We Can! word.

We Can! in the West: Program Staff to Speak at Montana Health Care Summit
Posted July 18, 2009

In Montana, Senator Max Baucus has invited We Can! to present at his upcoming health care summit, to take place in August. The panel will address how schools can be wellness leaders in communities—the perfect discussion topic for We Can!

Savannah Site Hits Home Run for We Can! & Health
Posted July 18, 2009

In Savannah, site leaders celebrated We Can! Day in a major way in the minor leagues, kicking off their status as the newest We Can! City with a Community Field Day of kid-centered activities at the Savannah Sand Gnats game.

Healthy Living in the Spotlight: President Obama's Message to American Families
Posted July 10, 2009

In a recent speech at the American Medical Association, President Obama voiced his support for improving the health of children through better nutrition, increased physical activity and reduced screen time. The We Can! program shares these goals with the President, as it supports families and communities coming together to promote healthy weight in children through healthy lifestyles.

Kentucky Youth Bite into Smarter Foods
Posted April 10, 2009

Fried chicken is getting a more critical look in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where students are taking advantage of a unique adaptation of the "Go, Slow, and Whoa" concept, used by the We Can! program. The concept teaches youth and parents about better nutrition by providing examples of what types of foods fall into the "Go" (eat often), "Slow" (eat occasionally), and "Whoa" (eat rarely) food categories at their favorite restaurants.

Wild Enthusiasm for We Can! in West Virginia
Posted April 10, 2009

West Virginia’s tourism motto is "wild and wonderful"—and that’s the reception We Can! is getting there, too. In the last e-newsletter, we told you how the Office of Healthy Schools with the West Virginia Department of Education was offering $20,000 to be distributed in grants of up to a thousand dollars each for schools that wished to conduct the We Can! Energize Our Families: Curriculum for Parents and Caregivers.

We Can! Programming Blooming Across the Peach State
Posted April 10, 2009

With 49 sites registered for We Can!, Georgia ranks in the top ten We Can! states when it comes to number of registered sites. As you’ll see from the following stories, it’s also been a frontrunner for new developments in the first three months of this year.

Top Restaurant Chain Opens Doors to We Can!
Posted April 10, 2009

Hitting "nothing but net" wasn’t the only goal of the March 25 National P.E.P. (Play More, Eat Right, and Push Away the Screen) Rally at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. Before giving basketball tips to 8-year-old Melanie Sanchez, and other children, NIH Acting Principal Deputy Director Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., provided potentially life-changing tips.

Campaign Season Far from Over in Delaware
Posted February 4, 2009

Neither low temperatures, nor impending inaugural festivities just “down the block,” kept some 3,500 people from turning out for a special Martin Luther King Celebration in Wilmington, DE, on January 19.

We Can! Is One Hot Potato in Boise, Idaho
Posted February 4, 2009

Over a year ago, on January 15, 2008, Nancy Rush, R.D., We Can! community site leader and Community Health Promotion Manager for Idaho’s Central District Health Department, kicked off her first set of classes based on We Can!

Moving Mountains: West Virginia Offers State Grants to Run We Can!
Posted February 4, 2009

You can’t move a mountain. But if you’re We Can!, you can sure move the Mountain State… figuratively, at least. Having heard of We Can!’s presence nationwide, officials at the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools did some investigating. They decided our program provided the best fit to help its young Mountaineers climb the hill to better health.

New Year Brings New We Can! County
Posted February 4, 2009

Knoxville, located in Knox County in East Tennessee at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is a community committed to finding ways to improve the health and well being of its residents. On January 8, 2009, Knox County furthered this commitment by becoming a We Can! County.

Vietnamese Virginians Dive Head-first into We Can! Programming
Posted February 4, 2009

Vietnamese immigrant and mother of two Tran Nguyen is tickled pink over a portion-measurement trick—using her fist to measure appropriate portion size. She learned it while taking four We Can! classes in Fairfax, Virginia.

