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For Immediate Release
Contact: Mechelle Wallace
sippi2teach@yahoo.com
662-302-0252

Alderwoman, Mechelle Wallace Joined First Lady Michelle Obama to Celebrate the Town of Alligator’s Achievements in Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties

Alderwoman Mechelle Wallace 2Alligator, MS – Wednesday July 10, 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama hosted Alderwoman, Mechelle Wallace at the White House, celebrating the outstanding efforts of Alligator, MS, Hernando, MS and other communities who have completed health and wellness goals over the past year for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC). LMCTC calls upon local elected officials to adopt sustainable and holistic strategies that improve access to healthy, affordable food and opportunities for physical activity.

Since joining LMCTC, the Town of Alligator’s Let’s Move! efforts include establishing an interagency collaboration on early care and education by becoming an Excel By 5 Candidate Community as part of LMCTC Goal I: Start Early, Start Smart. The Town of Alligator is in its second year of sponsoring a Summer Feeding Program for children three to eighteen years of age at the Alligator Community Center (LMCTC Goal IV: Model Food Service). Other efforts include developing and cleaning more local play spaces for children as part of LMCTC Goal V: Active Kids at Play. Locally, the following stakeholders have contributed to the progress that the Town of Alligator has made: MS Department of Health/ Delta Health Collaborative, Town of Alligator Mayor’s Health & Wellness Council, Dreyfus Health Foundation, Duncan, Alligator, Shelby, Hope (DASH), Center For Education Innovation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, MS Food Network, North Bolivar School District, Alligator Excel By 5 Community Coalition, local volunteers and residents.

“Alligator is Passionately Pursing a Healthier Community”

“The League of Cities appreciates the support and energy of the First Lady for her tireless efforts to reduce the obesity epidemic facing our communities,” said National League of Cities’ Executive Director, Clarence Anthony. He continued, “We congratulate all the local elected officials who participated in the event and are playing an instrumental role in providing our nation’s children with a healthier future. When children grow up in cities, towns and counties that promote healthy development, they become productive and healthy adults, contributing to the prosperity of our communities.”

LMCTC is a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s comprehensive Let’s Move! initiative, which is dedicated to solving the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. A total of 330 cities, towns and counties from 46 states and the District of Columbia, which collectively represent more than 56 million Americans, have committed to the initiative’s five goals. NLC has awarded more than 1,000 bronze, silver and gold “medals” to recognize local elected officials who have made progress in achieving these goals.

As part of LMCTC, local elected officials are working towards the following goals:

  • Goal I: Start Early, Start Smart: Promoting best practices for nutrition, physical activity, and screen time in early care and education settings
  • Goal II: My Plate, Your Place: Prominently displaying MyPlate in all municipal or county venues where food is served
  • Goal III: Smart Servings for Students: Increasing participation in school breakfast and lunch programs
  • Goal IV: Model Food Service: Implementing healthy and sustainable food service guidelines that are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
  • Goal V: Active Kids at Play: Increasing opportunities for physical activity

NLC is working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Association of Counties and other nonprofit organizations, to assist local elected officials who join LMCTC as they implement policy and environmental changes to prevent childhood obesity. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has awarded NLC a grant to provide technical assistance to local elected officials working to create healthier communities and prevent childhood obesity, including sites participating in LMCTC.

For more information about LMCTC and the Town of Alligator’s accomplishments, visit www.HealthyCommunitiesHealthyFuture.org.

The National League of Cities is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.