National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign established in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
This year's theme is "Discover the Power of Nutrition." Nutrition has the power to help individuals and communities thrive. Discover how food and beverage choices can help power your day. Learn tips for accessing healthy foods in your area. And build healthy habits into your day to help you feel great now and in the future.
Whether you're looking at nutrition headlines or searching for nutritious options, boost your confidence when it comes to food and health. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) or nutrition and dietetics technician, registered (NDTR) can expertly guide you with information driven by science.
Every year since 1995, presidents have issued a proclamation designating March as Women’s History Month. But before it was Women’s History Month, it was Women’s History Week, and before that it was only a day. Explore the slides to learn more about the history of Women’s History Month and how it was established originally to combat the absence of women in educational texts and to bring women’s history into the mainstream nationwide.
Virginia Partners in Prayer & Prevention
Virginia Partner Resources Webinar Series
Community Education on Dementia, Brain Health, and Statewide Resources
We are pleased to welcome Heather Kidd,Dementia Services Specialist with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Heather will provide a community education overview on dementia, brain health, and statewide resourcesavailable to support individuals, families, and communities across Virginia.
During the presentation, she will discuss the Dementia Friends initiative, which helps increase understanding of dementia, reduce stigma, and build confidence in how communities can support people living with dementia. Heather will also share how Dementia Friends information sessions are being offered in local churches and community organizations, along with how brain health education is integrated to address concerns about memory loss and dementia risk.
Join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Center for Faith for a conversation exploring the powerful connection between physical activity and spiritual wellness at the webinar “ Relentless Faith and Fitness” on Thursday, March 26th, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET (Zoom).
Together, these developments highlight an important opportunity: faith and fitness working side-by-side to strengthen the health of our nation.
Register today to hear more how faith and fitness can be strengthened.
Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency developed the Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities to help faith-based communities mitigate the threat of targeted violence and prepare for potential incidents. These goals provide readily implementable, cost-effective solutions and resources to help faith-based communities reduce risk and enhance resilience.
Any person seeking to be a Virginia State-Certified Doula under 12VAC5-403 Certification of Doulas shall be a community-based doula and (i) meet the qualifications and education requirements established in 12VAC5-403 Certification of Doulas and (ii) hold a certification as a certified doula from a certifying body approved by the Virginia Board of Health. The Virginia Certification Board (VCB) is the certifying body approved by the Virginia Board of Health.
The primary goals of establishing State-Certified Doula requirements are to improve the birth outcomes of pregnant women and infants in Virginia through community-based doula services and to eliminate the maternal and infant mortality racial disparities across the Commonwealth.
What is a State-Certified Doula?
Doulas educate mothers to be healthy and have healthy babies, and empower them to confidently make some of the most important decisions of their lives. A State-Certified Doula is a trained, community-based nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant woman. They will support throughout pregnancy, at labor and delivery and continue support after pregnancy period or during the period up to one year after pregnancy. A Virginia State-Certified Doula must be approved by the Virginia Certification Board (VCB).
Pathway to State-Certification:
Individuals interested in becoming a state-certified doula must receive training from an approved training entity. After completing the training and obtaining a certificate of completion, they can apply for state certification by submitting an application to the Virginia Certification Board. If a training entity is not on the approved list, please encourage them to apply or reach out to Consuelo Staton, State Doula Certification Program Coordinator, at consuelo.staton@vdh.virginia.gov.
Make your garden work for you
Choose the right plants with ease. Our Teaching Gardens Planting Tip Sheet helps you match soil, space and sunlight needs to grow crops with students.
Managing Chronic Kidney Disease: Take charge of your health.
Kidney Sundays: A Toolkit
Health ministry leaders, or anyone interested in bringing health programming to their congregation, can use this toolkit to help make the kidney connection.
The Revised Crediting Handbook for CACFP is Now Available!
The revised Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (Crediting Handbook) is now available online! This updated resource will help CACFP operators serve meals and snacks that encourage healthy choices, healthy families, and healthy outcomes.
This resource provides information on the current CACFP meal patterns, crediting guidance for each meal component, a "Crediting in Action" section to practice crediting skills, and a list of helpful resources. It was recently revised to make the guidance clear and consistent, add new examples to assist with crediting, and use wording that matches current policy.
The Healthy Brain Virginia Program is an important initiative dedicated to addressing the public health challenges posed by Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Supported by a five-year cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, the Healthy Brain Virginia Program is committed to promoting brain health and providing robust support to those impacted by ADRD.
