From 1994-2003, CANFIT awarded planning and intervention grants to youth serving organizations across California to improve the food and physical activity environments for youth in low income communities and communities of color. The organizations are listed below by year with a summary of the final report which includes the name and location of the projects, the target populations reached and the information gathered. To view the final reports of each grantee, click on the links below:
2003
Download 2003 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
East Bay Asian Youth Center (Oakland, CA)
CANFIT funded EBAYC’s project, Body Pride Alive, to train 13 peer educators to teach and model improved nutritional choices and physical activity for Roosevelt Middle School students. This allowed student voices to be heard through engaging classes and a health fair.
Hands for Hope (North Hollywood, CA)
CANFIT trained Hands for Hope staff to improve life skills for at-risk youth through Active Hands, after school enrichment programs that include weekly physical fitness and nutrition classes. This allowed youth to be safe after school, while participating and leading in team sports, cooking and nutrition classes through the programs.
San Diego Youth and Community Services (San Diego, CA)
Project YET (To Your Health and NFL Youth Education Town) was funded by CANFIT to target Latino and African American youth in San Diego. It included weekly youth groups focusing on healthy eating, reading food labels, cooking classes, and positive body image. YET was successful and resulted in a youth published recipe cookbook as well as a $10,000 grant from local public officials to continue services.
Mission Neighborhood Centers (San Francisco, CA)
CANFIT funded the Mission Girls project that allowed Latina youth from SF’s Mission district to conduct weekly workshops in schools and after school programs. These focused on nutrition, fitness, body image, and were able to educate youth on snack content and improve physical activity.
News From Native California (Berkeley, CA)
News from Native California published an article about traditional physical activity and a surf camp held in Southern California targeting American Indian youth.
2002
Download 2002 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
Berkeley Youth Alternatives (Berkeley, CA)
BYA ‘s Peer Education Project/ Nutrition Task Force trained 8 peer educators to deliver nutrition education to 335 children and youth. They identified a need to reduce fast food and soda consumption among adolescents and also provided low-cost fresh fruits and vegetables to families in the community.
Inner City Struggle (East Los Angeles, CA)
Inner City Struggle trained 10 youth leadership advocates, “aztecas,” through the Living Healthy project and developed a peer mentor program in which each advocates taught other youth about nutrition and physical activity. The youth advocates also prepared community presentations to educate their peers and adults.
Hands for Hope (North Hollywood, CA)
Hands for Hope formed a planning group of 6 community members to conduct a needs assessment for its Active Hands program serving 49 youth. They interviewed counselors and staff at Lankershim Elementary schoool, surveyed youth, and surveyed their parents about their eating and activity habits.
Community Action Partnership of Orange County (Garden Grove, CA)
The Community Action Partnership of Orange County collaborated with Orange County Project LEAN to train a group of five young women. The girls conducted a needs assessment of 130 of their peers to develop an ethnic sports league that incorporates culturally sensitive values and emphasizes good nutrition.
San Diego Youth and Community Services (San Diego, CA)
The San Diego Youth and Community Services formed a planning group of 10 youth (Latino and African American) that developed and administered a survey to their peers about their nutrition and physical activity habits and interest.
County of San Diego, Department of Parks and Recreation (Spring Valley, CA)
San Diego County Parks and Recreation led an adolescent nutrition and physical activity campaign titled To Your Health! at the Spring Valley Rec Club. They took 177 youth on field trips that included exercise, conducted nutrition workshops, and taught them about body image and self-esteem.
Health Education Council (Sacramento, CA)
Health Education Council established a FitKids program at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater
Sacramento, Region of Lemon Hill. In addition to providing nutrition education and physical activities for youth, they developed a nutrition policy that was adopted by the Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors.
Indian Health Council (Pauma Valley, CA)
The Indian Health Council Youth Wellness project devised creative ways of emphasizing wellness and incorporating nutrition education and physical activities, such as surfing and gardening, with American Indian culture.
