Back to Top
2008 Steps Community Heroes
Honored
March 20, 2008—Seven community heroes were honored at the Steps
Cooperative Agreement Program’s Action Institute in Alexandria,
Virginia, for their extraordinary contributions in improving the health
and well-being of Americans in school, work site, health care, or
community settings.
"Turning the tide in chronic disease requires changes in our communities
that support health where we live, learn, work and play," said Janet
Collins, Ph.D., director, CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion. "These award recipients demonstrate the
valuable impact that individuals can make in changing the places,
organizations, policies, and systems that touch people’s lives every
day."
The recipients of the 2008 Steps Community Heroes Award are Ray
Denniston of Conklin, New York; Peggy Johns of Largo, Florida; Dawn
Imler and Kelley Brumfield of Cleveland, Ohio; Woody Hansen of Jay,
Oklahoma; Patty Tobal of Hopwood, Pennsylvania; and Stephanie Heim of
Rochester, Minnesota. More information is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/steps/2008_heroes/overview.htm.
Back to Top
Trans Fats Banned in Restaurants
Local Steps Programs played an important role in supporting the
following successful legislative initiatives to improve the health of
their communities in the fight against obesity and chronic diseases such
as diabetes and heart disease.
- March 13, 2008—Boston health officials voted to ban trans fat
use in all restaurants in the city.
When asked about the Steps Program in Boston’s involvement, Anne
McHugh, Boston Steps Program Manager, explained, “We were asked to
respond to our Board of Health's interest in how to limit trans
fats. We compiled the information, and I did a presentation at two
board meetings. Kathy Cunningham, our nutritionist, visited
restaurants—including a variety of small neighborhood ethnic
restaurants—to get their input on whether they use trans fat, in
what types of recipes, and what type of help they'd like in coming
into compliance with the ban. We also helped to write the basic
information sheets for restaurants that Boston health officials are
distributing. Steps has received approval to hire a consultant to do
outreach and technical assistance to restaurants and other food
service establishments. Lastly, we've given a lot of technical
assistance to Boston Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services, to
make sure that they'll be ready to come into compliance in the
fall.” More information is available at
http://www.bphc.org/bphc/transfat.asp.*
- July 19, 2007—The King County Board of Health voted to ban trans
fat use in all restaurants in the county and require menu labeling
in chain restaurants. The Steps Program in King County, Washington,
played an important role in mobilizing community residents and
constituents from community-based organizations and the health
sector to support this effort.
For example, according to Gail Tanaka, King County Steps to Health’s
Health Policy Development and Coalition coordinator, “A volunteer
who teaches label reading on grocery store tours talked about how
consumers need the same information when dining in restaurants. A
limited-English speaking person talked about how a ban on trans fats
would make it unnecessary for her to seek out this information with
the complications of language barriers. Physicians talked about how
the legislation would help their patients to follow dietary
restrictions and advice.” More information is available at
http://www.metrokc.gov/Health/news/07071901.htm.
- February 8, 2007— Philadelphia City Council voted to ban trans fat
use in all restaurants in the city.
When asked about the Steps Program in Philadelphia’s involvement,
Christine Hall, Philadelphia Steps Program Manager, explained, “I
provided information regarding the nutrition education efforts that
would be needed to increase consumer's awareness about the dangers
of trans fat in the diet. This information was subsequently used in
the testimony presented to City Council in January 2007. Steps staff
were instrumentally involved in developing a Trans Fat Educational
Information Packet for all the restaurant owners in Philadelphia. We
also provided technical assistance training for all of the city's
food sanitarians from Environmental Health Services.” More
information is available at
www.phila.gov/Health/units/DCDP/pdf/Philadelphia_Trans_FatInformation_Packet_2007.pdf.
(PDF)
Back to Top
School Lunch Report Card Winner
Announced
August 14, 2007—Pinellas County Schools, the 22nd largest
district in the nation, was rated the top district in the Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine’s (PCRM) 2007 School Lunch Report
Card on elementary schools. PCRM’s team of dietitians graded schools
based on criteria in three major categories: Obesity and Chronic Disease
Prevention, Health Promotion and Nutrition Adequacy, and Nutrition
Initiatives. One of Pinellas’ activities highlighted by PCRM is "an
innovative nutrition education program" called Teen Cuisine where older
students partner with local chefs to create cooking shows for younger
children. The shows, supported by the Steps Program in Pinellas County,
Florida, feature healthy recipes consistent with the food service
department’s Health Tips of the Month. More information is available at
http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/reports/report2007_card.cfm.*
Back to Top
2007 Steps Community Heroes
Honored
June 6, 2007—Seven Community Heroes were honored at the annual
Steps Cooperative Agreement Program Workshop and Action Institute held
in Seattle, Washington. The Steps Community Heroes Awards Program is a
new initiative, established in April 2007, honoring individuals who have
made outstanding contributions to improve the health and well-being of
others in their communities. These Steps Heroes are making significant
and sustainable contributions in local schools, work sites, health care,
and community settings by making their communities a healthier place to
live. The Steps Heroes demonstrate a passionate commitment to the Steps
initiatives and to reducing the burden of chronic diseases, particularly
obesity, diabetes, asthma, and their related risk behaviors— physical
inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. The inaugural recipients of
the 2007 Steps Community Heroes Award are Rev. Ken Feske of Seaside,
California; Bruce and Brenda Hendricks of Cherry Creek, New York; Rob
Moffat of Cleveland, Ohio; Marcella Morton of Westville, Oklahoma;
Florence Wager of Vancouver, Washington; and Alan Wilmarth of Hallstead,
Pennsylvania. More information is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/steps/2007_heroes/overview.htm.
Back to Top
*Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a
service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization
by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is
not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found
at this link.
One or more documents on this Web page are available in Adobe Acrobat® Format
(PDF).
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files on this page.
Page last reviewed: June 30, 2008
Page last modified: July 30, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion