National Head Start Association Joins #CACFPtac with a Challenge!

​The CACFP take ACTION Challenge is proud to announce that the National Head Start Association (NHSA) will join the CACFP take ACTION Challenge to raise awareness of Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) including its contribution to quality child care, school readiness, healthy children and childhood obesity prevention.

The National Head Start Association(NHSA) is committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life.  The opportunities offered by Head Start lead to healthier, empowered children and families, and stronger, more vibrant communities. NHSA is the voice for more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,000 Head Start grantees in the United States.

NHSA MISSION is to coalesce, inspire and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education. NHSA VISION is that

• all children should reach their full potential,
• every child can succeed,
• we can impact the success of “at risk” children and
• quality early education fundamentally transforms children and families

Vision is To lead. To be the untiring and unifying voice that will not be quiet until the most vulnerable children are served with the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family and the community. To advocate. To work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure that the most vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed.

NHSA will be challenging the early child care community to use the Go Smart free web app tool that provides parents and teachers of children aged 0‐5 with physical activities that develop important skills and abilities. Go Smart games and activities have been field‐tested and aligned to meet children where they are at every child development stage.
 
“It is like a physical activity friend in your pocket,” says Yasmina Vicci, NHSA Executive Director.  “When a caregiver needs to get the kids moving, she can use her mobile device to quickly find an easy-to-implement and developmentally appropriate activity.”
 
A tool such as Go Smart directly aligns with food program goals for healthy children, especially after the emphasis of education regarding increased physical activity and decreased screen time stated in the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.  “One of the goals of the challenge is to drive awareness and encourage usage of existing health and wellness tools for children and caregivers,” says Chris Clark, Chairperson of the CACFP take ACTION Challenge. “All Head Start programs participate in the Child Adult Care Food Program, serving children in their care nutritionally dense foods as required by the food program.”
 
The National Head Start Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in school and in life.  The opportunities offered by Head Start lead to healthier, empowered children and families, and stronger, more vibrant communities. NHSA is the voice for more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,000 Head Start grantees in the United States. Visit www.nhsa.org and follow @NatlHeadStart for more information
 
The Challenge was launched in October at the Child Care Food Program Roundtable Conference with over 500 CACFP sponsors and Head Start professionals and a list of over 70 challenges in 5 categorical areas.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) endorses this awareness campaign and included its own challenges for agencies or individual providers to do.  Since the challenge launch participants from state and CACFP sponsoring agencies, centers and family child care providers spanning 32 states have submitted completed challenges and more commitments have been made.
For more information on the challenge: www.cacfptakeactionchallenge.org,

Get a Head Start with Go Smart - Get started using the GoSmart web app now and earning CACFPtac Recognition Points!
​

---