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We Can!, Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition Ways to Enhance
Children's Activity
& Nutrition

List of National Partners/Supporting Organizations

Two boys wearing goggles and capes

We Can!® is proud to work with a variety of national partners to help prevent childhood obesity and improve the health of America's youth. These partner organizations leverage their networks, infrastructure, and communication channels to effectively and efficiently spread the We Can! messages and materials to parents and communities.

On this page you can read more about each of our national partners and learn how they are supporting We Can!.

Learn more about how your organization can get involved as a national partner or supporting organization.

National Partners

Supporting Organizations

National Partners

Action for Healthy Kids
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/
Action for Healthy Kids is the only nonprofit organization formed specifically to address the epidemic of overweight, undernourished, and sedentary youth by focusing on changes at school. Action for Healthy Kids works in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to improve children's nutrition and increase physical activity, which will in turn improve their readiness to learn.

American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org/
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is the national association of family doctors. One of the largest national medical organizations, with more than 94,000 members in 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam, the Academy was founded to promote and maintain high quality standards for family doctors who are providing continuing comprehensive health care to the public. Additional information is offered through Americans in Motion (AIM), an AAFP initiative designed to improve the health of all Americans by implementing a multifaceted fitness program addressing physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being in the individual, family and community; http://www.americansinmotion.org.

American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. The AAP has approximately 60,000 members in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. Members include pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists. More than 34,000 members are board-certified and called Fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/Public/
With nearly 65,000 members, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) is the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health, and well-being.

Association of Children's Museums
http://www.childrensmuseums.org
Children's museums bring families together to learn through play in nurturing, engaging environments. Beloved by children and trusted by parents and educators, children's museums are uniquely positioned to support and encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles. The Association of Children's Museums (ACM) is an international organization representing 350 museums with a reach of 31 million people annually. In 2005, ACM launched Good to Grow!, a field-wide, multi-faceted initiative to address the pressing issue of childhood overweight and obesity. Good to Grow! is designed to: convene and sustain the conversation about the health of children and families; activate children and families through museum exhibits and programs; improve the lives of children by increasing the healthy options available; and develop new models of collaboration. Visit the Good to Grow! website at http://www.goodtogrow.org/.

Association of Junior Leagues International
http://www.ajli.org/
The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Junior Leagues reach out to women of all races, religions, and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to volunteerism.

Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors
http://www.astphnd.org/
The Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors is a nonprofit membership organization that provides national and state leadership on food and nutrition policy, programs, and services.

CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyYouth/index.htm
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) seeks to prevent the most serious health risk behaviors among children, adolescents, and young adults. The Division conducts surveillance activities to monitor six categories of priority health risk behaviors among all 50 states. DASH synthesizes research findings to identify policies and practices that are most likely to be effective in promoting healthy behaviors among young people. DASH also funds several programs to enable its constituents to implement comprehensive adolescent and school health programs. Finally, DASH provides technical assistance to state and local education agencies to help them evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their school health policies, teacher training, and curricula.

Chefs for Humanity
http://www.chefsforhumanity.com
Chefs for Humanity is an alliance of culinary professionals and educators working in partnership with U.S. and global organizations, providing nutrition education, hunger relief, and emergency and humanitarian aid to reduce hunger across the world. The Chefs for Humanity Chefs Council and Chefs Corps volunteer their time, expertise, culinary and nutritional knowledge in support of national and world-wide relief programs working to reduce hunger.

Cherokee Nation
http://www.cherokee.org
The Cherokee Nation is a federally recognized Indian Nation and is the second largest Indian tribe in the United States with more than 278,000 citizens. Almost 70,000 of these Cherokees reside in the 7,000 square mile area of the Cherokee Nation which is not a reservation, but a jurisdictional service area that includes the entirety of eight counties and portions of six others in northeastern Oklahoma. The remaining members are spread out through out the United States.

The Cherokee Nation is dedicated to working with their communities, families, and individuals to promote and improve their health. They promote healthy communities through increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, and preventing tobacco abuse. Through their Healthy Nation program they sponsor a variety of activities to provide native youth with the opportunity to learn and practice behaviors that promote a healthy lifestyle. As part of these efforts, The Cherokee Nation is integrating We Can! curricula into their existing health and outreach programs. In addition, they hosted a We Can! training at their legislative conference in April 2009.

