The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Administration for Native Americans (ANA) announced today ten awards, totaling $193,437 to grantees participating in the First Lady’s initiative: Let’s Move! in Indian Country. The Let’s Move! in Indian Country campaign is dedicated to solving the problem of obesity through improved health, wellness, nutrition, and physical activity.

“Childhood obesity contributes to the early onset of several diseases that plague our young American Indians and Alaska Natives,” said George Sheldon, HHS acting assistant secretary for children and families. “We will continue to support the First Lady’s initiatives, as well as the efforts of our grantees as we work together to tackle obesity among our Native population.”

The Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiative was launched in May 2011 and stems from the nationwide efforts to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity. The campaign involves leaders from every sector of our society, ranging from teachers, parents, doctors business leaders, non-profit organizations, Native communities, schools, and tribes.  The key goals of the Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiative include:  Creating a healthy start on life

•   Developing healthy learning
•   Communities increasing physical activity
•   Increasing access to affordable, healthy and traditional foods

“These grant awards announced today will provide organizations with the tools they need to encourage Native communities in working together to ensure our children develop healthy food choices and exercise habits that will result in the healthy future they deserve,” said Lillian Sparks, commissioner for the Administration on Native Americans.

Listed below are the names of the grantees receiving this supplementary funding, along with their state, and a brief description of their project.

• Native Village of Afognak, Alaska
  Award Amount: $20,000
  The project will include Let’s Move! activities as part of their summer youth camps.
  
  
• Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico
  Award Amount: $20,025
  The project will include Let’s Move! activities in its existing scope to build a comprehensive prevention and early intervention program that is focused on building community member awareness of, and ability to, confront challenges.
  
  
• Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc., California
  Award Amount:  $20,000
  The project will include healthy living and healthy lifestyles of the Let’s Move! initiative in its already existing project that focuses on providing pre-marital, dating violence and communication education.  The project also provides pre-marital education to pregnant and parenting adolescents.
  
  
• Yerington Paiute Tribe, Nevada
  Award Amount: $19,034
  This project will include Let’s Move! activities that support the development of a family/community wellness support system.  The system provides prevention, intervention, referral and follow-up services to community members.
  
  
• Cornerstone Ministries, Inc., New Mexico
  Award Amount: $20,001
  This project will implement Let’s Move! activities in its project to increase the awareness and value of healthy families and will include activities in its training of youth workers to conduct relationship education. 
  
  
• Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
  Award Amount: $17,490
  This project will include Let’s Move! activities in its project to encourage healthy eating and exercise to reduce the rate of diabetes among elderly tribal members. 
  
  
• White Earth Band of Chippewa, Minnesota
  Award Amount: $19,940
  This project will include Let’s Move! activities in its project to improve child well-being and social stability by providing family support services to disadvantaged parents and their children.
  
  
• The American Indian Child Resource Center, California
  Award Amount: $20,000
  This project will include Let’s Move! activities in its project of providing life skills training that fosters and promotes decision making, critical thinking, and independent living skills among young Native Americans living in urban environments.
  
  
• Leech Lake,  Minnesota
  Award Amount: $19,999
  This project will include Let’s Move! activities in its project to increase relevant academic and cultural content for an intensive in-service training for teachers. 
  
  
• Chickaloon Native Village,  Alaska
  Award Amount: $16,948
  By using a youth-based mentoring activity, this project will include Let’s Move! activities.