Iowa Healthiest State Initiative

Do your teachers and students have the most school pride in Iowa?! K-12 schools are invited to join the School Mascot Challenge for a chance to win $1,000 by being the last school standing in a weekly bracket voting challenge! 💪🏆

All you have to do is register a walk for your building as part of the Healthiest State 14th Annual Walk beginning on August 1 and you're in! Learn more about the challenge, how to enter, and how to spread the word below!

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2024 School Mascot Challenge — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Win $1,000 for your K-12 school with the School Mascot Challenge as part of the Healthiest State 14th Annual Walk!

The IMT Des Moines Marathon is just 3 months away but there is still time to get training in to be ready for race day! Register for the marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, or 5K and use code HSIDMM24 for 10% off your registration! Whatever your skill level, there is a race for you! 🏃‍♀️🏃🏃‍♂️

https://www.desmoinesmarathon.com/

The first 5-2-1-0 feature of the new calendar is here! Check out the August Feature, Highlight Hydration, to teach your kiddos a fun fact about the importance of drinking water, and for a fun activity to get them involved.

Download the social media and poster versions for free below! 💦💪

🔗 https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/5210/feature

Did you know more than 7 million Black people in the U.S. are living with a mental health condition? You might not even know the signs, or realize it’s happening. But mental illnesses are just as common and treatable as a broken leg or bad eyesight. 💚

That's why we’re here to start a movement and start talking about mental illnesses in the Black community. Join us for the next free presentation online this Thursday to learn more.

Back the Black - Make It OK Presentation (Virtual) — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative We all have a story; let’s set an atmosphere to start healing together. Join us in the movement to Make It OK to talk about mental illnesses in the Black community. Did you know more than 7 million Black people in the U.S. are living with a mental health condition? You might not even know the

There are still a few spots left for Goat Yoga on August 16th at the Iowa State Fair! This isn’t the most intensive workout, but it is guaranteed to be an experience loaded with giggles and goat cuddles that you won't forget. Register below! 🐐

Goat Yoga - Iowa State Fair — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Goat Yoga! This isn’t the most intensive workout, but it is guaranteed to be an experience loaded with giggles, cuddles and just the right amount of cuteness to put you in a good mood. Tickets required for each class.

Double Up Food Bucks is available for SNAP users at grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, CSA's, and Co-ps across the state! Check out our available locations, and our "How To Double Up" guides so you know what to expect when you shop! 🍅🌽

Double Up Food Bucks — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Double Up Food Bucks is a SNAP-incentive program that matches purchases of fruits and vegetables at participating Iowa grocery stores and farmers markets $1:$1. Customers can use Double Up Food Bucks like cash on more fresh fruits and vegetables.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for Mindful Expression last night! It was incredible to see the community support and to hear the moving poetry, singing, and stories of our five local artists. Thank you William Bortz, Sanaa Chan, Gazzo Galleries, Kelsey Bigelow - Poetry, and Courageous Fire for joining us and sharing your creativity!

We would also like to thank our partners NAMI Iowa and Community Support Advocates for their helping to bring the event to life, Wellabe for sponsoring the event, and Storyhouse Bookpub and RAYGUNshirts for sharing their space with us.

Sharing these powerful stories related to mental health is the best way to reduce stigma and make it OK to not be OK in Iowa. 💚

The 2024 Iowa Hunger Summit by the World Food Prize Foundation is coming up on July 31st! 📅👀

The Iowa Hunger Summit is a free, public event held each year in late summer or early fall that brings together hundreds of Iowans from across the state representing community organizations, business and industry, state and local government, social agencies, churches and religious communities, academia and other groups that lead or participate in projects to eradicate hunger.

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2024 Iowa Hunger Summit — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative The Iowa Hunger Summit is a free, public event held each year in late summer or early fall. The Iowa Hunger Summit brings together hundreds of Iowans from across the state representing community organizations, business and industry, state and local government, social agencies, churches and religiou

The Iowa State Fair is known for fan favorite foods but it also features tons of healthy (and tasty!) options as well! Check out our list of some of the best healthy fair foods and HSI events coming this year! 🎡🥗

Healthy Options at the 2024 Iowa State Fair — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Nothing compares to the Iowa State Fair. This year, let's make our fair adventures as healthy as they are fun!

