Close to 160 teenagers and adults from across South Carolina attended the 5th Annual Youth Summit on July 15 at SC State University to learn about youth-led policy changes and how to advocate effectively. Hosted by the Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) Project and Eat Smart Move More South Carolina, the Summit featured Chris Suggs, a nationally-known social justice activist and founder of Kinston Teens in Kinston, North Carolina.
Suggs, a rising freshman at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, shared his experiences as a leader on the local, state, and national levels, as well as his work with the non-profit he started, Kinston Teens.
“Leadership builds one’s confidence and self-esteem, leaving you with a feeling of knowing that you can change the world,” said Suggs. “Leadership also builds your network and net worth —exposing you to opportunities to meet new people and to earn money to make a living.”
Suggs stressed the importance of building a strong support system by surrounding yourself with positive people; making good choices that define your future; and being determined to meet your goals no matter the obstacles you face.
HYPE Project teams from Orangeburg, Anderson, Barnwell, Berkeley, Hampton, Florence, Kershaw, Laurens, and York counties presented videos on their successes in establishing policy and environmental changes in their communities. Youth worked with local leaders to implement the following changes:
Healthy food choices at ball park concessions stands (Barnwell and Kershaw counties)
Park cleanup, safety improvements, and signage (Anderson, Florence and Orangeburg counties)
Faith-based community garden to feed the community members (Berkeley County)
Installing crosswalk signs and caution lights near schools (Laurens County)
Installing way-finding signs on trails (Hampton County)
This year’s Youth Summit also featured breakout sessions with one special treat for boys. Award-winning speaker and National Manager at Fatherhood.com, Patrick Patterson, spoke to boys about the importance of establishing strong relationships, keeping a positive circle of friends, and defining success – it’s not about money. He concluded his session with a How to Tie a Tie instruction. For this portion, ESMMSC held a necktie drive and collected over 900 neckties from individuals across the Midlands.
The youth had six other breakout session choices on avoiding risky behaviors, public speaking, how to advocate, how government works, perception of self, and how to make healthy eating and active living policies work in school through the NFL Fuel Up to Play 60.
Other special guests included: WACH FOX 57’s “Trendy” Fraendy Clervaud, Richland County Sherriff’s Deputy Curtis Wilson, and DJ Jeremiah. The Youth Summit was made possible by the Southeastern United Dairy Industry Association, BlueCross BlueShield of SC Medicaid and several other supporters.
Winning HYPE Team Videos
All HYPE teams were encouraged to submit a video summarizing their project for a friendly video competition.
Since its creation in 2007, Eat Smart Move More South Carolina has been a convener of local and state partners with common goals to reduce obesity in the Palmetto State. The founding partners recognized that collaboration is key to having a sustainable impact in communities. Ava Dean was one of those founding partners at Palmetto Health Richland who saw the need to bring healthy eating and active living together under one roof.
Dean served on the SC Coalition for Obesity Prevention with the Healthy Richland program, which also focused on active living. She played a pivotal role in establishing ESMMSC’s name, mission, vision, and bylaws. Today, she’s the SC Program Manager at the National Kidney Foundation and continues to serve ESMMSC and her community.
This year we celebrate ESMMSC’s 10th Anniversary. What thoughts and emotions come to mind when you think about that? As we celebrate 10 years, I smile. The meetings, retreats, calls, and conferences were not in vain. People’s lives have changed due to the efforts of this organization. There’s growth!
What were your visions during your service? My visions were similar to the group. I believe that’s why we moved so well together. We wanted communities to eat healthy, to be physically active, and, most importantly, to be healthy. We wanted to reach them in every aspect of their lives.
What do you see as ESMMSC’s biggest accomplishments since 2007? Collaborations and Community Establishments. This is a STATE effort, not one specific area. We learn from each other.
Where would you like to see ESMMSC in 10 years? In 10 years, I’d like to see more collaborations and seminars offered to the community.
Do you have additional thoughts that you would like to share? I’ve had the opportunity to bring a different perspective to this process in so many ways. I’m obese but live a very active life. I’ve learned never to assume because there’s ALWAYS more to the story. There needs to stop being silos. We have the same passion and goals. We want to see South Carolinians eat healthy, be more active, and living a healthier lifestyle in EVERY aspect of their lives.
