We Can!^® in Action eNewsletter Archive

Fall 2012

• The We Can! Fall eNewsletter introduces We Can!'s multimedia public service announcement campaign and reports on a training held for our national partner, Take off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS). We have also been hard at work creating and updating tip and factsheets to use as references when trying to stay healthy.
• We Can! Champion: Chipley, located in the panhandle region of Florida, is a small town of only 3,000 people. At We Can!, we think one of its residents is one in a million—our fall We Can! Champion, Ted Everett.
• Community Site Spotlight: In Baltic, South Dakota, students, parents, and teachers participated in We Can! health events and a fitness challenge where they logged a quarter of a million minutes of physical activity to promote healthier lifestyles.
• Community Site Spotlight: A family center in the South Bronx, New York, is spicing things up! MARC Academy is changing the way they serve and prepare foods leaving the added salt and sugar off the table.
• You Asked, We Answered: Learn NHLBI's suggestions for scheduling We Can! programs with hectic schedules and about new materials available for distribution.
• In Other News: New and updated tip and fact sheets are available on the We Can! website.

Summer 2012

• The We Can! Summer eNewsletter welcomes Share Our Strength and soccer star Dwayne de Rosario in our effort to help children maintain a healthy weight. This summer, we also have revised, easy-to-read tip sheets to use in your communities with parents and children.
• We Can! Champion: Marisa Langford, founder of Fit Kids Playground, uses coffee to draw in parents for the We Can! Parent Program in Tampa, FL.
• Community Site Spotlight: Learn how Children in Action Sports Club uses We Can! curricula to teach healthy habits to parents and children.
• Community Site Spotlight: Learn how Adams County Health Center is bringing We Can! lessons about healthy lifestyle to parents and youth in their communities.
• Partner Spotlight: We Can! welcomes Share Our Strength as an exciting new national partner that will be collaborating with We Can! to help spread the word about the links between nutrition and physical activity to childhood obesity.
• You Asked, We Answered: Get more information on gathering feedback from We Can! Parent Program participants, and where to get started if you're taking over We Can! efforts.
• In Other News: A new, updated version of the Partnership Presentation, Community Partnerships: Helping Children Maintain a Healthy Weight is now available! The revised presentation is now more current, succinct, and easier to use.

Spring 2012

• The We Can! eNewsletter debuts with a new design and new topics. This spring, We Can! encourages you to go green for Earth Day and to turn off those electronic devices and head outside to get more physical activity.
• We Can! Champion: Doctoral candidates Hannah Weiss and Kaitlin Brasier at the University of San Diego partner with the Children's Physicians Medical Group and Rady Children's Hospital to run the We Can! Parent Program.
• Community Site Spotlight: Learn how the Move More Kids Program in Somerset County, Maine, is using We Can! to create county-wide change.
• Community Site Spotlight: Find out how the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center in Waukegan, Illinois, is adapting the We Can! Parent Program to make it work best for participants.
• Partner Spotlight: See how an insurance company is supporting the health and wellness of its clients through We Can! programming.
• You Asked, We Answered: Get more details on the We Can! listserv message about hosting an HBO movie screening.
• In Other News: The Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, a We Can! Intensive community site, educated 80 community leaders about We Can! at a regional training.

March 2012

• We Can! has a new approach for 2012! We have assigned a member of our community site assistance team to every site across the country—including yours! Our goal is to help every site sustain, or grow, a successful We Can! program. Whether you need help with getting started, training your staff or volunteers, or just brainstorming some fresh ideas, your regional liaison is just an e-mail or phone call away.
• Community Site Awards: Eighteen community sites received an award for 2012 to help them implement We Can!'s parent and youth curricula and promote the program's health messages.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: We are starting off 2012 with more than 1,700 registered community sites, and the number increases every week. We have seen a surge of new community sites in the Northeast region, particularly in New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
• Call for Stories: Be featured in our next eNewsletter.

November 2011

• We Can! has been busy during the summer months developing new resources that promote healthy nutrition choices and increased physical activity. As you know, we have also been working to identify a new support contractor for the program. We are pleased to welcome Ogilvy Washington to our team. In the coming weeks, you will be hearing from several new team members about community site news, activities, events, and programming guidance when needed.
• We Can! Across the Country and the World: There are now more than 1,700 registered community sites, including 31 We Can! Cities/Counties in all 50 states and 12 other countries. This marks a big change from nearly six years ago, when the program launched with 14 founding intensive sites.

