As expansive budget cuts continue to eliminate funding for physical education and extracurricular activities at our nation's public schools (let alone retain additional resources to put towards healthier lunch and food programs), the harrowing childhood obesity epidemic continues to threaten the livelihood of Gen Z. However, despite the economic downturn, a growing number of organizations are attacking these issues head-on by rolling out programs to communities and schools with their own rules attached.

In an effort to transform in-school food service programs at public schools, California-based Revolution Foods has partnered with Whole Foods to provide fresh, healthy meals and snacks, as well as nutrition education, for students, faculty and parents. Since its launch, the organization has served over 100 educational programs (including district, charter, parochial, private, summer and after-school programs) throughout the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Despite having only a limited regional reach at this time, Revolution Foods products and resources - which include a comprehensive website packed with healthy food tips, recipes, and educational resources, as well its own line of lunchbox snacks- are widely accessible. While we know that schools have been implementing healthy food programs for some time now, it's clear that such programs remain few and far between, and, in our humble opinion, the model that Revolution Foods employs (partnering with local food producers and distributors, aligning their food standards with those of Whole Foods, providing Nutrition Ed support for educators and administrators) is one that could be adapted on a macro level to help transform our nation's schools into healthier havens for our kids.

On the fitness side of the health movement, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is aiming to get kids excited about exercise by challenging them to make their own workout videos as part of a new campaign called empowerME. The contest encourages kids to upload a video of their "best moves" for a chance to win an autographed copy of Cheetah Girl/Dancing with the Stars contestant Sabrina Bryan's recently released dance workout DVD, as well as a personalized message from the star. Thus far, over 1 million kids have committed to the empowerME challenge, pledging to lead healthier lives by eating better and being more active.