News

July 2017

Let’s Go! provides tips for how to make a healthier French Fry

Amy Bouchard, Let’s Go!’s RD and school nutrition program coordinator, offered WCSH 6 viewers a healthy alternative to the much loved French Fry to celebrate National French Fry Day. Amy’s advice: enjoy in moderation next to a large salad or play around with seasoning combinations before baking your fries. 

March 2017

Let’s Go! receives honorable mention for advocacy and support of afterschool programs!

We’re proud to be recognized by the National Afterschool Association (NAA) for our work with out-of-school programs. You can view the digital edition of the magazine or read the Let’s Go! highlight here: http://naaweb.org/most-influential-in-health-and-wellness-2017#LetsGo


January 2017

Let’s Go! is chosen as the 2017 TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race Beneficiary  

“With its focus on physical activity and healthy eating, Let’s Go! is transforming young lives in Maine and across our region. We applaud their success in getting children up and moving and thinking about what they eat. Let’s Go! is a great choice for the special 20th running of the TD Beach to Beacon, ” said Larry Wold, president of TD Bank in Maine. Read more here www.beach2beacon.org/charity 


December 2016

MPBN tackles the complexity of raising kids in a world of constant connectivity

Dr. Jon Fanburg, Let’s Go! medical advisor, and Dr. Tory Rogers, Let’s Go! medical director, discuss screen time and media use for children and families on Maine Calling


October 2016

Dr. Rogers weighs in on how much screen time is okay for your kids.

Seeking clarity on the America Acadmey of Pediatrtics’ new screen time recommendations? Read this Bangor Daily News article from Tory.

Let’s Go! featured in the 2015 United Way Worldwide Annual Report

We’re proud to partner with the United Way of Greater Portland and humbled by the organization’s incredible geographic impact. Thanks for the continuous support UWGP.

Northern Maine Medical Center (NMMC) shows us what it means to be a Let’s Go! hospital

Employees at NMMC are focused on helping colleagues get healthy by creating a new walking trail on hospital property to promote employee wellness. Read about all the employer led opportunities for physical activity here.

Maine is Creating Buzz with Smarter Lunchroom Movement

Jackie Vine, our data analyst, co-authored Smarter Lunchrooms and Let’s Go! Maine – A Perfect Match with Heidi Kessler, manager at The Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs. Learn more about Maine’s Smarter Lunchroom Movement

Let’s Go! Recognizes 657 Sites for Their Role in Raising a Healthier Generation of Kids

Schools, child cares, and out-of-school programs are changing how they operate on a daily basis. Teachers are role modeling healthy choices by drinking only water, child care programs are celebrating birthdays with special activities instead of sweets, and out-of-school programs limit kids’ interactions with screens. Together we’re making a difference, read the full release here.


July 2016

Healthy Acadia Partners with Let’s Go! to expand access

Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Down East Community Hospital, Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, and Mount Desert Island Hospital, have recently partnered with Healthy Acadia to provide Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 programming and resources to help to improve the health of Maine youth and families in Hancock and Washington counties.


June 2016

5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! at St. James School in Biddeford

Let’s Go! is happy to share this short documentary video highlighting the great 5-2-1-0 program at St. James school in Biddeford. They are having great success with the program, and Let’s Go! is excited to be able to show others the great work being done by both students and staff! Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/j6VUySqQG5A


 

April 2016

Maine Foodie Tours Partners with Let’s Go! for Month of April

Maine Foodie Tours selected Let’s Go! as the April charity partner for their 12 Months of Giving campaign! For each ticket sold during the month of April, $1 goes towards supporting the Let’s Go! program. It’s a great opportunity to try one of their Culinary Walking Tours and experience local specialties on foot!


 

March 2016

Franklin County Ambulance Promotes 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! Message

NorthStar EMS unveiled its third health-theme painted ambulance to the Franklin County community: a colorful yellow and white ambulance with images and 5-2-1-0 messaging to promote the Let’s Go! program. The ambulance is designed to support ongoing community health messaging targeting youth and families in the region.


 

February 2016

MPBN Reporter talks with Let’s Go! Director, Dr. Tory Rogers, MD

Dr. Tory Rogers and medical advisor, Dr. Mike Dedekian, were featured as part of a special week-long MPBN series about the connection between childhood obesity and poverty. Take a listen to the fascinating Maine Calling segment and read more from Dr. Rogers about how Maine schools are stepping up efforts to get kids to eat healthier foods.


January 2016 

The American Hospital Association Recognizes Let’s Go!