Founded in 2007, ESMMSC is one of the first non-profit organizations of its kind in South Carolina, focusing on both healthy eating and active living. Its roots date back to 1999 when the South Carolina Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity formed and received nonprofit status in 2000. After changing its name to ESMMSC in 2007, the organization merged with the SC Coalition for Obesity Prevention.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced the projects selected to receive the USDA’s annual farm to school grants designed to increase the amount of local foods served in schools. Sixty-five projects were chosen nationwide, and two are in South Carolina – Spartanburg County School District Six and Dorchester District Two.
“Increasing the amount of local foods in America’s schools is a win-win for everyone,” said Cindy Long, Deputy Administrator for Child Nutrition Programs at USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, which administers the Department’s school meals programs. “Farm to school projects foster healthy eating habits among America’s school-age children, and local economies are nourished, as well, when schools buy the food they provide from local producers.”
Spartanburg County School District Six (SD6) is being awards $100,000 to implement a sustainable food production and a student internship program at Cragmoor Farms. SD6 farm produces fruits and vegetables as well as beef cattle. Hydroponic production in the greenhouse will augment farm grown produce and the composting program will teach students about food waste and allow the district to produce its own compost at the farm.
Dorchester District Two is being awarded $74,540 to implement food production at Fox Farm, Using 200 students currently enrolled in agriculture courses at Ashley Ridge High School, Fox Farm will expand its growing area from 3/4 acres to four acres to increase its annual production of fresh fruits and vegetables to serve all twenty-four schools in Dorchester District Two.
According to the 2015 USDA Farm to School Census, schools with strong farm to school programs report higher school meal participation, reduced food waste, and increased willingness of the students to try new foods, such as fruits and vegetables. In addition, in school year 2013-2014 alone, schools purchased more than $789 million in local food from farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food processors and manufacturers. Nearly half (47 percent) of these districts plan to purchase even more local foods in future school years.
Farm to School is one of many ways USDA supports locally-produced food and the Local Food Compass Map showcases the federal investments in these efforts. For more information, visit www.fns.usda.gov.
Eat Smart Move More SC (ESMMSC), in partnership with the SC Health + Planning Advisory Committee, is excited to announce the winners of Capture your Community, a photo campaign to capture real life examples of places and spaces in South Carolina either promote/support OR inhibit/prevent healthy eating and active living.
Thank you to all who participated in the campaign. And the winners are…
Earnestine Williams of Blythewood
Allison Love of Clover
Jessica Birt of Woodruff
Mary Kayrouz of Anderson
“The photos we received are fantastic examples of healthy eating and active living successes, as well as areas of improvement,” said Hannah Walters, MPH, senior manager for policy and community initiatives at ESMMSC. “We were pleasantly surprised by the number and variety of submissions we received.”
South Carolina is filled with examples of communities increasing access to affordable, healthy foods and safe places to be active. From local farmers’ markets and community gardens, to popular neighborhood trails and parks, to vibrant walkable/bikeable downtowns, community leaders are being inspired by the healthy eating and active living movement and are making progress towards creating healthier places to live, learn, work, play, and pray.
“We also know that many challenges still exist,” said Walters. “Many communities, despite progress, still have neighborhoods with limited access to healthy foods and few safe places to play or be active.”
The submitted photos will be used by members of the SC Health + Planning Advisory committee on social media and in presentations and reports to promote various types of successes and areas in need of improvement throughout our state.
In partnership with the Children’s Trust of SC, Eat Smart Move More South Carolina and many other partners present a webinar series on race equity and inclusion. The purpose of this webinar series is to provide individuals and organizations with the foundational knowledge needed to integrate race equity and inclusion into programs, policies, and practices.
The webinars will feature speakers from the acclaimed Race Matters Institute based in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as from community-based groups focusing on health equity within North and South Carolina. These webinars will deepen knowledge of racial equity principles and concepts, cover how to become an equity-focused organization, explain the importance of disaggregated data to propose policy solutions, and explore how to collect, analyze, and effectively use disaggregated data. The series will conclude with case studies of equity-focused initiatives within the Carolinas.