Children's Museum of Manhattan
http://www.cmom.org
The mission of the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMoM) is to inspire children and families to learn about themselves and the culturally diverse world through a unique environment of interactive exhibitions and programs. CMoM’s four priority areas are meant to impact children in ways that will last a lifetime: early childhood education; creativity in the arts and sciences; exploration of world cultures; and healthy lifestyles programs that provide a blueprint for a family's physical, emotional and environmental well being.

CMoM also created a new Healthy Lifestyle’s outreach program, in which students discover how their bodies work to keep them healthy and why it is important to make smart lifestyle choices. Each session includes a demonstration followed by a hands-on project. The curriculum incorporates key messages from the We Can! program and are designed to meet performance standards for life sciences, scientific thinking and investigation.

Health Resources and Services Administration
http://www.hrsa.gov
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. HRSA provides national leadership, program resources and services needed to improve access to culturally competent, quality healthcare.

Highmark Foundation
http://www.highmarkbcbs.com
Highmark Healthy High 5 is an initiative of Highmark Foundation. The initiative is a five-year, $100 million effort to promote lifelong, healthy behaviors in children and adolescents. It recently added We Can! to its Health eTools for Schools Web-based portal designed to monitor student Body Mass Index (BMI) and improve school nutrition, nutrition education, and physical activity programs in schools across Pennsylvania. The We Can! section features all program curricula and encourages schools across Pennsylvania to sign-up and become We Can! Community Sites. To date, the web portal has been adopted by over 85 school districts in Pennsylvania, reaching an estimated total of 230,000 students K through 12.

NAASO, The Obesity Society
http://www.naaso.org/
NAASO, The Obesity Society, is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. Since 1982, NAASO has been committed to encouraging research on the causes and treatment of obesity and to keeping the medical community and public informed of new advances.

National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
http://www.chronicdisease.org/
The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) is a national public health association, founded in 1988 to link the chronic disease program directors of each state and U.S. territory to provide a national forum for chronic disease prevention and control efforts. NACDD has 58 voting members and more than 500 regular and associate members. NACDD works to reduce the impact of chronic diseases on the American population by advocating for preventative policies and programs, encouraging knowledge sharing, and developing partnerships for health promotion.

National Association of County and City Health Officials
http://www.naccho.org/
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is the national organization representing local health departments. NACCHO supports efforts that protect and improve the health of all people and all communities by promoting national policy, developing resources and programs, seeking health equity, and supporting effective local public health practice and systems.

National Health Museum
http://www.nationalhealthmuseum.org/
The National Health Museum (NHM) is a new kind of museum that provides services and attractions "outside" the institution's walls using the Internet and other distribution platforms, as well as "inside" a landmark building. The NHM model features a virtual CyberMuseum and a physical Experience Museum. The two are paired and interlocking components of a single concept that allow NHM to operate as a digital organization while planning and constructing a world class architectural complex. Both museums provide visitors with self-guided and transforming journeys through the worlds of health and life science. NHM is a non-governmental, nonprofit corporation operated in association with an NHM-led national network of science museums and public health organizations. NHM trustees include leaders in health, medicine, and public service and they are funded by a mix of individual, corporate, foundation, and government contributors.

National Hispanic Medical Association
http://www.nhmamd.org/
Established in 1994 in Washington, DC, the National Hispanic Medical Association is a non-profit association representing 36,000 licensed Hispanic physicians in the United States. The mission of the organization is to improve the health of Hispanics and other underserved populations. As a rapidly growing national resource based in the nation's capital, NHMA provides policymakers and health care providers with expert information and support in strengthening health service delivery to Hispanic communities across the nation.


National Latina Health Network
http://www.nlhn.net
Established in 1997, the National Latina Health Network (NLHN) is a growing network of individuals and organizations dedicated to improving the quality of health among Latinas and their families. NLHN develops culturally appropriate and value-based health prevention programs that empower Latinas to make informed decisions about their health and that of their families.


National Wildlife Federation®
http://www.greenhour.org
National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) mission is to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. Their conservation work focuses on three major areas: confronting global warming, protecting and restoring wildlife habitat, and connecting with nature. As a part of their efforts, NWF recommends that parents give their kids a "Green Hour" every day - a time for unstructured play and interaction in the natural world. This can take place in a garden, a backyard, the park down the street, or any place that provides safe and accessible green spaces where children can play and learn.