The American Hospital Association (AHA) recognized Let’s Go!, a program of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, as an innovative way to meet community needs. Each year, the AHA highlights hospital-based programs that reach beyond the hospital’s walls to improve the health of their communities. For more information, visit: http://www.ahacommunityconnections.org/


November 2015

The Morning Sentinel Summarizes What it Takes to Truly Change Culture

Franklin County is a strong example of the 15 Maine counties working with Let’s Go! to create healthier spaces and offer better choices for children. 


October 2015

Walking School Bus is a Big Win in Somerset County

Solon Elementary sets a strong example by increasing student activity before the school day starts while Let’s Go! Somerset offers a healthy morning snack.

5:00 News Highlights Nutrition in Falmouth, ME

WTMW produced this short segment on how Maine schools are going above and beyond the federal nutrition standards and kids are eating it up. 

Maine Cafeterias Receive Praise for Efforts  

This Portland Press Herald Green Plate Special piece talks about how schools are working hard to cook delicious AND nutritious meals for students. We’re proud to work with these schools using Smarter Lunchroom techniques. 


September 2015

Let’s Go! Mini Grants Spur Major Changes

Maine media outlets covered China Middle School’s creative way to get kids moving more during math class. 

A Let’s Go! shout out in the Huffington Post

Author Edwin Moses gives Let’s Go! a shout out in his article about resources to support increased physical activity and proper nutrition.


August 2015

Let’s Go! on WMTW Channel 8

Let’s Go! made an appearance on WMTW Channel 8 News to discuss how unstructured time in the summer can often lead to unhealthy choices. Watch the segment online here.


July 2015

Get the Facts and Give School Lunch A Second Chance

Let’s Go!‘s produced a short Public Service Announcement to inform you about how Maine schools are advancing school lunch. 

Let’s Go! makes an appearance on MPBN Maine Calling

Emily Cooke, RDN, LD, Early Childhood Specialist and 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! Program Manager joined a panel on MPBM to discuss the challenges of Raising Kids in the Digital Age. 


June 2015

Physicians Prescribe a Day at The Park 

The Editorial Board at the Bangor Daily News wrote this piece about how strategic partnerships, like the Parks Pass Program, are making a difference in the health of Maine children. 


May 2015

4th Annual Parks Pass Program Kicks Off the Unofficial Start of Summer

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands has teamed up with Let’s Go! to provide 13,000 free Parks Passes to 148 Primary Care Practices who are working hard to increase healthy eating and physical activity. Learn more.


April 2015

Let’s Go! Challenges Families to a Week Without Screens

As part of a national, week long celebration to power down the various screens in our lives, Let’s Go! Waldo teamed up with The Free Press to remind their community why limiting screen time is so important to our health and well being. 

Maine’s Healthy School Lunch Efforts Receive Front Page Praise

The country is abuzz about child nutrition re-authorization and the possibility of rolling back nutrition standards. This article showcases how hardworking Mainers have used creativity to not only meet, but to exceed, the current nutrition standards. 


March 2015

Let’s Go! is Highlighted as an Answer to Mainers’ Health Challenges 

Let’s Go!‘s childhood obesity prevention efforts came to light in a Portland Press Herald article discussing Maine’s Health Rankings. Specific County Health Rankings were also covered, allowing for comparisons across the state. 

Let’s Go! Aroostook Receives $50,000 Grant

Thanks to generous funders like Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, communities are building healthy environments. Schools are incorporating more physical activity and finding healthy ways to celebrate birthdays. Watch the news segment here. 

Let’s Go! Waldo Site Featured in Republican Journal

Jon, a high school senior and volunteer at the Game Loft, is helping kids get their 1 hour of physical activity by taking them on a hobbit adventure. This creative, outdoor quest is just one of the Game Loft’s numerous activities. Read the full article here.


October 2014

368 Sites Recognized for Their Work with Let’s Go!

This year we’re congratulating: 86 Maine healthcare practices, 21 out-of-state healthcare practices, 114 child care programs, 60 schools and 86 out-of-school programs. Read local releases here: York County, Cumberland County, Kennebec, Franklin County, Aroostook County.

WGME covers National School Lunch Week with Let’s Go!

Good Day Maine met with Heidi Kessler to look at school lunches of the past and present. Watch now to learn why Maine leads the pack when it comes to healthy lunch options. 

Let’s Go! Hosts 4th 5-2-1-0 School Symposium

More than 100 School Health Champions gather at Let’s Go!’s 4th 5-2-1-0 School Symposium to discuss progress and share strategies for reversing the childhood obesity epidemic.


September 2014

Let’s Go!’s 3rd Annual 5-2-1-0 National Childhood Obesity Conference

Acclaimed obesity experts Dr. Robert Lustig and Dr. David Ludwig Provided Keynotes on Sept 18-19th, Marking National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.