ACFN Members Gather on Capitol Hill
On September 14, Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN), Congressional Fitness Caucus Founder and Co-Chair, addressed ACFN’s membership in Washington, D.C. In his remarks, Congressman Wamp spoke about a number of positive initiatives to address obesity at the state and federal level. He highlighted the Tennessee on the Move initiative in his home state as well as the Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) federal grant program created by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). Wamp applauded the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act (IMPACT), legislation that would authorize specific government programs designed to prevent, diagnose and treat overweight and obesity at the local level. The Congressman concluded by encouraging ACFN members to work with him and others in Congress on positive and proactive legislation aimed at improving the overall wellness of people across the United States.

Congressman Wamp’s keynote address was followed by presentations highlighting the success of ACFN’s pilot programs in New York and Baltimore. Advisory Board member Cecilia Pozo Fileti and B.J. Shaneman, a health and life skills coordinator for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Maryland, presented an inside look at the programs.

Summer Food, Fun and Fitness Leaves Healthy Mark on Baltimore
The Summer Food, Fun and Fitness program at Baltimore’s Pleasant View Gardens Boys and Girls Club came to a close on August 20. Today, more than 100 young chefs-in-training have a better idea of the importance of both nutrition and physical activity in achieving overall health.

The program, a joint effort between ACFN, the Boys & Girls Club of Central Maryland and the Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts, had the support of many in the community including Congressman Elijah Cummings and Governor Bob Ehrlich. Throughout the summer, the Pleasant Valley children participated in weekly cooking lessons, basic nutrition instruction, an online educational component at kidnetic.com and fitness activities. Together these lessons helped teach the children ways to incorporate healthy eating and fun physical activity into their daily lives.

Program highlights included visits to the Baltimore International Culinary College and a very exciting trip to the Baltimore Ravens training camp. Currently ACFN is working to develop a community resource kit to serve as a blueprint for the replication of the eight-week program in communities across America.

ACFN Heads to Anaheim for Food and Nutrition Conference
ACFN will be participating in a number of events at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo that will be held from October 2 through October 5 in Anaheim, California. In addition to exhibiting on the Expo floor, ACFN Chair Sue Finn will be moderating "The Role of Industry and Healthcare Professionals," a panel sponsored by the ADA’s Weight Management practice group and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Nutrition. The Harvard program is being spearheaded by ACFN Advisory Board member Dr. George Blackburn and will bring together a variety of professionals in academia, government and industry to discuss science-based solutions to obesity.

ACFN will also co-host a reception with Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) on Saturday evening, October 2 from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. The event will bring together members of ACFN’s Advisory Board and nutrition professionals from the food and beverage industry. We are looking forward to this networking event and are hopeful that it will forge a strong foundation for collaboration among the many organizations and corporations that are working toward effective obesity solutions.

Federal Education Grants
As part of its efforts to create awareness of positive obesity solutions, ACFN has worked to focus attention on the availability of the Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) federal grants. PEP grants help cover the costs to develop or expand physical education programs for students K-12. Now in its fourth year, the Education Department’s PEP program has served as a critical funding source for schools and community organizations nationwide.

The list of 2004 grant recipients will be announced on September 30, 2004. This year, $70 million in grant money is available through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.

Information on applying for the grants as well as a list of the local communities that have received the PEP awards is compiled on ACFN’s website at www.acfn.org.

Check Out What’s New at www.acfn.org
We encourage you to visit our website. In the coming weeks, video summaries of the pilot programs can be viewed online. As we add new materials and update information in our Resources and Taking Action sections, we strive to be the go-to source for those involved in the struggle against obesity. We welcome your feedback and hope that you will add yourself to our mailing list so that we may communicate with you more frequently.