Mission Neighborhood Centers (San Francisco, CA)
CANFIT supported “Mission Girls” which conducted a model program that empowered young women by offering activities and education to instill positive decision-making skills regarding personal health, nutrition,fitness, and body image. One hundred fifteen girls not only took part in cooking classes, nutrition workshops, dance classes, and gym visits, but also produced a video.
Sports 4 Kids (Oakland, CA)
CANFIT helped Sports4Kids build on its existing recreational programs that serve 779 Oakland students. Sports4kids developed a healthy after school snack program in 37 schools while changing children’s attitudes and behaviors towards food and snacks.
United American Indian Involvement (Los Angeles, CA)
American Indian Clubhouse offered expanded nutrition and fitness programming to its 184 youth participating in its annual summer camps and after-school youth activities. These changes involved better snack and meal planning for all Clubhouse activities, additional nutrition and fitness speaker forums, health and fitness articles in community newsletters, an annual 5K run and health fair, consistent recreational activities schedule for youth, youth outreach and community sporting events, staff/youth nutrition and fitness training, and improved Clubhouse nutrition and fitness policies.
1999-2001
Download 1999-2001 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
Contra Costa Health Services –TeenAge Program (Bay Point, CA)
Contra Costa Health Services conducted a needs assessment to document youth nutrition and fitness and environmental factors influencing dietary intake and physical activities. Thirty four students from the Riverview Middle School and After-School Program participated in four focus groups, and 44 students completed written surveys regarding nutrition and physical activity.
East County Community Clinic (Lakeside, CA; 1998)
A community coalition, with members including the Barona Reservation, Lakeside Teen Advisory Board, and San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation, was formed to address nutrition and fitness issues among youth, and was able to significantly increase after-school fitness activities. At the same time, a youth program called the Future Nutritionists of American conducted surveys and brainstormed nutrition promotion ideas.
East County Community Clinic (Lakeside, CA; 1999)
CANFIT helped continue the work of the previous planning grant (#PS1-98), for project Operation Our Way, a community coalition and youth leadership group led in the development of nutrition and fitness activities. These activities were pilot tested during the summers of 2000 and 2001.
Indian Health Council (Pauma, CA)
Ahmium for Health gathered youth representatives from nine Indian tribes in North San Diego County to form a planning group and conduct a community needs assessment.
Sports 4 Kids (Oakland, CA)
Sports4Kids conducted focus groups and taste tests at three Oakland schools to determine what youth like to eat, what they actually eat, and how they might be educated about nutrition and eating well. Teachers, parents, school administrators and cafeteria staff, and Sports4Kids staff were also surveyed. Results were used to develop a nutritious snack menu, as well as a new unit in the Sports4Kids curriculum that trains staff how to educate children about nutrition.
United American Indian Involvement (Los Angeles, CA)
American Indian youth living in Los Angeles County were assessed regarding their nutrition and fitness knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as their cultural identity. The results were used to create a culturally relevant fitness and nutrition program for adolescents.
American Indian Public Charter School (Oakland, CA)
With CANFIT’s intervention grant, nutrition education was integrated into the 7th grade curriculum. In addition, basketball hoops were installed in the gym, and after-school programs in gardening and physical fitness were created.
Korean Health Education, Information, and Referral (Los Angeles, CA)
Youth were engaged in nutrition and fitness workshops (i.e. shopping for healthy snacks, how to read nutrition facts, fat and sugar, and physical activities and exercises) that ultimately led to the development of a multicultural cookbook, “Jambalaya”, of favorite recipes that meet dietary requirements.
YWCA of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA; 1999)
“Girls Now” consisted of weekly educational activities on nutrition and fitness, cooking and snack classes, and fitness activities implemented at three YWCA after-school centers in San Francisco (Mission, Western Addition, and Chinatown).
YWCA of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA; 2001)
A continuation of a previous CANFIT grant, girls at both the YWCA Western Addition and Chinatown after-school centers participated in weekly nutrition, healthy snack, body image, and fitness activities.
