For Immediate Release

Media Contact: 
Tom Lorenz, Director of Communications & Community Relations


Eliza Papazian, Administrative Assistant
epapazian@glendaleca.gov

www.nlc.org
twitter.com/leagueofcities

Glendale, CA Awarded Medals Recognizing Achievements in Preventing

Childhood Obesity through Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties

Glendale, CA – The National League of Cities (NLC) recognizes the City of Glendale for the recent completion of key health and wellness goals for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC). LMCTC is a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s comprehensive Let’s Move! initiative to ensure that kids can grow up healthy.  It was at the 2014 NLC Conference that Councilwoman Laura Friedman joined the program and brought the initiative back to Glendale and has since been recognized by NLC.  LMCTC works closely with local elected officials nationwide to adopt policies that improve access to healthy affordable food and opportunities for physical activity for their constituents across five goal areas.

“We congratulate the City of Glendale for your dedication to building a healthier community for children and families,” said NLC President Ralph Becker, mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah. “Through the tireless leadership and action of local elected officials in cities, towns and counties across the country, we hope to see continued progress in reversing America’s epidemic of childhood obesity.”

Seven medals were awarded to the City of Glendale for action taken to improve access to healthy affordable food and increase opportunities for physical activity. 

All LMCTC sites have the opportunity to earn up to five gold medals, one for each actionable goal to which they commit to as part of the initiative. Medals are awarded to local elected officials based on their achievements in each of the following five goal areas:

• 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: Expanding access to meal programs before, during and after the school day, and/or over summer months.
• 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.

More than 480 cities, towns and counties are participating in LMCTC, and more than 70 million Americans are now living in LMCTC communities that are dedicated to helping young people eat healthy foods and be physically active. Each month, NLC recognizes local elected officials who achieve key benchmarks for the five LMCTC goals. Since July 2012, NLC has awarded 2,477 bronze, silver, and gold medals to recognize local elected officials across the country for their LMCTC progress.

For more information about LMCTC and Glendale’s accomplishments, visit www.HealthyCommunitiesHealthyFuture.org.

###

 Glendale, known as the “Jewel City,” is one of the largest cities in Los Angeles County. With a population over 190,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers limitless opportunities. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail and banking.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter, keeping you informed on news & events in Glendale, Glendale City Connection. And follow MyGlendale on Twitter for all Glendale updates!