New Year’s Resolution: Inner-City Pensacola Gets in Shape
Posted February 4, 2009

The new year offers a new opportunity for the Health Solutions Team—a collaboration of West Florida groups—to find ways to lower the growing percentage of overweight children in Escambia County, FL, especially inner-city Pensacola.

Berrien Takes the "Brr!" Out of Winter Walking… and Focuses on Fitness in the New Year
Posted February 4, 2009

Most folks wait for warmer weather to kick off their New Year's resolutions, but not We Can! organizers in Berrien County, Michigan. Biting temperatures didn't keep them from organizing a children's walk to visit Santa Claus at the North Pole. That's because they took the walk indoors, to a mall Santa.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service-Member Thankful for New Rx for Health
Posted February 4, 2009

You may know Kentucky for its bluegrass, bourbon, and thoroughbred racing. What you might not know is that the state has the world’s longest cave system, the greatest length of navigable waterways and streams in the lower 48 states, and a We Can! community site that takes advantage of these natural resources.

 

2008

UPMC Health Plan's Visual Vignette Spreads Word About We Can!
Posted December 16, 2008

We Can! national partner UPMC Health Plan is sharing news of its success with We Can! programming through an educational video on its Web site, which averages 27,069 hits per week. But the Health Plan is taking it one step further by taking that video out into the field, presenting it to potential partners. The video includes vignettes about the program’s success in Armstrong County, details on Pittsburgh becoming a We Can! City, and more.

We Can! Delaware Partner Plans Big January Celebration
Posted December 16, 2008

Delaware Physicians Care, Inc. (DPCI) is kicking off its 2009 “We Can! Make Healthier Choices” anti-obesity awareness campaign during a special celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, on January 19, 2009. DCPI is a Gold Sponsor of the MLK Celebration in Wilmington, DE, and will be hosting its own “Wellness Zone” on site during the festivities. The “Zone” will provide a variety of interactive health, nutritional and educational activities for families attending the event.

Sunshine State Sheds Light on We Can! Activities
Posted December 16, 2008

We Can! activities cropped up across Florida literally kicking the holiday season into high gear in some places, including Marathon Scholars & T.U.F.F. Kids and a We Can! Overview Telebriefing.

National Council of Negro Women Leaders Learn Ways to Help Kids Avoid Holiday Bulge
Posted December 16, 2008

This fall, NCNW leaders gathered at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development to learn how to both present and train others on two health-education programs adapted from the We Can! curricula.

We Can! Newcomer Applauds Acting Surgeon General
Posted November 5, 2008

The South Dakota Discovery Center—a brand new We Can! site in Pierre, South Dakota—represented the We Can! program at a local round table conducted by Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven Galson on October 16.

We Can! in Chinese
Posted November 5, 2008

The Nutrition Services Division of San Francisco's Chinatown Public Health Center has been running We Can! programming for a little over a year now, and tailoring it to better speak to its primary audience of Chinese Americans.

Boston Trainers Help Spread the Word
Posted November 5, 2008

Ensuring that We Can! Parent Program facilitators are well trained is why the Boston Public Health Commission hosted a free "Train the Trainer" session on September 15. They used downloadable materials from the We Can! Energize Our Families: Parent Program Leader's Guide together with the Parent Handbook.

Fruitful Fall for We Can!
Posted November 5, 2008

In September, We Can! supporters in Indiana didn't need to be encouraged to spread the We Can! message to a captive, festival audience. They dove right in. Parkview Hospital seized the opportunity offered by the "Fort-4 Fitness Health Festival" on September 26–27 in Fort Wayne.

New Partners Take We Can! to the Next Level
Posted October 23, 2008

We Can! continues to add to its current list of more than 40 national and corporate partners. Notable additions include: U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Interior Fish & Wildlife Service & National Park Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Adolescent and School Health. Existing partners also had a busy summer reaching into their communities with our message.

