In late 2011, the Healthy Food Access Workgroup, part of Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan’s (HKHM)  Community Policy Action Team, reemerged with new leadership and began defining goals. Kathryn Colasanti, from the CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University, and Tina Reynolds, from the Michigan Environmental Council are co-chairing the workgroup.

Both co-chairs are interested in increasing access to fresh, healthy foods for all Michigan families, which is why they decided to co-chair the Healthy Food Access Workgroup and reinvigorate this HKHM policy priority area.

“All people deserve to be able to choose healthy foods and be able to access a diet that will allow them to be healthy and productive members of their families, communities and society more broadly,” said Colasanti.

Both co-chairs are committed to leading a cohesive, consistent Healthy Food Access Workgroup in 2012. Long term goals include identifying and affecting policy changes that
will extend the accessibility of fresh food to everyone in Michigan.  They are hoping workgroup participants stay engaged, especially during these initial phases where the group is identifying areas where they can be of the most impactful.

“Hopefully Workgroup members continue to attend monthly meetings, recruit colleagues and contribute their insights and ideas to help shape the Healthy Food Access Workgroup's agenda.  We're only as good as our ideas and I believe that if we have a diverse group of folks working on ways to improve food access we can be successful,” said Reynolds.
 
The co-chairs are reminding people that you don’t need an extensive background in farming or food science to join the workgroup, you only need an interest in children’s health.  

Anyone interested in joining the Healthy Food Access Workgroup can contact HKHM at healthykidshealthymi@gmail.com.

In an effort to combat childhood obesity, HKHM continues to build on the successful passage of statewide Complete Streets legislation by advancing
complimentary initiatives that promote non-motorized safety.
 
With over 60 locally adopted Complete Streets ordinances and resolutions, Michiganleads the nation with the most policies. As communities implement Complete Streets, more and more individuals will choose active transportation such as walking and biking. Improved infrastructure alone, however, does not guarantee safety.  “Share the Road” principles must be stressed and stiffer penalties should be
implemented for drivers who fail to safely coexist with non-motorized users.

 That’s why HKHM is supporting HB 4685 (Yonker, R-Caldonia) and 4686 (Santana, D-Detroit), legislation that creates enhanced penalties for drivers who injure or kill bicyclists, pedestrians or wheelchair users. Similar protections already exist in Michiganfor construction and farm workers.

“It is important that Michigan embrace our residents’ need for alternative transportation and physical activity and in order to do that, we need to create safe roads for our non-motorized
users,” said Rep. Yonker.

Modeled after European standards, vulnerable roadway user laws are gaining popularity in the United States. The label incorporates the inherent vulnerability of humans who use the roads without being encased in a protective steel shell and creates a more sympathetic perception of bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Non-motorists have every right to expect that drivers will safely maneuver around them. For drivers who fail to comply, there needs to be real consequences for bad-driver behavior,” said John Lindenmayer, Associate  Director of League of Michigan Bicyclists. “Becoming a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly state is not just about building more sidewalks and bike  lanes. It’s also about changing the culture to be friendlier towards bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Currently, crashes involving non-motorized users legally using public roads often result in minor consequences for careless drivers that cause serious injury. Unless there is proof of gross negligence on the part of the driver, limited legal provisions typically get employed. In
fact, it is not uncommon for blame to get shifted to victims with statements like, “this wouldn’t have happened if they weren’t in the road.” Vulnerable roadway user provisions provide law enforcement and prosecutors with enhanced penalties that fall between basic traffic infractions and a serious crime.

Walking and biking are on the rise in Michigan, unfortunately so are the number of bicycle and pedestrian injuries and fatalities, according to the Michigan State Police.  It is
imperative that Michiganbecomes a leader in protecting vulnerable roadway users just as we became a national leader in Complete Streets.

Recognizing that penalizing drivers after the fact is not enough to protect non-motorized users, HKHM is also working diligently on parallel efforts to enhance Michigan’s driver’s education curriculum to help prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place.
Look for more information on this effort in future newsletters.

As legislation is introduced and the Legislature
begins to take action on bills that address the HKHM policy priorities, it is crucial that members of HKHM meet with lawmakers to express their support or concern for bill language.  It’s also important to meet with lawmakers to educate them about the childhood obesity epidemic.
 
Meetings with lawmakers may, at times, seem intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. Lawmakers were elected to their positions to serve as the voice of their
local communities. Lawmakers want to hear from constituents on subjects that are timely and of importance to the local community.
 