1997-1998
Download 1997-1998 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
Escondido Community Health Center (Temecula, CA)
Latino youth peer leaders were trained in assessment and community outreach. These leaders then recruited a larger planning group from the community to implement a needs assessment and detailed analysis report.
Health Education Council (Lemon Hill, CA)
The Health Education Council formed a coalition entitled Lemon Hill FitKids to develop, pilot, and implement nutrition and physical activity interventions into youth programs. Partners included the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center (SCCSC), the US Tennis Association, California State University Sacramento, and other community organizations and schools.
La Clinica de la Raza (East Oakland, CA)
La Clinica initiated a youth-driven community coalition of schools and community organizations to identify and address the nutritional and physical activity needs of youth at the Oakland Charter Academy. Students’ voices were heard and significant findings included inconsistent breakfasts, inadequate lunch meal policy, and very high Tampico and soda intake levels.
YWCA of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
The “Girls Now” Project targeted Latina and African American girls in the San Francisco Mission district. Girls were taught about nutrition, eating disorders, and physical activity, then assisted in creating a tool that would be effective and useful to their peers. A collaborative of community partners contributed their expertise to the planning and training processes.
American Indian Child Resource Center (Oakland, CA)
In the “Tending Our Roots” project, youth learned how to build and maintain a greenhouse and garden at the American Indian Public Charter School. After construction, youth learned about, planted, and harvested native plants. Foods were used in lunches and community gatherings throughout the year.
Bayview Hunters Point Foundation (Bayview Hunters Point, CA)
With FLAAASH (Fitness and Leadership Alternatives for African American Students) peer counselors assisted in planning and implementing a nutrition curriculum and activities, such as gardening, and determining locations for and methods of physical activity. The youth were exposed to a variety of healthy foods, cooking styles and organized physical activities.
San Leandro Boys and Girls (San Leandro, CA)
The Backyard Garden and Teen Cuisine programs were successfully integrated into the Boys and Girls Club and able to focus on local African American youth. Through a cooking class and other nutrition activities, athletic programs, and a garden, youth increased their nutrition and physical activity knowledge and learned how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
1996-1997
Download 1996-1997 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula (Belle Haven and North Fair Oaks Districts, CA)
With the Niños Sanos Project, the Club established a separate CANFIT Task Force (CTF) for each community served. Through this planning grant, staff became aware of the nutrition and physical activity challenges faced by the target communities and took the first steps to meeting the challenge by exposing many of their members to a more healthy lifestyle.
Riverside - San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc. (Riverside, CA)
The Developing Healthy Native American Youth Project, which included formation of a planning committee, determination of data source and collection methods, development of a survey, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and evaluation of committee’s activities.
Culver City Youth Health Center (Culver City, CA)
Through this grant, eleven high school girls were selected and trained in Hip Hop Aerobics, Strength
Training, and the ten-week TAP (Teen Activity Project) Nutrition and Fitness Curriculum. These girls then led TAP classes at Culver City Middle School.
El Concilio del Condado de Ventura (Oxnard, CA)
Project LANPA (Latino Adolescent Nutrition and Physical Activity) targeted forty youth from the La Colonia housing project and implemented leadership development through an after-school peer advocates training program and media training.
Escondido Community Health Center (Escondido, CA)
Through the Healthy Lives CANFIT for Kids Project, a Youth Advisory Committee was established to assist in planning and developing project activities. These activities provided educational training and activities for youth and their families on how to increase their skills in shopping, cooking and dining.
Kalusugan Community Services (Chula Vista, CA)
CANFIT supported project Nutri-Fit, targeted at Filipino Youth. This project worked with the media to increase awareness and communication; educated food service personnel about Filipino-American food habits; trained teachers, parents, and teens about nutrition and fitness; and educated the community with health fairs, restaurant awareness activities, and workshops.
Korean Health, Education, Information and Referral (KHEIR) Center (Los Angeles, CA)
The KHEIR Center conducted a needs assessment through focus groups and phone interviews. They also developed and pilot-tested two curricula from the findings which became a valuable source of nutrition and physical activity information for the Korean community.
