How Berkeley Took on Big Soda and Won

The Berkeley Healthy Child Coalition wants to tell the story of how Berkeley took on Big Soda and won – so communities everywhere can watch, learn, and think about their own strategies to stand up for health.

Congress Must Reject the DARK Act

#StopTheDARKAct 202-224-3121

“…food companies have fought mandatory disclosures as long as there have been food labels. Determined legislators and consumer advocates have always had to fight for labels designed to cure consumer confusion, including everything from “orange juice from concentrate” to “imitation crab.” The same goes for state-mandated food label disclosures, which are clearly permitted under the National Labeling and Education Act. In this case, state GMO labeling laws are all virtually identical, so claims of a “patchwork” quilt are a (industry-engineered) red herring.” Scott Faber
 

Ignoring The Precautionary Principle, #EPA Continues to Promote Toxic Sewage Sludge

Jake, Jenny, David and Melody Fund

These wonderful friends have always shown such generosity of spirit, always helping others in need. In the days and weeks following the recent Wimberley flood, these friends banded together to assist. They organized fund raisers, volunteered time, cooked thousands of tacos and got the word out. Their community needed help and they provided it.

Now it is our turn to help them. This is a life changing event, and these four friends are now tasked with rebuilding their lives. They have nowhere to live, no transportation, and very few belongings left – hard to imagine how that must feel. Anything that you are able to give will help them put the pieces back together.

Not everyone in Austin has a healthy choice. Will you help?

Right now, as the Austin City Council considers the fiscal year 2015-2016 city budget, we need your help to make the healthy choice the easy choice for all Austinites.

A diet including fresh fruits and vegetables is imperative to healthy eating and healthy bodies. But not everyone in Austin has a healthy choice. Many people in our community live in neighborhoods lacking any fresh or healthy food options.

Coupled with limited mobility and transportation, shopping for and cooking a healthy meal for one’s family is all but impossible for too many Austinites. Community stakeholders overwhelmingly agree there is a need in Austin for a properly funded Healthy Corner Store Initiative program to improve the quality of life in areas lacking healthy food options. This program will help small-scale stores, such as convenience stores, corner stores and neighborhood stores offer healthy food options and engage with local communities to develop support for healthy food options.

The Healthy Corner Store Initiative proposed budget item is at risk. Some council members want to change the intent of the program, which would limit its impact on the health of all Austinites.

Yesterday, the concept menu item 1.29 for a Healthy Corner Store Initiative was decreased to $150,000. An increase in funding of no less than $100,000 while maintaining the $50,000 for a retail education coordinator totals $300,000 and is ideal. This is necessary for the success of the program and will provide impactful healthy food access in underserved, low to moderate income areas. Without proper and adequate funding, we lose the opportunity to fully address the community need and the program will not have the essential public health impact.

Please contact Mayor Adler and your council member to ask them to increase funding for a Healthy Corner Store Initiative today.

Thank you!

Victoria Nelson Victoria Nelson
Grassroots Director
Voices for Healthy Kids, Texas
American Heart Association

P.S. Mark your calendar for next week: Attend city council meetings during voting on the budget on September 8, 9 and 10! We will be providing T-shirts for volunteers. Reply to [email protected] with any times you are free to attend.