Currently, the subject of childhood obesity is a hot topic in the news, but it is also a very broad topic. It is important, when talking to state lawmakers, to localize the subject matter.  In addition to localizing statistics and referencing local issues, also make sure to talk about the specific bill topic, for example, health and physical education in schools, access to healthy foods or school nutrition, and describe how it affects your community.
 
Because HKHM has such a wide variety of experts involved in the coalition, ranging from nutritionists to health care leaders to physical activity proponents, it is important to select an appropriate representative to speak with lawmakers. While it isn’t necessary to be an expert, it is important to be knowledgeable on the subject matter. Lawmakers want to know about the topics that are important to their constituents.

Also, it is important to personalize the story. Using a personal story can help paint a picture for the lawmaker and helps evoke empathy for your cause.
 
HKHM is supportive of members who are interested in meeting with lawmakers and HKHM has resources available to help provide any background information you may need or to offer council on the meeting itself. 

Please feel free to contact Judy Stewart, chair of the legislative committee, at judy.stewart@cancer.org with any questions you may have on lawmaker meetings.


Helpful Tips for Lawmaker Meetings:

Setting up the meeting 
  · To identify your local lawmaker and their contact information, visit http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/(House Members) or htrtp://www.senate.michigan.gov/fysenator/fysenator.htm(Senate Members)

  · If you live outside of the Lansing area, you can set up a meeting in your district, rather than coming to Lansing.

  · Depending on the time of year and the Legislature’s schedule, you may meet with staff from the lawmaker’s office -this is normal and just as efficient as speaking with the
lawmaker directly.

  ·  Contact HKHM at healthykidshealthymi@gmail.comwith the details about your
meeting.

At the meeting
  ·  Geography is key when you introduce yourself to your elected official. Tell them exactly where you live so they immediately know that you are a constituent and can vote in their
district. If possible, learn a little about your legislator’s recent voting record. If the lawmaker has previously voted favorably for an issue that HKHM supported, take this opportunity to briefly thank them for their support.

  ·  Provide the policy maker with local stories and/or basic statistics about your chosen issue. This could include personal stories and experiences. Policy makers especially appreciate real-life examples that put a human face on an issue.

  ·  Stay on message! Make a clear request of the policy maker. Ask for a commitment and then listen carefully to the response. Policy makers will often need some time to consider
supporting or opposing a proposed change, but they will often share important insights into their thought process.

 Meeting Follow-up 
  ·  Send a follow up note to the lawmaker or staff person whom you met with, be sure to thank them for meeting with you and, if appropriate, reiterate your request of the 
legislator.  If they told you they support your position in the meeting, thank them.

 ·   Depending on the outcome of the legislation, invite them to your local area (i.e. school, park, community garden, etc.) to show them how their support made a positive impact on
the community.

The holiday season is in full swing and so are classroom parties for students of all ages. Coalition members have the opportunity to reach out to their community and make changes that impact childhood obesity. Typical classroom party snacks consist of high calorie treats and are often the main focus of the party.  A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Education, and Behavior, described the observations made at four preschool and kindergarten classroom parties. At the two parties where fruit wasn't available, the kids each ate an average of 344 to 455 calories. But when fruit was also an option, the counts dropped somewhat, to 259 to 405 calories. A healthy child should be eating a variety of healthy food and beverages including colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, beans, nuts and lean proteins.  The amount of calories a child needs depends on how active the child is each day and ranges from 1,200 to 2,000 calories for children 4-8 years old.

This year, reach out to teachers about classroom parties and express interest in healthy parties that focus on activities and games rather than food. Click here for more information on healthy classroom parties from the Michigan Nutrition Standards toolkit. 
 
Classroom Party Activities:
 ·  Turn on some music and dance
 ·  Play a class game of kickball
 ·  Have extra art or music time
 ·  Create holiday cards for students to give to one another
 ·  Party games are always a hit! Have a scavenger hunt where children look for school supply items in their classroom or on the playground. 
 
Healthy Classroom Party Snacks:
100% Fuit/Vegetable Juice
Water/Flavored Water (calorie free)
Low fat or fat free milk
Fresh fruit assortment
Fruit and cheese kabobs
Vegetable tray
Cheese cubes or string cheese
Pretzels
Low fat popcorn
Graham crackers

You may see an up-to-date listing of Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan Policy Action Teams meetings and coalition activities on the events calendar.

Please send an e-mail healthykidshealthymi@gmail.com to receive complete meeting information or to be added to the e-newsletter distribution list.