The White House Office of Public Engagement is asking NASW and other national and community organizations to become involved in the 2010 “United We Serve” initiative – to combat childhood obesity and summer learning loss, by encouraging our nation’s youth to engage in summer reading, become more physically fit, and make healthy food choices. This initiative is an Administration-wide effort led by First Lady Michelle Obama and four federal agencies – the Departments of Education, Interior, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture. The “United We Serve” summer service initiative is a nationwide effort, calling on all Americans to make service a part of their daily lives,” said Mrs. Obama. “We are asking individuals and organizations to come together and devote their time and energy to help our kids stay active and healthy – and to keep them learning – all summer long.”
The program website offers ideas and toolkits that social workers can implement in agency or neighborhood settings:
http://www.serve.gov/toolkits.asp
The program suggests 10 easy ways for an individual to become involved in helping kids to exercise, eat healthy, and continue reading this summer:
- Help Build or rehab a playground
- Clear a walking trail
- Sponsor a sports tournament or camp for kids
- Help a child meet the President’s active lifestyle challenge: www.fitness.gov/challenge/index.html
- Conduct summer feeding program outreach
- Create a community garden
- Glean a local farm and donate the fresh produce to local food banks
- Read to kids
- Organize a book drive for children
- Organize a back to school supplies drive
Read more about NASW’s support for the Administration’s Childhood Obesity efforts in the June issue of NASW News:
