LET'S MOVE! CITIES, TOWNS & COUNTIES HONORS SHAPE UP WITH 5 MEDALS

"We applaud local elected

officials in Somerville for stepping up to the challenge of

Let's Move! Cities, Towns and

Counties and making measurable progress in their efforts to improve children's

health," said NLC President Ted Ellis, mayor of Bluffton, IN. 

Five medals - two gold, one silver,

and two bronze - were awarded to Shape Up Somerville for action taken to improve access to healthy affordable food and

increase opportunities for physical activity. 

Medals were awarded for Shape Up Somerville's achievements in the areas

of early childhood nutrition programs; healthy dining, vending, and farmer

market programs; universal free breakfast and free/reduced lunch programs in

all public schools; a model food and nutrition service program; and increasing opportunities

for physical activity.

In the ten years since its

inception, Shape Up Somerville has been successfully integrated into every

aspect of municipal policy-making, from recreation programming and parks

expansion to school food services, and from urban agriculture and farmers

markets programs to transit-, pedestrian-, and bike-friendly development

strategies.  Through the partnership with

LMCTC and the support of the National League of Cities and First Lady Michelle

Obama, recent accomplishments have included securing interagency collaboration,

through Head Start, to build a Family Learning Collaborative and health food

program for preschool students; offering universal free breakfast to students

in grades K-8, with the addition of fresh salad bars and health vending options

in all schools by the end of the 2013-14 school year; and the creation of

policies and ordinances around school recess, urban agriculture and zoning,

multimodal transit options (including painting more than 25 miles of bike lanes

in the last three years and a regional bike share program), and increasing

numbers of play spaces for resident of all ages.

"Every policy decision we

make is guided by one orienting value: 

making Somerville a great place to live, work, play and raise a

family.  Our work on core issues such as

increasing access to fresh, wholesome foods and opportunities for physical

activity has helped us to cultivate a healthier, happier, and more productive

community," said Mayor Curtatone.  "As

the most densely populated, and one of the most diverse communities in New

England, the challenge of nurturing healthy eating and lifestyles is greatly

increased by cultural and economic diversity as well as a lack of open space

for outdoor recreation.  With the support

of First Lady Obama and LMCTC, we have made great strides in these areas, and we

are honored to be considered among some of the nation's most successful communities

on this issue."

All LMCTC sites have the

opportunity to earn up to five gold medals, one for each actionable goal they

commit to as part of the initiative. The five goal areas are:

• Goal 1: Start Early, Start Smart: Promoting best practices for nutrition, physical
  
  activity, and screen time in early care and education settings

• Goal 2: My Plate, Your Place: Prominently displaying MyPlate in all municipal or
  
  county venues where food is served

• Goal 3: Smart Servings for Students: Increasing participation in school breakfast and
  
  lunch programs

• Goal 4: Model Food Service: Implementing healthy
  
  and sustainable food service guidelines that are aligned with the Dietary
  
  Guidelines for Americans

• Goal 5: Active Kids at Play: Increasing opportunities for physical activity

The National League of Cities (NLC) is

the lead collaborating partner on this initiative, working with the U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National

Association of Counties, and other nonprofit organizations, in assisting local

elected officials to implement policy and environmental changes to prevent

childhood obesity.  The Robert Wood

Johnson Foundation has awarded NLC a grant to provide technical assistance to

local elected officials working to create healthier communities and prevent

childhood obesity, including sites participating in LMCTC.