Southeast Asian Health Project (Long Beach, CA)
This project, Teens in Good Health, trained adult mentors and adolescents as peer leaders. Through peer education, they worked in pairs to provide information and education about various health, nutrition, and fitness topics.
Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center (San Francisco, CA)
The Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center developed a curriculum and restaurant kitchen tours that were piloted at Francisco Middle School. Chinese and Vietnamese youth participated in discussions on topics such as eating disorders and the media’s influence on their lives.
The West County Public Education Fund (San Pablo, CA)
This fund used mini-grants to encourage teachers to incorporate nutrition and physical activity into their projects. Results included a school garden, purchasing new equipment, expanding existing programs, and developing a youth-driven leadership team.
Ventura County Public Health Department (Santa Paula, CA)
The Public Health Dept. of Ventura provided nutrition and physical education activities for the low-income Latino youth at Isbell Middle School, as well as community-based food and fitness promotions.
Viejas Indian School Incorporated (San Diego, CA)
The Health Literate Teens Program was developed for American Indian youth at the Viejas Indian Reservation and involved them in nutrition, physical, and cultural activities to encourage healthy lifestyle choices. This program provided a consistent and safe environment respecting the individual teens, their families, heritage and beliefs.
1995-1996
Download 1995-1996 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
Avalon Carver Community Center (Los Angeles, CA)
The Carver Community Center conducted a literature review and surveyed 76 youth to assess nutrition habits of youth in drug-compromised environments. This project allowed the center to continue focusing the community’s attention on the long-term impact of drug-compromised environments on the health and welfare of young people.
Hispanos Unidos, Inc. (Redwood City, CA)
CANFIT funded Project 4 Health which targeted local Latina middle school girls. Seventeen Core Group Youth (CGY) participated in the planning process which involved surveying 200 of their peers about nutrition and fitness. Focus groups were conducted with CGY, adult family members and community members. CGY also participated in a number of activities, and kept food diaries.
Pacific Institute for Women’s Health (Culver City, CA)
The Teen Activity Project conducted focus groups with middle school girls and their mothers, to mobilize receiving Project LEAN funding for the Teen TV Project. This project successfully utilized input from the girls and their mothers, to collect information on exercise, eating patterns, role models, and self-esteem.
Southeast Asian Health Project (Long Beach, CA)
CANFIT funded Teens in Good Health (TiGH) where four peer leaders assisted with a needs assessment, including a 3-Day Diet Recall. More than 100 youth answered questions on the general knowledge of nutrition and physical activity, as well as their eating and exercise habits.
Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center (San Francisco, CA)
With Project Tel-Hi Youthfit, nine students and a group of professionals developed and distributed a survey to a target group of 430 youth of color and a control group of 103 youth at a predominantly white private school to determine their nutrition and fitness needs.
Kalusugan Community Services (Chula Vista, CA)
The four project components of NUTRI-FIT included: working with the media to increase awareness
and communication; educating food service supervisors about Filipino American diets; training
teachers, parents, and teens about nutrition and fitness; and educating the community via health
fairs, restaurant awareness, grocery store tours, and workshops. This project targeted Filipino-American youth at Chula Vista Junior High and Bethune Elementary School.
Girls Incorporated of Alameda County (Alameda, CA)
CANFIT funded the Mawiyah Program for African American 11-14 year old girls at King Estates Junior High in San Leadndro. The PE program included funk aerobics, an after school activity, and a health curriculum.
Escondido Community Health Center (Escondido, CA)
This project, Healthy Lives CANFIT for Kids, provided nutrition and physical activity education and information to Native American and Hispanic communities. They distributed sports and cooking equipment, visual aids and educational materials to these communities, and participated in a variety of activities, including home cooking demonstrations and community Fun Runs and other events.
