HSI Monthly Momentum - September 2024
The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative’s programs and events strive to create awareness and provide solutions to improve the physical, social and mental well-being of Iowans. Every month through Monthly Momentum, we’ll share what our team did through our four main programs Make It OK, Double Up Food Bucks, Produce Rx, and 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! the month prior to realize that mission! There are tons of ways to get involved whether your passion is mental, social, or physical health, so join us in ensuring every Iowan can live their healthiest life, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media so you never miss a thing!
2024 Obesity Roundtable
On September 17th, the 2024 Obesity Roundtable brought doctors, state representatives, and health care professionals together to discuss the findings of the Iowa Employer Obesity Survey created in partnership with Central Iowa SHRM and Iowa State University. Presentations explored actions for preventing and treating obesity in Iowa’s workplaces based on the survey’s findings. The full report and our library of obesity resources is available below!
In the Community
In September, our team and ambassadors were active in spreading the word about 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count and the Back the Black campaign in various communities. HSI Executive Director, Jami Haberl, participated in a panel discussion on advocating for school mental health and teacher wellness and exhibited at the Iowa Best Conference. More than 1,500 educators from across the state attended!
Donor Engagement Manager, Peri Montufar, presented to Des Moines Public Schools about HSI programming including 5-2-1-0 and Make It OK.
Finally, Back the Black Committee Member, Courageous Fire, brought the Back the Black campaign to the Multicultural Fall Festival in Des Moines!
Make It OK
Make It OK Ambassadors Jane Esterly-Rettig and Amy Eaton represented Make It OK at local events in Ames during September. The ‘Mental health Awareness Slam the Stigma’ event at the Ames High School helped connect the ambassadors with students and teachers in the Ames community, while they were able to talk about mental health through a different lens at the Overdose Awareness Event.
Double Up Food Bucks
In September, Double Up Food Bucks teamed up with various partners including Fareway and Iowa State University to make a new video series highlighting how Double Up Food Bucks works, how users can get the most out of it, and general nutrition education. The full series will be ready later this fall. We can’t wait to share them!
5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count!
The 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! program launched new and updated resources, as well as new partnerships with Iowa 4-H, the Iowa Heart Foundation, and other organizations!
All currently registered schools will need to re-register as a 5-2-1-0 site at their earliest convenience. Registered sites get access to exclusive resources and technical assistance as well as eligibility for the Healthiest State Annual Awards!
Additionally, 5-2-1-0 will be partnering with Iowa 4-H and the Iowa Heart Foundation to support schools with new resources, school wide assemblies, classroom programming, professional development for teachers, and more! If you want to get involved and connected to other 5-2-1-0 Schools around Iowa, consider joining the Iowa 4-H Clover Power Community of Practice Facebook group!
More exciting news is coming soon about changes to 5-2-1-0 early care sites! Stay tuned as we share more in the coming weeks!
Produce Rx
Healthy Incentives Coordinator, Catie Dysert, and Executive Director, Jami Haberl, flew to Washington D.C. to participate in the National Produce Prescription Collaborative Summit and day of action! Together with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), they participated in Hill visits with representatives from Iowa to discuss the importance and effects of the Double Up Food Bucks and Produce Prescription programs!
During their trip, they documented their travels and meetings for a social media takeover on CSPI’s Instagram page.