¡Podemos!: We Can! en Español!
Posted October 23, 2008

Unity Health Care’s Cardoza Health Center is reaching out to the people it serves—in Spanish. Their effort is having a ripple effect through word of mouth. With statistics showing that the Hispanic community has seen an increase in the number of overweight children, the need for We Can! programs and materials in Spanish has never been greater.

We Can! Sweeping into Community Health Centers Coast to Coast
Posted October 23, 2008

Due in part to the help of new partners (see Partner Profile), We Can! is quickly catching on with community health centers and their patients.

Filled to the Rafters in Fairfax County, VA
Posted October 23, 2008

Despite the early morning hour, a We Can! training was met with great enthusiasm by various program managers in Fairfax County, in early September 2008.

The Volunteer State Lives Up to Its Name
Posted October 23, 2008

The Volunteer State is living up to its name. Tennesseans from small towns to big cities, and from the grassroots to the grass "tops," expanded the scope of We Can! programming in their communities, and became better educated about healthy eating and physical activity.

U.S. Department of Interior: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service
Posted June 11, 2008

The partnership with the U.S. Deparment of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service is founded upon a mutual interest in promoting healthy activities for youth and families. This partnership will provide We Can! Community Sites with a variety of new resources, including outdoor events and opportunities for fun, healthy activities on FWS lands and NPS lands.

We Can! and Acting U.S. Surgeon General Promote Turnoff Week 2008
Posted April 30, 2008

Turnoff Week 2008 (April 21-27) was very important to both We Can! and the Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H. The nationwide campaign raises public awareness about the effects of too much screen time and provides a great opportunity for children and families to spend less time in front of the TV and video games and adopt a healthier way of life.

More than 250 Attend We Can! Trainings
Posted January 29, 2008

In fall 2007, We Can! hosted two regional trainings that helped the movement grow: over 250 people attended, and over 75 new sites signed up in the following weeks.

Moer Foundation uses We Can! to Educate Boston Parents and Youth
Posted January 29, 2008

In Boston last fall, the Moer Foundation used We Can! program materials to discuss the importance of healthy eating with local parents and children.

Acting U.S. Surgeon General and NIH Director Announce Expanded We Can! Efforts
Posted January 29, 2008

In November 2007, We Can! held a media event at the Boston Children’s Museum, with simultaneous events held in eight other cities. Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson was in attendance to discuss We Can!’s inclusion in the HHS Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative.

500 Birmingham Adults and Children Come together for a We Can! Fun Run and Walk
Posted January 29, 2008

In Birmingham, Alabama, the Bethel Community Learning Center hosted a 5K Fun Run and Walk, for all Birmingham citizens to get moving and learn about healthy lifestyles.

H.J. Heinz Company
Posted January 29, 2008

The H.J. Heinz Company joined as a corporate partner at the We Can! November press event in Pittsburgh. They distributed magnets and We Can! Parent Handbooks at their October Employee Health Fair, will post We Can! resources on their company intranet, and plan to publish articles about We Can! in their monthly e-newsletter or on their company intranet at least once a year.

Delaware Physicians Care, Inc.
Posted January 29, 2008

Delaware Physicians Care, Inc. (DPCI) posted We Can! resources and content, as well as a hyperlink to the We Can! Web site in the Delaware Physicians Care Prevention and Wellness Section of their corporate Web site and a press release outlining the program. They also implemented a We Can! and CATCH! Kids Club initiative to Delaware 's citizens and to its after-school programs. We Can! is highlighted in the quarterly “Partnerships in Health” newsletter, which reaches 900 community stakeholders. 

National Black Nurses Association
Posted January 29, 2008

The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) is a non-profit organization representing about 150,000 nurses from the United States, Eastern Caribbean, and Africa, with 76 chartered chapters nationwide. The mission of NBNA is to improve the quality of life of all African Americans. In October 2007, NBNA printed an article announcing its partnership with We Can! in its newsletter, which is distributed quarterly to its 3,000 members.