Registration is limited. Individuals from the same organization are strongly encouraged to view the series together and register under a single name. Materials and recordings from each webinar will be made accessible with time-limited availability to attendees.
Webinar Series
June 26, 2017 | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
Race Matters – Unpack Key Concepts to Advance Racial Equity
July 10, 2017 | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
Get Your House in Order – Strategies to Advance Racial Equity
Inside Your Organization
July 31, 2017 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. EDT
Data Matters – Disaggregating Data by Race and Ethnicity
August 14, 2017 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. EDT
Health Equity in Action – Case Studies from the Carolinas
There’s a new “micromart” canteen at the SC Court of Appeals building, and Judicial Department staff are looking for healthy options. In collaboration with the American Heart Association, Working Well, and the SC Commission for the Blind, Eat Smart Move More South Carolina (ESMMSC) hosted a healthy taste test on April 28 to help the micromart vendor determine what types of healthy options to sell.
“Here, we have a lot of health conscious people who watch what they eat and use their Fitbits to walk, so I definitely wanted to test out some healthy foods and beverages that my customers might be interested in,” said Maguya Walker, licensed vendor.
Walker is part of the SC Commission for the Blind’s Business Enterprise Program – a statewide program that helps blind and legally blind citizens become entrepreneurs in businesses such as snack bars, cafeterias, and other merchandising venues. Participants earn their business license, and are then assigned to various government locations around the state. Walker was assigned the SC Judicial Department and the SC Department of Education.
“I am doing some research now and developing my knowledge on healthy options because I want to keep my customers happy with what they want and what they’re looking for,” said Walker.
The newly opened micromart is the first canteen to be located at the SC Court of Appeals Building. Employees previously would have to venture to other buildings to find snacks and drinks.
“I’m very excited that we have something here in this building that will offer something other than salt and fat,” said Merrell Johnson, Office of Human Resources at the SC Judicial Department. “When we found out we were getting this canteen and that it was going to offer healthy options, I think everyone in our office was excited.”
Nearly 100 employees dropped into the micromart during the taste test to sample healthy options like greek yogurt, granola bars, and low-calorie beverages. Then, they rated each product they tested and provided feedback on whether or not they would buy the products. They were also given the opportunity request specific products and flavors.
ESMMSC and our partners are working with the SC Commission for the Blind and various municipalities and government agencies to ensure healthier food and beverage options are available in vending machines in government buildings, parks, recreation centers, and other public places.
“State and local governments have an important opportunity to support employees and the public in their efforts to make healthier choices,” said Hannah Walters, senior manager for policy and community initiatives at ESMMSC. “Even better, we know that stocking healthier options can be good for business and health. That’s a win-win.”
In February 2017, ESMMSC worked with the City of Columbia on becoming the first municipality in South Carolina to adopt evidence-based nutrition standards for foods and beverages purchased, sold, or served by the city, including through vending machines, meetings, and events.
The number of local Eat Smart Move More coalitions, has increased to 26, thanks to the desire of partners in Pickens County to make system changes that provide healthy options for all of their residents. Chapter partners are: SC Department of Social Services (ABC Quality), Safe Kids Upstate, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Pickens City Recreation Department, Pickens County School District, Southern Wesleyan University, The Samaritan Health Clinic, SC Inclusion Collaborative, Foothills Community Health Clinic, Baptist Easley Hospital, East Pickens Baptist Church, Anmed Health, and Cannon Hospital.
“Often our environments aren’t supportive of healthy eating and active living, and our mission is to change that by making the healthy choice the easy choice,” said Eat Smart Move More SC (ESMMSC) Executive Director Beth Franco. “We are excited that leaders in Pickens County recognize the seriousness of the obesity issue and have chosen to create their local chapter to coordinate efforts and to address the issue.”
According to 2017 County Health Rankings data, approximately 32 percent of South Carolina’s adult population is obese. The adult obesity rate for Pickens County is 30 percent. Obesity contributes to serious health conditions, rising healthcare costs, and a decline in the overall quality of life for our citizens.
