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Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 01/23/2020 11:00 AM CST

Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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Jan. 23, 2020

Nationwide launch of Active People, Healthy Nation Initiative

Become part of the movement!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) invites the general public, organizations and leaders to join the Active People, Healthy Nation^SM initiative. This multisector initiative aims to help 27 million Americans become more active by 2027 through strategies that work. The initiative is based on a foundation of inclusion and health equity.

Become part of the Active People, Healthy Nation movement and gain access to monthly updates, exclusive networking opportunities, the Active People, Healthy Nation design element and more.

OSHII staffing update

Susan Michels accepts new position

Susan Michels, supervisor of the Community Initiatives unit at the Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives (OSHII), has accepted the position of director of the Carlton-Cook-Lake-St. Louis Community Health Board. She will be leaving OSHII in mid-February.

Michels came to OSHII in 2015 from that CHB, working as the regional coordinator for the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) for Healthy Northland. A member of the OSHII leadership team, she supervised the SHIP community specialists.

OSHII leadership is formulating a succession plan.

Best wishes, Susan!

Winter Walk and Bike to School Day

Register your school today

Winter has arrived, but that doesn’t mean an end to children walking to school. With the right preparation, walking to school in the winter can be fun and enjoyable! Get your students active and moving this winter and participate in Minnesota Winter Walk and Bike to School Day on Feb. 5.

Visit the Minnesota Safe Routes to School site to register and for more information.

This week's Gem

Farmers market expands food access in Goodhue

Community members in Goodhue have limited access to fresh produce with having only one small grocery store in town. That’s changed, thanks to a new farmers market that launched in June 2019.

Live Well Goodhue County, with support from the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), collaborated with the City of Goodhue to provide technical assistance and funding for promotional materials, training and startup costs.

The Goodhue Farmers Market became a community destination where families could meet, shop and enjoy a meal from the weekly food truck. "The Goodhue Farmers Market is a great place to meet a friend or have supper with family, purchase some healthy foods and some lovingly handmade items,” said one customer. “It has a small town feel with a wide variety of items to meet everyone's needs."

The market also started the Power of Produce (PoP) program in July 2019. Each week, children picked up a free $2 token that they can use to buy fruits, vegetables and food plants from the produce vendors at the market. This first year, 193 kids signed up for the program, and there was a total of 446 token used by children in the community. PoP is an effective way to connect kids to the farmers while promoting healthy eating.

The market also had a strong turnout for its first summer, with an estimated 9,040 people attending.