To learn more about any of the leadership initiatives described below, contact Jen Barrientos, Growing Up Healthy Director, jen@healthycommunityinitiative.org.
Parents and Policy: Voices influencing a better education system (VIBES)
As parents and caregivers, we are responsible for the whole development of our children, from what they eat to where they live to who they are. We know our children best, and therefore we are the best advocates for our children when it comes to making sure they have access to high quality education and a positive school experience.
Growing Up Healthy wants to introduce parents and caregivers to new ways of influencing education and school experience that are rooted in community. We are committed to helping parents and caregivers use their voices to make positive changes in the schools that will benefit all of our community’s kids.
Growing Up Healthy’s four-part advocacy workshop series includes the following topics:
- The Power of Storytelling
- Our Role in Public Governance
- From Community Conversations to Collective Action Part 1 – Politic’IN’!
- From Community Conversations to Collective Action Part 2 – Advocacy
Sharing Our Roots: Community Connectors
Growing Up Healthy is collaborating closely with Sharing Our Roots to implement their project, From Food Insecurity to Food Sovereignty: Community Connections for Health Equity. Funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Sharing Our Roots is building on their efforts to improve healthy food access for minority, low-income and immigrant families residing in Rice County. Growing Up Healthy has been a partner of Sharing Our Roots since 2017, collaborating on initiatives that address the disproportionate food insecurity experienced by people of color in Faribault and Northfield. Growing Up Healthy works in support of those hired by Sharing Our Roots as they seek to establish and improve neighborhood gardens and connect minority groups to the Sharing Our Roots farm and its resources.
Growing Local: Northfield Emerging Leaders Program
Our community needs strong, capable, diverse leadership to remain vibrant now and in the future. This program was designed to help emerging leaders prepare to join boards, commissions and committees in our community. Click here for a video about the program, which was made possible through a partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension and the City of Northfield. Click here for more information about upcoming sessions.
