Columbus's Get Active program strengthens an existing partnership between Columbus Public Health’s Active Living initiative and Leave No Child Inside by directing stakeholders to more information, working together on raising awareness about chronic diseases like obesity, and participating in public events.
Contact: Alice Hohl at 614-440-6475 or email at [email protected]dnature
www.kidsandnature.org
In October 2007, a group of individuals and community organizations came together to create the Leave No Child INSIDE Central Ohio Collaborative. The group connects kids and families with natural parks, play spaces, child-care facilities and schools. The organization does outstanding work to educate the community about the importance of nature to healthy childhood development. Research from Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” demonstrates that a link exists between the absence of nature in young people’s lives and trends in children's health issues, including obesity.
Columbus's Get Active program strengthens an existing partnership between Columbus Public Health’s Active Living initiative and Leave No Child Inside by directing stakeholders to more information, working together on raising awareness about chronic diseases like obesity, and participating in public events.
The Leave No Child INSIDE Central Ohio collaborative received an Environmental mini-grant of $2,775 in 2010 from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to carry out a public awareness campaign. The campaign highlights the importance of getting youth and families playing outdoors, learning about nature in natural settings, and unstructured activities.