What Others Are Saying About CANFIT

Ivan Juzang
President of MEE Productions

“Even though obesity prevention is much more part of the mainstream dialogue, I still think that CANFIT needs to be supported because they’re continually looking at low income communities where the environments are already set up for failure for those communities…I think even though now what happens in mainstream America is that people think they’re winning the war against obesity. Communities of color and communities with the highest disparities tend to be forgotten again, and CANFIT I think represents and advocates for those communities.”

Shene Bowie Onye
Executive Director for the California Healthy Kids and Afterschool Resource Center

“[One value that comes to mind about CANFIT is] culturally competent implementation and development of tools. Not just ‘We’re CANFIT, we’re going to put this together on our own.’ It was lots of collaboration with community-based organizations and professionals in the field that were working with different cultural populations that could contribute to tools that CANFIT offers. I just think CANFIT has been doing what organizations are starting to do for a long time. They’re an example of best practice.” - Shene Bowie Onye, first partnered with CANFIT in 1998 incorporating physical activity into faith-based activity in East Oakland and currently the Executive Director for the California Healthy Kids and Afterschool Resource Center.

Eddy Jara
City of Riverside

“Some of the educational materials that we developed that were promoting nutrition in the context of physical activity and better performance are being used today. Specifically there’s one re-developer of that project called the plant-food survival guide. It’s used even today, 18 years later.” - Eddy Jara, first partnered with CANFIT in 1994 as sa public health nutritionist at the San Bernardino County of Public Health Nutrition Program, and currently with the City of Riverside.

Lydia Floyd
Executive Director for Hands for Hope

“Children have not stopped being obese. CANFIT has to continue programs. Programs that do it the way that they do it have to be out there for those of us on the frontlines working with the children. It would make so much more difference than the way it’s being done now without CANFIT being able to do what they did in the past. If they could continue it would make the difference in childrens’ lives now because it’s needed - it’s still very needed.” - Lydia Floyd, Executive Director for Hands for Hope.

Debbie Oto-Kent
CANFIT Board Member and Executive Director of the Health Education Council

“[Three values that describe CANFIT] are commitment to community, commitment to empowerment and lifting up the voice of communities, and passion. I think few organizations really push hard to always advocate for underserved youth and families. To do it in a way that keeps their needs at the forefront of trying to change and improve the lives of communities and youth of color.” - Debbie Oto-Kent, CANFIT Board Member and Executive Director of the Health Education Council.

Julie Sesser, Stanislaus County Office of Education

“I believe that CANFIT’s greatest success was their ability to deliver meaningful and relevant staff development. By doing so, our pilot sites have made significant strides and are moving towards the creation of more comprehensive physical activity and nutrition programs that will result in positive and measurable outcomes for our youth.” - Julie Sesser, Stanislaus County Office of Education.