Good Food and Physical Activity

Our children's health is directly linked to the quality of their food and the environments in which they grow and play. Food & Community invests in community-led efforts to increase access to good food and opportunities for physical activity. It's also about cultivating connections: reuniting people to the land, each other, and to their cultural heritage and traditions. Specific grantees include

• Food & Fitness Collaboratives. Food & Fitness was launched in 2006 as an extension of the Kellogg Foundation's legacy in food systems and community-based public health. Its vision for everyone—especially the most vulnerable children—is to have access to affordable, healthy, locally grown food, and opportunities to be physically active and play.
  
  In November 2009, nine Food & Fitness collaboratives were announced as part of Food & Community. Youth and community engagement continue to be at the core of this work. Collaborative locations include: Boston; Detroit; Holyoke, Mass.; New York City; Northeast Iowa; Oakland, Calif.; Philadelphia; Seattle/King County, Wash.;, and the Tohono O'odham Nation in south central Arizona.
• Community Food Projects. The food supply travels from field to fork via a chain of relationships among producer, distributor, retailer and eater. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports work that strengthens this food system within communities. By supporting the "value chain" of community food, the foundation contributes to building a new system that rewards sustainable production, treats growers and workers fairly, repairs the distribution supply chain, improves the health of families and the wealth of communities, and meets the growing demand for affordable, healthy, green and fair food.
  
  Community food projects are breaking new ground across the U.S., including: Kansas City, Mo., with Good Natured Family Farms in partnership with Hen House Market, Balls Price Chopper Supermarkets, and others; North Carolina through NC Choices and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project; Los Angeles through the Center for Food & Justice at Occidental College and other local partners; Florida through the Farmworker Association of Florida; Detroit through Eastern Market; and Philadelphia with Common Market.
• Health Care Without Harm. Hospitals serve meals seven days a week, 365 days a year. With such massive purchasing power, they represent an enormous catalyst for change in our national food system. Health Care Without Harm's Healthy Food in Healthcare Initiative is a national initiative to encourage healthy and sustainable food purchasing in hospital cafeterias and patient meals.
• Michigan Integrated Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS). The median family income in Covert, Mich. is $28,586. The generational experiences of youth in Covert have shown how difficult it is to achieve economic sustainability in the community. Through a pilot project, MIFFS is working with Covert youth to develop the financial, organizational, agricultural, nutritional and physical skills it takes to be successful in life.
• New Mexico Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The New Mexico Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts aims to make New Mexico a better place to live by improving water quality and conserving water supplies. They support the acequia system of northern New Mexico by assisting farmers and ranchers in learning how conserve the state's natural resources while helping rural economies.