Join us at RAYGUNshirts and Storyhouse Bookpub TOMORROW, July 17th for Mindful Expression: Exploring Mental Health Through Artistic Creativity! The free event will highlight 5 amazing local artists as they share their experiences with mental illness through their art! 💚🎨

Learn more below! Thank you to our sponsor Wellabe and our partners NAMI Iowa and Community Support Advocates.

Mindful Expression: Exploring Mental Health Through Artistic Creativity — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative An evening of conversation and inspiration with artists, writers, poets, and musicians who speak about their art and their mental health journeys.

There are tons of ways to get involved with us and our programs! From helping us spread the word, to signing up for our newsletter, and requesting an event endorsement! See how you can take action with HSI below! 💪

Take Action with the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Support HSI by subscribing to our newsletter, visiting our online store, and requesting an event endorsement!

The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative is accepting applications from farmers markets, farm stands and/or CSA’s who currently do not have Double Up Food Bucks in operation! Selected markets will receive technical assistance and $1,500 for capacity building among other benefits. Learn more below! 🥕🍎

https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/doubleupfoodbucks/specialty-crop-promotion-and-capacity-building-grant

We're excited to highlight our last artist, Sanaa Chan, ahead of Mindful Expression: Exploring Mental Health Through Artistic Creativity presented by Wellabe on July 17th! Sanaa is an amazing 17 year old poet that is inspired by all forms of art and creativity!✏️📓

Join us for free at RAYGUNshirts and Storyhouse Bookpub from 5:30-7:30PM this Wednesday to hear from Sanaa and the other incredible local artists. Learn more below!

Brought to you by Make It OK, NAMI Iowa, and Community Support Advocates

https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/mindful-expression

Registration for the Healthiest State 14th Annual Walk opens on August 1st! Mark your calendars for the new fun we have planned plus the return of the School Mascot Challenge and the new Active Early Care Challenge! We can't wait to walk with you on October 2nd. 🚶‍♀️🚶🚶‍♂️

https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/events/annual-walk

Getting in some last summer family fun before school starts up again next month? Check out our tips for healthy eating during vacation from a registered Hy-Vee dietitian!

Tips for Healthy Eating During Vacation — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Author: Paige Green, RD, LD Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian

We all have a story; let’s set an atmosphere to start healing together. 💚❤️🖤

Join us in the movement to Make It OK to talk about mental illnesses in the Black community at our next free virtual Back the Black presentation on July 25th!

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Back the Black - Make It OK Presentation (Virtual) — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative We all have a story; let’s set an atmosphere to start healing together. Join us in the movement to Make It OK to talk about mental illnesses in the Black community. Did you know more than 7 million Black people in the U.S. are living with a mental health condition? You might not even know the

Did you know kids are more likely than adults to become dehydrated? Learn why, and how to make sure your kids are getting the water they need to play all summer long from Eat Right!💧

Fitness Flicks: Are Your Kids Hydrated? Kids are more likely than adults to become dehydrated. Use these tips to ensure kids are well-hydrated during and after physical activity.

Fayette County Public Health and the Healthy Fayette County Coalition partners went above and beyond to spread the word about Make It OK during Mental Health Awareness Month. 💚

By bringing the Make It OK message to local businesses and schools, the Fayette County Public Health team started important discussions on mental health that will leave an impact on community members lives beyond May.

Read our highlight of their amazing work at the link below!

https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/news/starting-conversations-about-mental-health-in-fayette-county

Meet the visual artist joining us for Mindful Expression: Exploring Mental Health Through Artistic Creativity presented by Wellabe on July 17th, Katie Gazzo! 🎨

Learn more about Katie and the other artists at the link below, and join us at RAYGUNshirts and Storyhouse Bookpub for a free event about mental health and art next week! NAMI Iowa Community Support Advocates



https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/mindful-expression

Since planting seeds in 2019, GusNIP has grown remarkably and now reaches more diverse communities nationwide! In 2019, GusNIP had 773 active NI and PPR sites. The number more than doubled to 1,959 sites in Year 2. Even more growth to 3,608 sites in Year 3. The Year 4 number skyrocketed to an impressive 4,612 sites! 🌟

We are thrilled to be a part of the growth through our Produce Prescription Program in Iowa! Center for Nutrition and Health Impact

Read more about the GusNIP Year 4 findings here:
https://nutritionincentivehub.org/gusnip-ntae-impact-findings/

Our yoga events at the Iowa State Fair are the G.O.A.T...literally! 🐐

Don't miss Goat Yoga, on Friday, August 16, for the cutest yoga session around with baby goats! Tickets are on sale now, get them before they are gone!