Patients and families often want to express gratitude to the physicians who cared for them but aren’t sure how to do so. National Doctors’ Day offers a simple and respectful way to say thank you.
Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a nationwide grassroots campaign, held annually in March, that seeks to increase public awareness of problem gambling and promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services. To facilitate your PGAM promotion efforts, we’ve compiled a toolkit with key resources: problem gambling FAQs, best practices for social media, a press release template and more. Problem Gambling Awareness Month 2026 Promotional Toolkit.
Plan Your Diabetes Plate
Making informed food and drink decisions is important for your health. Whether you have diabetes or prediabetes, use the Diabetes Plate as your roadmap to help guide you in creating healthy meals to manage blood glucose (blood sugar). The Diabetes Plate is a visual representation of a Low Carbohydrate eating pattern.
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), a substance use disorder, sometimes referred to as "opioid abuse or dependence" or "opioid addiction" is a problematic pattern of opioid use that causes significant impairment or distress. OUD is a treatable, chronic disease that can affect anyone – regardless of race, sex, income level, or social class.
VAP3 attended the 2026 Entrusted Connections Ministry Retreat, a transformative experience focused on spiritual growth, reflection, and community. The retreat provided a meaningful space to step away, reconnect, and engage with others through faith-centered discussions and shared experiences. We appreciate the opportunity to engage in spaces that promote holistic health and community connection.
VUU Entrepreneur Resource Fair
February 19, 2026
Virginia Union University
Richmond, VA
Our team attended the Sydney Lewis School of Business Entrepreneur Resource Fair during Entrepreneurship Week. The event brought together student entrepreneurs, Panther-owned businesses, and community partners to share resources and promote innovation. We appreciated the opportunity to connect and highlight workforce development pathways through the Earn-to-Learn initiative.
20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits & Vegetables
Building a healthy plate is easy when you make half your plate fruits and vegetables. It’s also a great way to add color, favor and texture plus vitamins, minerals and dietary fber. Make 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables your daily goal. Try the following tips to enjoy more fruits and vegetables every day
Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come. Occasional anxiety is an expected part of life. For example, you might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear.
2-1-1 Virginia is a free service that can help you find the local resources you need. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Text CONNECT to 247211, Message and data rates may apply
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Need Support Now? If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
Pregnant or just had a baby? The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential, and here to help, 24/7.
Text or call this hotline that is free, confidential, and available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
1-833-TLC-MAMA
Free help to quit tobacco. Quit Coaches available for support. A free 24/7 service for all Virginians, 13 and older for all types of tobacco/nicotine. 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) or text READY to 34191 www.QuitNowVirginia.org
Click HERE, to request brochures and other free resource materials!
Are you planning a community event? Would you like us to share your event flyer with the Virginia Department of Health and Virginia Partners in Prayer & Prevention? Would you like to request support from VAP3 for your event? Please complete this request form.
The John and Susan Dewan Foundation makes grants and gives assistance only to charitable organizations that have tax-exempt status in the USA and that provide direct service to people in poverty. Projects that transform lives and help the poor to help themselves are our primary focus. Faith-based organizations, primarily in the Roman Catholic tradition, are a special interest for our grant making. We strongly favor making grants to smaller organizations rather than multi-million-dollar institutions.
Grants will generally be $2,500 or less and will usually be awarded for a single year. The Foundation may provide grants in subsequent years to an initial award.
The mission of the Harry Chapin Foundation is to support organizations that have demonstrated their ability to dramatically improve the lives and livelihood of people by helping them to become self-sufficient.
The Harry Chapin Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation and will generally fund only 501(c)(3) not for profit programs that operate in the United States that fall within the areas of:
Walmart believes that strengthening local communities creates value for business as well as society. Each year, Walmart U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and Distribution Centers award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5000. These local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where we operate. Organizations must serve the same service area that the facility they are requesting funding from serves. Eligible entities must be a: 501(c)(3) public charity, Government entity (non-501(c)(3)), School: All K-12 public or nonprofit private schools, charter schools, community/junior colleges, state/private colleges, or universities, and Church or other faith-based organization with a proposed project that benefits the community at large, such as food pantries, soup kitchens and clothing closets and Deed verified.
Applications are accepted and reviewed through three application cycles in FY27:
The Wawa Foundation and Wawa Community Care are committed to building and maintaining strong relationships with local communities and national partners. This opportunity offers financial grants less than $2,500 are available to local non-profit organizations. To achieve this, we provide focused financial and in-kind support for non-profit and community organizations, as well as event sponsorship and volunteerism.