The partnership is a great fit because both NWF and We Can! encourage parents and children to get active outdoors and reduce “screen time” in front of a TV or computer. By replacing some “screen time” with “green time,” both We Can! and NWF hope to set children on the path toward greater physical and mental well-being.
To give parents and caregivers the information, tools, and inspiration to get their kids and themselves outdoors, NWF has created WWW.GREENHOUR.ORG. It is a weekly online publication with family-friendly content that provides a supportive, virtual community where families can share their outdoor experiences and backyard adventures. NWF intends to include We Can! materials on the Green Hour site. In addition, NWF will work closely with We Can! to develop additional resource materials focused on getting outdoors that can be shared with its 4 million members, partners, and supporters.


Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/
Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) plays a vital role in strengthening the disease prevention and health promotion priorities of the Department within the collaborative framework of the HHS agencies. ODPHP provides leadership, coordination, and policy development for disease prevention and health promotion programs by: (1) providing a cohesive framework for the prevention activities of the Department through Healthy People 2010, HealthierUS, and Steps to a HealthierUS; (2) serving as the focal point within HHS for nutrition policy development, communication, and coordination through the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other nutrition and obesity initiatives; (3) developing and promoting innovative approaches to communicating health information through the National Health Information Center, including healthfinder.gov; and (4) supporting health professionals' education, conducting policy research, and disseminating information specific to disease prevention and health promotion.


President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
http://www.fitness.gov/
The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is an advisory committee of presidentially appointed private citizens who advise the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services about physical activity, fitness, and sports in America. Through its programs, information, campaigns, and partnerships with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, the Council serves as a catalyst to develop, implement, and promote health, physical activity, fitness, and sports programs for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to instill healthy and fit habits. The 20 Council members are appointed and serve at the pleasure of the President. The President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program is a long-standing presidential awards program with three components: physical activity, fitness, and health fitness. Additional information can be found on their two websites: www.fitness.gov and www.presidentschallenge.org.


Spirit of Women
http://spiritofwomen.org
Spirit of Women is a national network for women's health comprised of American hospitals, physicians, nurses, therapists, and corporate partners joined together to find innovative ways to educate and inspire women and their families to better health.


U.S. Department of the Interior: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service
http://www.doi.gov/
http://www.fws.gov/
http://www.nps.gov/
The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the nation's principal conservation agency. Its mission is to protect America's treasures for future generations, provide access to our nation's natural and cultural heritage, offer recreational opportunities, honor our trust responsibilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives and our responsibilities to island communities, conduct scientific research, provide wise stewardship of energy and mineral resources, foster sound use of land and water resources, and conserve and protect fish and wildlife. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Park Service (NPS) are both within the DOI, under the Assistant Secretary of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

The FWS is the nation's principal wildlife conservation agency, working to conserve fish and wildlife resources while also providing wildlife-related recreational opportunities to Americans. As the relationship between a healthy, natural environment and the health and well-being of the American people becomes clearer, FWS is focusing on connecting children and their parents to nature by promoting healthy, physical activity in the outdoors through its Let's Go Outside! campaign.
The NPS cares for national parks, a network of nearly 400 natural, cultural, and recreational sites across the nation. The NPS helps communities across America to preserve and enhance important heritage and close-to-home recreational opportunities. Grants and assistance are offered to create community parks and local recreational facilities, conserve rivers and streams, and develop trails and greenways. NPS oversees youth and family programming such as the Junior Ranger and Webranger programs and the Volunteers in Parks program, and provides technical assistance for outdoor recreation and conservation projects through the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA). Currently RTCA is working in nearly 300 communities and a number of projects are incorporating a youth and physical activity component.

Supporting Organizations

American College of Sports Medicine
http://www.acsm.org/
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is dedicated to advancing health through science, education, and medicine. Specifically, ACSM advances and integrates scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. A large part of the ACSM mission is devoted to public awareness and education about the positive aspects of physical activity for people of all ages, from all occupations. ACSM has a wide-ranging publications program consisting of four journal offerings, a bimonthly electronic newsmagazine, and numerous book and video products centered on the study of sports medicine, exercise science, and health and fitness.

Nemours Health & Prevention Services
http://www.Nemours.org/GrowUpHealthy
Nemours is a nonprofit organization dedicated to children's health and health care, with a pediatric hospital in Delaware and outpatient facilities in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Nemours Health & Prevention Services (NHPS), headquartered in Newark, Delaware, works with families and communities to help children grow up healthy. Their goal is nothing short of a culture change where each sector of the community - public and private - places the highest value on the health and well-being of all children.

Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion
http://www.nrgbalance.org
The Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital is committed to improving physical activity and healthy eating behaviors of youth and families in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Last Updated: February 13, 2013