The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Food & Fitness Initiative is about people working together to create vibrant communities where healthy eating and physical activity are convenient, affordable, and safe for all children and families. Nine communities across the country have been selected to become models of change. Kellogg is funding these nine communities to create eight-year community action plans that will guide sustainable improvements to their food and fitness environments. The Food & Fitness Initiative is investing locally in collaborative efforts dedicated to changing the policies, practices and systems that prevent communities from being healthy. The C.S. Mott Group is providing support for the
W.K. Kellogg Food and Fitness Initiative in three areas:
National, State, and Community Linkages
The Kellogg Foundation has asked the C.S. Mott Group at MSU to invite national partners to consider how our collective capacity can help to create community environments that address children's health and the epidemic of obesity through active living and community-based food systems. Goals for National Networking include:
- Creating a national awareness of issues addressed by the Kellogg Food and Fitness Initiative and its investment in activities at the community and state level to promote healthy eating and active living.
- Creating linkages and networks of support among community, state, and national entities that connect practice with policy and infrastructure change.
- Translating community learning into policy and systems change.
Food Systems Technical Assistance
To achieve the vision of a future "food system that provides all segments of socity a safe and nutritious food supply grown in a manner that protects health and the environment and adds economic and social value to rural and urban communities," the Kellogg Foundation has partnered with the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University to provide technical assistance and "to support the creation and expansion of community-based food systems that are locally owned and controlled, environmentally sound, and health promoting."
- Nutrition Health
- Food Production, Farming and Land Use
- Food Marketing, Processing and Distribution
- Community and Economic Development
- Emerging Farmers
National Advisory Committee
The C.S. Mott Group has a leadership role in developing and serving as overall manager for the Food and Fitness National Advisory Committee. This Committee is critical to the success of the Food and Fitness Program. This Committee has two primary objectives: first, serve an advisory role to the overall Program that insures the highest level of scholarship and creative thinking targeted to the Program and second, serve as a conduit to a variety of professional constituencies important to expanding the impact of the Program beyond the particular funded communities. The Key role of the advisory committee is guidance in implementing both the community and national components of the Food and Fitness Program.
"What Do We Know About Local Food Systems?" Resource Material
Food & Fitness Initiative team members
Michael Hamm
Susan Cocciarelli
Cheryl Danley
Jekeia Murphy, Program Assistant
Kathryn Colasanti, Graduate student
Derrick Kiyabu, Graduate student
Charlotte Litjens, Graduate student
Wanted: Academic Specialist. Job description and how to apply.