Goat Yoga - Iowa State Fair — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Goat Yoga! This isn’t the most intensive workout, but it is guaranteed to be an experience loaded with giggles, cuddles and just the right amount of cuteness to put you in a good mood. Tickets required for each class.

Looking for the newest 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! feature? We're currently putting together the next calendar with a fresh new look! The monthly features will be back in August, stay tuned! 🟥🟦🟩🟨

5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! Feature — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Put Healthy Choices Count! into action with the monthly 5-2-1-0 Feature! Each month, a new theme will be presented and interactive resources will be provided to work on your healthy habits.

Help us end the stigma around mental illness in Iowa. Become a Make It OK Ambassador, and bring the message to your school, community, or workplace! Learn more below. 🧠

Become a Make It OK Ambassador — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative A Make It OK Ambassador is someone who has a passion for reducing mental illness stigma in their community. An Ambassador does not need to be an expert on mental health but someone who enjoys connecting, engaging, educating and promoting mental health awareness.

Intermittent fasting, a dietary approach that has gained popularity, is being hailed for its potential health and weight loss benefits.

Hear from local Hy-Vee dietitian, Paige Green, as she explores what intermittent fasting involves, its underlying mechanisms, potential health benefits, who should abstain from it and practical advice for those contemplating this dietary approach. 💪

Intermittent Fasting: A Registered Dietitian’s Perspective — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Intermittent fasting, a dietary approach that has gained popularity, is being hailed for its potential health and weight loss benefits. As Hy-Vee dietitians, we know eating isn’t one-size-fits-all. Let’s explore what intermittent fasting involves, its underlying mechanisms, potential health bene...

Double Up Food Bucks is available at 22 farmers markets across Iowa! Check out our location map at the link below and start doubling up at your local market this season! 🍎🥕

Double Up Food Bucks — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Double Up Food Bucks is a SNAP-incentive program that matches purchases of fruits and vegetables at participating Iowa grocery stores and farmers markets $1:$1. Customers can use Double Up Food Bucks like cash on more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Our next Make It OK Presentation is coming up next wednesday on July 10th! Learn more about our efforts to reduce mental illness stigma, and how you can get involved in this free online presentation at 11 AM! 💚

https://bit.ly/3RIVpTJ

Make It OK to Talk about Mental Illness Presentation — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Make It OK  is community campaign to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness.  Did you know 1 in 5 are diagnosed with a mental illness in a given year while 1 in 10 are diagnosed with diabetes? Yet how we talk about these two illn

The ChopChop Magazine July recipe is here and it'll make your kids go bananas! Give this tasty One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream a try and get your kids involved in the kitchen at the same time! 🍌👀

Find more great resources from ChopChop Magazine below!



🔗 https://www.chopchopfamily.org/

Meet William Bortz, an incredible Iowa-based writer and poet, and the next artist highlight ahead of the Mindful Expression: Exploring Mental Health Through Artistic Creativity event on July 17th! 👏✏️

Learn a little more about William below, and join us at RAYGUNshirts and Storyhouse Bookpub for a free night focused on art and mental health presented by Wellabe and brought to you by the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, NAMI Iowa, and Community Support Advocates



https://www.iowahealthieststate.com/mindful-expression

Check out our event calendar for events from organizations across the state that encourage healthy lifestyles, and submit your event for endorsement for free below for help from us to spread the word! 📆

Request an endorsement — Iowa Healthiest State Initiative If your own event is aimed at improving the health and well-being of Iowans in your community, apply to use our seal of approval. We'll promote your event on the Healthiest State Initiative social media outlets, just as long as you promote the Healthiest State Initiative and its activities!