CATCH Early Childhood (CEC) is designed to promote physical
activity and healthy food choices among preschool children ages 3-5.
Through CEC, children are motivated to walk, run, jump, dance and
move their whole bodies while playing and having fun! Healthy
Communities Partnership, funded by the ALMH Foundation, generously
donated a total of $2,050 towards the project. Some of the items
purchased for the program include: balls, beach balls, a colorful
24’ parachute, bean bags, hula hoops, and classroom curriculum.
Angela Stoltzenburg, Manager of Marketing and Community Partnerships
at ALMH, had this to say in regards to the partnership: “ALMH is
moving outside the four walls of the hospital to inspire a culture
of health in our service area and working every day to address the
health priorities we identified in our community health needs
assessment. CATCH is an evidence-based program that gives children
an opportunity to learn about better choices when it comes to their
lifestyles. CATCH schools teach the difference between “GO! SLOW!
and WHOA!” foods and promote daily moderate-to-vigorous activity.
CATCH schools teach children to be CATCH MVPs: M – Move and Stay
Active, V – Value Healthy Eating and P – Practice Healthy Habits.
CATCH is fun and is about creating a healthy environment for the
kids where the healthy choice is the easy choice.” CAPCIL’s Head
Start classrooms now join 13 other Logan County schools and 3000
children who are currently participating in the CATCH Program.
Jenifer Deweese, CAPCIL’s Head Start Director, shared her feelings
on having the CATCH Program in the Head Start classrooms: “We are
extremely excited to partner with Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
and enhance our journey to health and wellness with the CATCH
program. We work with very active 3-5 year old children that will
benefit from a structured physical activity and health eating
curriculum. We can't thank ALMH enough for this wonderful
opportunity.”
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If you or someone you know is interested in the Head Start Program visit
CAPCIL’s website at www.capcil.info, or by calling Head Start Director Jenifer
Deweese at 217-732-2159. It is the mission of CAPCIL, in partnership with
communities in our service area, to empower persons with low income and the aged
by creating and implementing poverty-fighting initiatives for those in crisis
and those that endeavor a life of lasting independence.
[Katie Alexander
Director of Agency Development
Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois]
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