 

2007

We Can! City Spotlight: Gary, IN
Posted October 2, 2007

Since becoming a We Can! City, Gary, IN, has been leveraging its efforts to have an impact on the state level, including working with the Governor of Indiana.

South Bend Serves as a Mentor to New Site in Columbus, Indiana
Posted October 2, 2007

The South Bend, Indiana, We Can! Community Site has been conducting outreach work to mentor newer We Can! sites in their area.

Boston Site Gets We Can! Into Public Schools
Posted October 2, 2007

Boston Steps is collaborating with Boston Public Schools to support hosting We Can! parent classes.

We Can! County Holds Kickoff Event
Posted October 2, 2007

We Can! is proud to announce its very first We Can! County. Armstrong, PA, recently launched its HEAL Armstrong program in county schools.

Kentucky We Can! Coordinator Runs Parent Programs across the State
Posted October 2, 2007

Anita Courtney’s work in Kentucky is an example of statewide We Can! outreach. Ms. Courtney facilitates the We Can! Parent Program and uses a train-the-trainer model to get other We Can! leaders up to speed. Ms. Courtney's experience can help you make a difference through We Can!

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Posted October 2, 2007

We Can! is excited to announce the newest partner to join the We Can! movement to address childhood overweight–Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Host will feature an article on the We Can! program in its weekly e-newsletter, as well as include We Can! resources on their company intranet that reaches 200+ employees. As part of their initial activities, the company also plans to offer copies of the Parent Handbook to their employees and promote the materials to a Weight Watchers group they have formed within the company. We Can! is excited to have Host on board!

Highmark Foundation
Posted October 2, 2007

We Can! materials are now available on Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools, an initiative of the Highmark Foundation. Health eTools, a web-based portal, provides health resources to Pennsylvania schools. Through the Health eTools portal, Highmark Foundation provides a one-stop shop for school administrators and personnel to choose from a variety of materials that address nutrition and physical activity based on the Coordinated School Health Plan promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We Can! content and materials, including information about the We Can! Energize Our Families: Curriculum for Parents and Caregivers, all three youth curricula, and a host of additional NIH materials are available through the portal to over 80 school districts enrolled as Health eTools users. The enrollment represents an estimated 200,000 students. Highmark Healthy High 5 is a five-year, $100 million initiative of Highmark Foundation to promote lifelong, healthy behaviors in children and adolescents.

The Association of Children’s Museums
Posted October 2, 2007

In September 2007, the Association of Children’s Museums launched Good to Grow!, a multi-faceted initiative to address the pressing issue of childhood overweight and obesity. Good to Grow! is designed to: convene and sustain the conversation about the health of children and families; activate children and families through museum exhibits and programs; and improve the lives of children by increasing the healthy options available. The Good to Grow! program uses the valuable science based information that We Can! provides , and the Web site links to many We Can! resources.

The Association of Junior Leagues International
Posted October 2, 2007

We Can! and The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI), the women’s association dedicated to improving communities through the action of trained volunteers, have joined together to raise awareness of the issue of childhood overweight. AJLI began its childhood obesity and nutrition education initiative, Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen, in 2006. Through programs conducted by over 255 Junior Leagues and a comprehensive Web site, Kids in the Kitchen has helped to provide hundreds of thousands of children and their families with lessons and materials to empower youth to lead healthy lives. These include recipes, tips, an online educational nutrition game provided by Cartoon Network and local hands-on activities, such as cooking classes, health fair demonstrations, and grocery store tours. To date, AJLI has provided links to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and We Can! Web sites. AJLI has posted We Can! parent tips on the Healthy Tips section of the Kids in the Kitchen Web site. AJLI also includes a variety of We Can! materials in their “Program in a Box” kits designed to provide Junior Leagues with resources to use in their local initiatives.