May 2011

• We Can! community sites are springing into action–implementing curricula; hosting events; and promoting messages of healthy eating, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time. This past winter, 30 community sites received funding to implement and promote We Can! in their communities.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: There are now more than 1,510 registered community sites, including 31 We Can! Cities/Counties.
• Partner Profile: Our partners have been busy finding new ways to increase awareness of the We Can! program. In Washington, DC, thousands of mayors gathering at the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting had a chance to hear more about the We Can! City program.

February 2011

• Was one of your New Year's resolutions to use more We Can! materials and strategies in 2011? Start the year with some inspiration from community sites and partners that are using We Can! programming to help families and children maintain a healthy weight.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: We Can! now has over 1,450 registered community sites across the U.S. and in 12 other countries, including 30 We Can! Cities and Counties.
• Partner Profile: The ODS Companies have hosted a series of activities. The National Association of School Nurses is promoting We Can! to more than 14,500 of their members through various communications vehicles. The Children's National Medical Center held a DC Family Wellness Day and Day for Kids, aiming to equip youth and parents with skills they need to maintain healthy lifestyles.

October 2010

• The first We Can! video contest was won by a video called "We Can MOVE IT!" from the University of South Carolina Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health's GoodBodies program; We Can! posters that ran in over 4,000 buses and subway cars in 13 different cities around the country brought our program to the attention of approximately 335 million people.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: The program has over 1,400 registered community sites, including 29 We Can!Cities/Counties; Georgia We Can! activities have garnered plenty of media coverage; Maine has seen a swell of We Can! activity; a new We Can! partnership in Maryland has led to successes in events, curriculum implementation, and local media coverage.
• Partner Profile: UPMC Health Plan hosted a regional training, attended a Strategy Workshop, and entered a submission in the We Can! video contest; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is using partnerships in their local community to host We Can! classes and other events.

July 2010

• In five years, We Can! has grown from 14 pilot sites to over 1,300 registered sites; We Can! is running a series of activities, including a video contest, to recognize the dedication of our sites, partners, and supporting organizations.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: The program has 1,328 registered sites, including 22 We Can! Cities and Counties; Atlanta becomes a We Can! City; We Can! trainings have taken place across the country; in Nevada, a group has turned GO, SLOW, and WHOA into a song with a music video.
• Partner Profile: New We Can! partner SPARK brings a new curriculum to the program; two strategy workshops gave stakeholders a chance to meet and share ideas; a SUBWAY® restaurant franchise is supporting We Can! programming in Georgia.

February 2010

• With a new decade underway and spring in the air, soccer star Tab Ramos earned We Can! media coverage through a three-stop speaking tour; new tip sheets and matte articles have been posted to the We Can! website.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: We Can! now has 1,225 registered sites, including 18 We Can! Cities and Counties; SUBWAY® restaurants is helping to sponsor regional trainings across the country; more details about Tab Ramos's event tour.
• Partner Profile: In Pittsburgh, We Can! partner UPMC Health Plan teamed up with a local community site to reach out to the community with We Can! messages; FlagHouse, the corporation behind CATCH Kids Club, becomes a We Can! partner.
  
  

November 2009

• We Can! announced its newly redesigned website, making it easier for community sites, partners, and other users to find tips, resources, success stories, and other materials.
• We Can! Across the Country and World: The program has 1,186 registered site, including 17 We Can! Cities and Counties; First Lady Michelle Obama visited a We Can! site in Washington, DC; We Can! participated in a health summit organized by Montana Senator Max Baucus; We Can! has eight regional trainings planned for winter and spring.
• Partner Profile: The Children's Museum of Manhattan was awarded a grant to test an adapted version of the We Can! Parent Program with a younger audience; Scholastic and SUBWAY® restaurants announced the winner of the Healthy Lifestyles essay contest; Big Green Company developed a television series designed to get kids up and moving; ODS Health Plan, Inc., joins We Can! as a partner.

July 2009

• Summer heated up as several important We Can! events took place throughout the country: There were two We Can! trainings in Kentucky, Senator Max Bacus held a Health Summit in Montana, and Cherokee Nation conducted a We Can! training during its annual conference.
• We Can! Across the Country: We Can! now has a total of 1,110 registered community sites, including 15 We Can! Cities and Counties in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 11 other countries; Savannah site leaders kicked off their new status as a We Can! City with a Community Field Day; President Obama put the health of America’s families in his sights in a recent speech.
• Partner Profile: Tab Ramos and SUBWAY will be spreading the
  We Can! message about healthy lifestyle choices to community sites and their Latino and Spanish-speaking participants; UPMC is planning on hosting a We Can! training this fall.

