2019 POLICY AND ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO
Advance Healthy Eating
and Active Living
When children have access to proper nutrition,
they are better able to thrive as a result of both
stronger overall health and improved mental
focus in school. That’s why Children’s Hospital
Colorado is committed to making sure healthy
food is within reach for all Colorado kids.
In 2018, we joined a coalition of anti-hunger organizations to
support the state’s coverage of the cost of lunch co-pays for middle
schoolers receiving reduced-price lunches through the National
School Lunch Program. Last year’s successful advocacy shouldn’t
stop with middler schoolers, however; all Colorado youth should be
able to access nutritious school lunches. So in 2019, we will continue
participating in the “lunch cabinet” coalition to expand the state’s
coverage of school lunches for high schoolers as well.
Children’s Colorado will work with coalition partners to advance
legislation that encourages children to be physically active by
boosting access to physical education and activity in schools across
Colorado. Colorado kids stand to benefit through stronger bones
and muscles, better mental health, lower risk of chronic health
conditions like Type 2 diabetes and obesity and more.
Finally, we are also exploring policies in local communities that would
make the healthy choice the easy one when it comes to beverages on
kids’ menus at restaurants, and we’ll help implement the successful
Healthy Food for Denver Kids 2018 ballot initiative, which seeks to
improve access to healthy meals for all Denver youth.
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