September 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 100

2011 nrPa Congress and Exposition

2011 National Partnership Spotlight
Parks and recreation: the cornerstone of connecting
healthy americans and communities

T

he national recreation anD Park association represents all park and recreation agencies in

America, touching the lives of more than 300 million people in virtually every community, from
rural communities to suburban neighborhoods to urban centers. NRPA and its vast network of
park and recreation agencies are committed to enhancing the quality of life for all people through innovative partnerships and quality programs. With support from its partners and funders, NRPA is focused on creating or expanding opportunities in: youth development and play, health and livability, and
environmental conservation.
America's Backyard
What began as a simple pre m i s e - t h at
parks belong to the
people and that access to them and their protection are basic American values-has now become
a grassroots initiative of NRPA-America's Backyard. America's Backyard is the
public prescription for good health-free
play, physical activity and sports, green
spaces, and community gardens. With
corporate and individual donor support,
this project's focus is on preserving and
saving America's parks and funds advocacy, research, education, and public awareness. Corporate supporters
include: Coca-Cola NA, Hershey Company, Pitney Bowes, and Walmart.

Federal Partnerships Help NRPA
Build Healthy Communities: ACHIEVE
and CPPW
The NRPA is committed to helping promote
park and recreation
agencies as community leaders that increase
physical activity and
healthy lifestyles, as
well as improve community livability.
NRPA's two federally funded programs,
ACHIEV E (Action Communities for
Health, Innovation, and enVironmental

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Change) and CPPW (Communities Putting Prevention to Work), encourage the
development of collaborative partnerships in all sectors of a community. These
partnerships focus on creating and improving policies that increase physical
activity, improve nutrition, and decrease
exposure to tobacco to help advance
the nation's efforts to prevent chronic
diseases.

Food Research & Action Center
T h e Fo o d R e search and Action
Center (FRAC) is
the leading national nonprofit organization working to
improve public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger
and undernutrition in the United States.
Together, FRAC and NRPA are supporting park and recreation agencies' ability to serve healthy snacks and meals
to children in after school and summer
programs.

Get to Know
NRPA is partnering with Get to
Know, a program
that invites young people to experience
nature firsthand and then share their experience by creating works of art, writing, photography, music, or video. Get to

www.NRPA .ORG

Know is committed to reaching a diverse
youth audience, including many urbanbased, underserved youth who may lack
access to the outdoors and art and nature
programs.

The Golf Course Builders Association
of America Foundation (GCBAAF)-
Sticks for Kids
Now in its fifth year of introducing the fundamentals of
golf to youth, the Sticks for
Kids program ensures that
children, regardless of socioeconomic status, have an
opportunity to play golf. Promoting health
and wellness as well as connecting youth
with nature through play, the program
has provided junior golf clubs to over 500
granted communities.

Grow Your Park: National Recreation
Foundation and J.R. Albert
Foundation
Community-based edible gardens are a great
way to get urban children and teens connected with gardening,
provide them with fresh fruits and vegetables, and educate them on the importance
of nutrition. NRPA is promoting edible
gardens through the Grow Your Park
program in partnership with the National
September 2011 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2011 - Parks & Recreation
