Health System Chief's Update on Healthy Communities Initiatives to BOS
Health System Chief Jean Fraser presented an update on the Healthy Communities Initiative to eliminate health disparities in San Mateo County, including the progress and accomplishments of the Get Healthy San Mateo County Task Force, to the Board of Supervisors (BOS).  Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson also recognized current and past Task Force Advisory Council members at this meeting. Click to view the presentation and the report given to the BOS. 

King County Pushes For Healthy Corner Stores
A corner store in the Delridge neighborhood of Seattle, Washington (King County) is getting a market makeover and could serve as a model for giving residents healthier food choices.  The corner store makeover is part of a pilot project by the Delridge Neighborhood and Development Association in partnership with Seattle–King County Public Health to help convenience store operators to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables.  Click to read the article by KUOW news.   

Lawmakers Help Food Stamps Get to Farmers' Markets
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would help the markets get equipment to accept electronic food stamp benefits cards -- joining legislatures nationwide considering similar measures they hope will expand the menu of fresh food options for the poor as food stamp enrollment soars.  Click to view article at TimesUnion.com.   

Building Health into SMC Cities Toolkit 
Click to view the newly released Building Health into San Mateo County Cities toolkit.  This document highlights local tools developed or adapted by the San Mateo County Health System, in collaboration with San Mateo County cities and other County agencies, and provides recommendations for how to include health from the beginning of planning processes.

Healthy Planning in Action
Article highlights the efforts going on in San Mateo County to build healthier communities by forging together the two disciplines of public health and planning.   

Obama Administration Details Healthy Food Financing Initiative
The Obama Administration today released details of an over $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which will bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities across America. The initiative was announced today in Philadelphia by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  The two cabinet members appeared with First Lady Michelle Obama, who recently launched the Let’s Move! campaign to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.  The initiative is a partnership between the Departments of Treasury, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services.

USDA Effort Targets Link between Obesity and Food Stamps
A growing number of local programs from Boston to San Diego are trying to make healthier foods more appealing and affordable for low-income families — the population of Americans who are most reliant on food stamps, and most likely to be obese.  The USDA will conduct a "Healthy Incentives Pilot" evaluation that will assess the effects of a 30 percent reduction in the cost of fruits and vegetables purchased with SNAP (food stamp program) funds.  The program's update from paper coupons to debit cards, combined with current checkout technology, has made automatically adjusting the relative price of certain foods more feasible.  Depending on the outcome of the pilot study, a SNAP revamp could be in the works by the end of 2013.  Click to view article on Scientific American. 

Take a Hike
Take A Hike provides local residents with guided hikes of San Mateo County’s beautiful parks once a month on Saturday mornings from the Spring through the Fall.  This year, participants will visit the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Huddart County Park, San Bruno Mountain and other lovely parks throughout the county.  If you’ve ever talked about increasing your fitness level, spending more time with the family or learning about local history—join us—Take A Hike!                                              

The launch of Take A Hike 2010 will be held on Saturday, April 3rd starting at 9 a.m. at San Andreas/Crystal Springs Regional Trail in San Bruno.  Visit www.smcoparks.org/takeahike or view flyer for information on the locations of all the 2010 hikes.