Let's Move!

On February 9, 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama announced an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight and unveiled a nationwide campaign – Let’s Move – to help achieve it.

The Let’s Move campaign will combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources. Let’s Move will engage every sector impacting the health of children to achieve the national goal, and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy.

To support Let’s Move and facilitate and coordinate partnerships with States, communities, and the non-profit and for-profit private sectors, the nation’s leading children’s health foundations have come together to create a new independent foundation – the Partnership for a Healthier America – which will accelerate existing efforts addressing childhood obesity and facilitate new commitments towards the national goal of solving childhood obesity within a generation.

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Since 2010, over four hundred local elected officials from communities across America have stepped forward to address the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic by signing up for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC), a key part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, which is dedicated to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams.

The National League of Cities (NLC) works in partnership with Let’s Move! and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide cities, towns and counties with the tools and support they need to build healthy communities.

LMCTC sites are encouraged to accomplish five measurable and achievable goals:

Goal I: Start Early, Start Smart

To provide children with a healthier start, the City of Lovejoy commit to encourage local early care and education providers to incorporate best practices for nutrition, physical activity and screen time into their programs.

Goal II: MyPlate, Your Place

To empower parents and caregivers, the City of Lovejoy commit to prominently displaying MyPlate in all municipal or county venues where food is offered or sold.

Goal III: Smart Servings for Students

To provide healthy food to children and youth, the City of Lovejoy commit to expanding access to meal programs before, during and after the school day, and/or over the summer months.

Goal IV: Model Food Service

To improve access to healthy, affordable foods, the City of Lovejoy commit to implementing healthy and sustainable food service guidelines that are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans at municipal or county spaces that serve food.

Goal V: Active Kids at Play

To increase physical activity, the City of Lovejoy commit to mapping local play spaces, completing a needs assessment, developing an action plan, and implementing a minimum of three recommended policies, programs or initiatives aimed at increasing access to play.

Summer Enrichment Camp

Let's Move Lovejoy! has partnered with Youth 4 Change, Inc. for the Let's Move Lovejoy Summer Enrichment Camp. This is an 11-week STEAM camp that runs from May 23, 2016 through August 5th. The camp is Monday-Friday from 6:00am to 6:00pm.