Last year, the Pickens County Health Coalition completed a county-wide health needs and resource assessment. The group participated in a community engagement process to delve further into the most pressing concerns regarding the health status of Pickens County residents.
“Through a strategic planning process ending in the fall of 2016, the Coalition identified healthy eating and active living as an area of primary focus,” said Tia Prostko, MS, IBCLC, chair of Eat Smart Move More Pickens County. “As a result, we decided to join forces with ESMMSC and become a local chapter.”
By becoming a local Eat Smart Move More chapter, counties work to implement system and policy changes that increase access and affordability of healthier options for people of all races, ages, and income levels. Examples of county-level system improvements are: ensuring government employees and the public have access to healthier food and beverages options in vending machines, supplying nutritious foods in school cafeterias, identifying areas that need safer walking or biking routes to school, and creating healthier worksites.
For a complete list of ESMMSC chapters, additional county-specific data, and community groups participating in the ESMMSC movement, visit www.eatsmartmovemoresc.org.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association South Carolina Chapter, The American Heart Association and Eat Smart Move More South Carolina to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and brain health.
DHEC and its partners will collaborate on a campaign that encourages people to Take Brain Health to Heart. A key element of the effort is a pledge – which can be found at www.scdhec.gov/brainhealthpledge – that encourages residents to keep their body, heart and brain healthy. The campaign is designed to educate and mobilize South Carolinians to protect their brain health by being more active, eating better and taking other steps. Research has shown that smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes may contribute to cognitive decline. It has also found that unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity and brain injury may affect the health of the brain.
This is an important message in South Carolina, whose population is getting older. While Alzheimer’s and dementia are not a normal part of aging, getting older is the greatest risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2016 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, 84,000 people over the age of 65 are reported to be living with Alzheimer’s disease in South Carolina. By 2025, that number is expected to grow to 120,000, according to the SC Alzheimer’s disease registry report. South Carolina has one of the fastest-aging adult populations in the country, ranking in the top 10. That population is expected to increase to 1.1 million by 2029, resulting in one in five South Carolinians being over age 65.
South Carolina is one of seven states to receive funding to reduce stigma, promote early diagnosis and address risk reduction factors associated with cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The effort is funded by a collaborative that includes the Alzheimer’s Association, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over the next few months, DHEC, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Association and Eat Smart Move More will jointly focus on messaging regarding heart and brain health and cognitive decline.
The campaign will feature a centralized DHEC Brain Health webpage. Each partner organization will have a link to the page, which will include health education materials, social media messages and a call to action in the form of a pledge about healthy lifestyle changes. People who visit the page and take the pledge will be entered into a monthly drawing for a Fitbit, beginning this month and ending June 30. Please visit the webpage at www.scdhec.gov/brainhealth and take the pledge.
Close to 160 teenagers and adults from across South Carolina attended the 5th Annual Youth Summit on July 15 at SC State University to learn about youth-led policy changes and how to advocate effectively. Hosted by the Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) Project and Eat Smart Move More South Carolina, the Summit featured Chris Suggs, a nationally-known social justice activist and founder of Kinston Teens in Kinston, North Carolina.
“I’m very excited that we have something here in this building that will offer something other than salt and fat,” said Merrell Johnson, Office of Human Resources at the SC Judicial Department. “When we found out we were getting this canteen and that it was going to offer healthy options, I think everyone in our office was excited.”
“State and local governments have an important opportunity to support employees and the public in their efforts to make healthier choices,” said Hannah Walters, senior manager for policy and community initiatives at ESMMSC. “Even better, we know that stocking healthier options can be good for business and health. That’s a win-win.”
The number of local Eat Smart Move More coalitions, has increased to 26, thanks to the desire of partners in Pickens County to make system changes that provide healthy options for all of their residents. Chapter partners are: SC Department of Social Services (ABC Quality), Safe Kids Upstate, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Pickens City Recreation Department, Pickens County School District, Southern Wesleyan University, The Samaritan Health Clinic, SC Inclusion Collaborative, Foothills Community Health Clinic, Baptist Easley Hospital, East Pickens Baptist Church, Anmed Health, and Cannon Hospital.
