Foundation Awards Grant For Expansion of the WISE SNAC Program to Address Issues Related to Childhood Obesity
Health Promotion Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania (HPC) was awarded $190,000 over one year in renewed support and expansion of the Wellness Initiative for the School Environment: Smart Nutrition and Activity Collaborative (WISE SNAC) Program. WISE SNAC is entering its third year working with North Penn, Souderton Area and Wissahickon School Districts.
Modeled on the evidence-based Coordinated School Health Program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WISE SNAC aims to build the capacity of these school districts and their surrounding communities to integrate and coordinate nutrition and physical activity resources and programming to address issues related to childhood obesity.
Over the next year, WISE SNAC will continue to build school district capacity through faculty training; promoting faculty/staffs’ role modeling capacity through wellness programming; establish, build and maintain involvement with numerous local community partners; support and increase engagement of families to promote healthy behaviors within the home environment and begin planning for a community summit and social marketing campaign designed to encourage consistent messaging around nutrition and physical activity and increase the local visibility of WISE SNAC within schools, homes and communities.
Additionally, the school districts will begin expanding WISE SNAC efforts into the middle and high school levels through programs, such as the “nrg (pronounced ‘energy’) Campaign” from the Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity. The nrg campaign engages teen groups and their adult leaders (teachers, group advisors) in healthy change efforts, and also recognizes and rewards groups for their nrg activities. Possible activities include producing media and messages, leading events and fundraisers, taking part in community and civic initiatives, and serving as role models for younger children. New this year will be an effort to introduce WISE SNAC opportunities to approximately eight local private and parochial schools that responded to a survey indicating interest in joining WISE SNAC.
To evaluate WISE SNAC and help guide, refine and enhance the value of future work, the foundation is providing support to HPC to develop a qualitative and quantitative assessment of its local efforts.
“The foundation is pleased to provide continued support for WISE SNAC. It is grateful for the strong support and endorsement by the local school districts and local community partners such as the North Penn and Ambler YMCAs and the Boys & Girls Clubs in Lansdale and Indian Valley that provide programs and services to assist our local children and youth to develop healthier lifestyles and dietary habits,” says Russell Johnson, President of the foundation. “With approximately 30% of our local elementary children presently overweight or at risk for being overweight, this program is very much needed.”
