Caregivers Promoting Health Habits
Implementing Wellness Policies in Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Learning Homes
What is the Caregivers Promoting Healthy Habits program?
Caregivers Promoting Health Habits (CPHH) is a program to improve the nutrition and physical activity practices in child care facilities through the implementation
of a wellness policy. Bright from the Start supports child care providers with training, technical assistance, and funding to develop and implement wellness policies in their facilities.
What is a wellness policy?
A wellness policy is a written plan that encourages a healthy environment where positive eating and physical activity habits are developed.
Why is a wellness policy important for our children’s health?
A healthy lifestyle is essential for the proper growth and development of young children. Good nutrition and regular physical activity support children’s physical
health, academic achievement, and emotional well-being. It is estimated that one in four children in Georgia between two and five years of age are overweight or
obese, and childhood obesity has been linked to chronic disease, impaired school function, and psychosocial problems.
Caregivers Promoting Healthy Habits Grant Opportunity
Bright from the Start is currently recruiting child care centers and family child care learning homes to participate in the Caregivers Promoting Healthy Habits program from 2014-2015. Those who participate will benefit through:
- Funding! Up to $1,000 for family child care learning homes or $3,000 for child care centers to help implement your wellness policy
- Technical Assistance: Phone, e-mail, and in-person to help create and implement your policy
- Training: Free training for approved clock hours
- Marketing: A colorful poster on which to display your wellness policy to families and a certificate of participation that you can hang in a public area of your facility
- Resources: Free posters, recipe books, lesson plans, training, and more
Child care facilities must meet the following requirements to be eligible to participate:
- Child care center or family child care learning home in Appling, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Glynn, Jeff Davis, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Montgomery, Tattnall, Toombs, and Wayne counties
- Participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
To become involved with Caregivers Promoting Healthy Habits, please submit the Request for Application (RFA) for
Child Care Centers or
Day Care Homes or contact Jennifer Popadiuk, Nutrition Project Manager, at (404)463-4093 with questions.
Helpful Tools for Implementing Wellness Policies
Check out the
Resources
page for more information on how to improve the nutrition and physical activity environment at your facility!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation,
or if all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity
conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at
http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html,
or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your
completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.