- (Strategic Initiative) Healthy Families and Communities
- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
- Author: Emma McKellar
- Author: Marlyn Pulido
- Contributor: Michele Byrnes
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UC-led partnership resulted in over 29,000 pounds of fresh produce being distributed to 900 students and limited resource families in Coachella in 2018. More than a quarter of participants reported being more food secure.
The Issue
The desert city of Coachella has a population of 6,919. Seven-hundred and sixty-one residents do not live within 10 miles of a supermarket or have a car, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Research Atlas. In an effort to increase healthy food access and close the food gap in the area, CalFresh Healthy Living at University of California (CFHL-UC) teamed up with Food In Need of Distribution (FIND) Food Bank to...
- Author: Marianne Bird
75% of 4-H teens who taught the Youth Experiences in Science Project to younger youth reported more confidence in public speaking and all felt they had made an important contribution to their community through the project.
The Issue
In 2015, only 38% of 4th grade students in the U.S. scored at or above proficient in science. The gap in science literacy is especially prominent for youth of color. The need to improve scientific knowledge and critical thinking is...
- Author: Marisa Neelon
- Co-PI: Charles Go
- Project 4-H20 Coordinator: Eli Figueroa
Project 4-H20 teen leaders' water promotion campaign at their Contra Costa high school resulted in 52% of students surveyed reporting drinking more water because of the campaign and school district board members deciding to help fund the efforts to promote healthy hydration.
The Issue
Earlier work by Project 4-H20 teens found that average student water consumption at at John Swett High School in Contra Costa County was...
- Author: Marcel Horowitz
- Author: Dorina M Espinoza
- Author: Anne Iaccopucci
Participation in California 4-H physical, social and emotional health programming increased 550% since 2009, and 74% of California 4-H youth report having a health-related growth mindset.
The Issue
California youth face increasing challenges to their social, emotional and physical health. Threats to children's physical health include obesity (28.9%), inactivity (76%), inadequate sleep (85%), and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (63%). Social and emotional health is threatened by persistent feelings of sadness (32%), school bullying (28%), and cyberbullying (14%).
- Author: Shannon Klisch
- Author: Katherine E Soule
After participating in 4-H SNAC programs, 95% of youth participants reported they learned how to be a better leader, supporting increased health outcomes in their communities.
The Issue
Youth in low-income communities of color face health inequities. While 14.6% of all California adolescents ages 12-17 are classified as obese, rates are much higher among Latino adolescents (20.2%) and highest among adolescents in very low-income households (20.4% vs. 12.7% among the highest income households). Further,