Monterey County Department of Health (Irvine, CA)
With CANFIT’s funding, the health department implemented Project U-Fit, which implemented an after-school cooking club, “Grizzly Gourmets”. They also added a nutrition and fitness curriculum, MVE-TV, to health classes.
San Bernardino County, Department of Public Health (San Bernardino, CA)
This campaign was targeted among youth soccer league participants (85% Latino) and was framed as promoting peak athletic performance. It also had underlying goals of improving their health status and preventing chronic disease. With CANFIT’s support they initiated the Colton Youth Playerz Health Club which consisted of eleven youth leaders serving as peer advisors, planning events to promote nutrition and fitness.
1994-1995
Download 1994-1995 Summary of Completed Grantee Projects
Escondido Community Health Center (Escondido, CA)
Through CANFIT’s funding, the Migrant Education Summer Academy Program trained and updated staff on health education resources, physical activity, and identifying cultural sensitivity resources.
Girls, Inc. (Oakland, CA)
The Mawiyah project was a culturally relevant after-school program, with an added fitness component to the health program. The health and nutrition curriculum, as well as the evaluation tools, were developed with CANFIT’s support.
San Bernardino County, Department of Public Health (San Bernardino, CA)
The Colton Playerz Health Club established a proactive youth group that advocated for improved physical activity involvement and healthy food choice availability. This included culturally appropriate newsletters and handouts to increase consciousness on nutrition and fitness.
Ventura County Public Health Services/SPHAC (Ventura, CA)
Santa Paula “Baile de Vida” - Dance of Life Project was designed to improve physical activity and nutrition status of low-income Latino youth residing in Santa Paula. Program components include quebradita dance classes, the “Lean Team”, a youth Snack committee, youth advisory committee, nutrition/physical activity education and cooking and dancing demonstrations, nutrition/physical activity Loteria game, contests and incentives, media support, development of a video by youth and community events.
Community Leadership Development Institute (Richmond, CA)
This program promoted healthier foods, commitment to exercise, and volunteering in the Easter Hill Community.
El Concilio del Condado de Ventura (Oxnard, CA)
A community advisory group for the Latino Adolescent Nutrition and Physical Activity Program and its youth Planning Group met to plan the assessment. Advisory group members also participated in a community radio talk show to discuss the survey results. They also wrote a newsletter article on the needs assessment results in Spanish and English.
Kalusugan Community Services (Chula Vista, CA)
This planning project found that Filipino American youth in Chula Vista had poor dietary practices and lacked daily physical activity. They found that the main causes included lack of emphasis on nutrition and fitness, lack of information, unappealing food served in schools, and the reluctance of parents to let their children play outside due to safety factors. These were presented to parents, teachers, staff, and school administration.
Korean Health, Education, Information and Referral (KHEIR) Center (Los Angeles, CA)
CANFIT assisted in coordinating a needs assessment on Korean American youth and had results publicized on Korean TV as well as Korean Central Daily, a Korean newspaper. Using this data found through the needs assessment and focus groups, they developed a nutrition/ fitness curriculum for Korean adolescents.
Monterey County Health Department (Monterey, CA)
The IMPACTO task force formed a subcommittee on nutrition and fitness for youth, a topic which they had not previously addressed. An assessment of resources in the community around youth nutrition and fitness was completed.
Southeast Asian Health Project (Long Beach, CA)
Peer leaders were involved in the process of assessing the youth in their community and a presentation was done on the importance of attaining good nutritious habits for teens. CANFIT also assisted in the development and implementation of a dietary assessment tool.
Stanislaus County Dept. Of Public Health (Stanislaus, CA)
CANFIT supported this community in forming a committed advisory board interested in youth physical activity and nutrition. A 40 item survey was created to assess the nutrition and physical activity status of the target population – youth in Modesto City Schools.
Viejas Indian School Incorporated (San Diego, CA)
With CANFIT funding, students and staff were able to increase nutrition and fitness awareness and education. School directors also introduced healthier cooking techniques and food choices at traditional gatherings such as Pow Wows, Elder, community functions, and wakes.
