Let's Move

Join America’s move to raise a healthier generation of kids. Learn the facts about raising healthier kids through physical activity and nutrition.

Photo 1. The First Lady Michelle Obama greets the crowd during a visit to the New Roots Community Farm in San Diego City Height’s.

Photo.2 - First Lady Michelle Obama with Zara Marselian, CEO, La Maestra Community Health Center.

La Maestra serves the community through its five health centers providing medical, dental and social services including job training, transportation and its Micro-credit program for women.

The First Lady Michelle Obama greets the crowd in San Diego

On April 15th. the First Lady Michelle Obama visit San Diego to join Robert K. Ross, MD, President & CEO of The California Endowment, in the announcement of The Building Healthy Communities Initiative as a part of her Let's Move! Campaign. The event took place at the New Roots Community Farm in the City Heights neighborhood. Mid-City CAN and International Rescue Committee put in hundreds of staff hours to help make the event happen.

“The Building Healthy Communities initiative is based on a simple idea – that healthy children come from healthy environments,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “If a family lives in a neighborhood with a grocery store nearby, they’re more likely to put fresh fruits and vegetables on the table. If there’s a safe, inviting park down the street, parents are more likely to let their kids play there after school or on weekends. And if our environment is clean and pollution-free, children are less likely to get sick and more likely to spend time outside. The Building Healthy Communities initiative is all about giving people the tools they need to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.”

The New Roots Community Farm garden was chosen for Mrs. Obama to speak in San Diego, and she called it:

“ A model for building healthy communities across the nation and around the world” as she walked through the garden, and she stopped often to enjoy the scents emerging from this roadside garden.

Three years ago, the New Roots Community Farm was a 2.3-acre vacant lot at 54th Street and Chollas Avenue in the City Heights neighborhood, now has become an abundant source of nutritious food for more than 80 immigrant and refugee farmers and their families. Some of the fresh produce can be sold at the City Height's Farmers market.

The City Height's Farmers market plan was to serve a diverse population of a community with more than 30 different languages spoken. This market has become more than a place to purchase fresh produce and foods. It is the first Farmers Market providing advice and help to families who qualify for food and community assistance programs. This Farmers market in City Height's has been a culmination of a vision and hard work from over 20 local organizations under the leadership of the Network for a Healthy California-San Diego Nutrition Network, Mid-City Community Advocacy Network, and with the contributions and support from Supervisor Ron Roberts for the market to succeed.

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