April 2009

• Celebrity boxer Laila Ali and Olympic soccer Tab Ramos joined SUBWAY® at the We Can! P.E.P. Rally; We Can! once again joins the nonprofit Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness to encourage folks to step away from their screens and raise public awareness about the negative impact of excessive screen time during Turnoff Week, April 20 to 26.
• Partner Profile: SUBWAY® Restaurants launched a new partnership with We Can!
• We Can! Across the Country and World: We Can! has registered more than 50 new sites since the beginning of the new year; West Virginia is adopting the We Can! program into its schools; The Center for Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S) is bringing We Can! back into the public eye with Parent Program classes and an upcoming expo.

January 2009

• Over 1,000 community sites registered, upcoming Cherokee Nation
  We Can! training, We Can! presentations to the National Association of State Medicaid Directors and other potential partners.
• We Can! Across the Country: We Can! activities in Berrien County, Michigan; a We Can! coalition in Escambia County, Florida; a new We Can! County in Tennessee; Vietnamese-language We Can! materials in Virginia.
• Partner Profile: UPMC Health Plan's We Can! video, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service's Rx pad for physical activity, Delaware Physicians Care, Inc.'s big Martin Luther King Day event.
  
• Community Spotlight: Healthy nutrition lessons for childcare providers in Boise, Idaho; We Can! grants from the West Virginia Department of Education.
  
• Energy balance tips for the winter months.

September 2008

• Update on program activity including new cities and counties, We Can! winning the NIH Director's Award, and a new training material from the Media-Smart Youth® program.
• We Can! Across the Country: More than 900 community sites and counting; feature stories on Tennessee; training in Fairfax County, VA; and community health centers nationwide.
• Partner Profile: An update on We Can!'s 40 partners, including U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Adolescent and School Health
• Community Spotlight: Unity Health Care Cardoza Health Center in Washington, DC.
• Energy balance tips for the fall season.

January 2008

• Information about November 2007 We Can! media event, two regional trainings, and new We Can! materials.
• We Can! Across the Country: Nearly 550 community sites and counting; international activities; and We Can! reaching communities through health conferences and events.
• Partner Profile: H.J. Heinz Company; Delaware Physicians Care, Inc.; and National Black Nurses Association.
• Community Spotlight: Bethel Community Learning Center in Birmingham, Alabama; the Moer Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts.
• Dear We Can!: Program staff answer a question about evaluating We Can! programs.
• Energy balance tips for the winter season.

October 2007

• Announcement of two We Can! regional trainings and new Parent Program materials.
• We Can! Across the Country: Nearly 400 community sites and counting; statewide outreach in Kentucky; first We Can! County in Armstrong, PA; update on Gary, IN, activities.
• Partner Profile: Host Hotels, Association of Children's Museums, Highmark Foundation, and Association of Junior Leagues International.
• Community Spotlight: Boston Site Gets We Can! Into Public Schools; South Bend Serves as a Mentor to New Site in Columbus, IN.
• Dear We Can!: First Dear We Can! letter in which program staff answer a question about getting We Can! into schools.
• Energy balance tips for the fall season.

July 2007

• Introduction of new We Can! resources and a recap of the We Can! regional trainings.
• We Can! Across the Country: Over 300 community sites and counting; recent and upcoming NHLBI speaking engagements.
• Community Spotlight: Cobb Public Health and Cobb County School District join the We Can! movement; Youth Fitness Center in Indiana Adds We Can! to its Program.
• website Spotlight: Update on the We Can! profile on LinkedIn.

April 2007

• Introduction of We Can! City Program and regional training events.
• We Can! Across the Country: Over 190 community sites and counting.
• Partner Profile: Mutual of Omaha, Association of Children's Museums, and the American College of Sports Medicine.
• website Spotlight: Review of website changes including new promotional video and flash animations, revised sign-up process and form, and expanded "get involved" section.

January 2007

• Summary of We Can! events and resources for 2007.
• Partner Profile: Peabody Energy, Wal-Mart, Mutual of Omaha, American Academy of Pediatrics, Action for Healthy Kids, and Nemours Foundation.
• We Can! Across the Country: Over 140 community sites and counting, announcement of regional trainings, and 2007 Keep the Beat calendar.
• Community Spotlights: Parents Program Participants Call for Family Night at the Track in Emmaus, PA; CHOICES in Kennesaw, GA, joins forces with We Can!; Tennessee Site Partners with Faith-Based Organization in Johnson City, TN.

October 2006

• Summary of We Can! Rally and other Fall events.
• We Can! Across the Country: 110 community sites and counting; 3rd matte article released; 2007 Keep the Beat calendar.
• Partner Profile: American Academy of Family Physicians; National Latina Health Network; Alltel; Delphi; Winn Dixie; and Parenting magazine.
• Community Spotlights: Governor's Award to Lane County Intensive Site Leader; spreading We Can! throughout Kentucky.

July 2006