Newsletter

The United States continues to be a country of tremendous economic opportunity, but this opportunity is not shared equally among the nation’s residents. As highlighted by the Shared Prosperity Partnership, success in the 21st century depends on generating growth that benefits individuals of all incomes, races, and ethnicities (Berube et al. 2018). Yet even in the nation’s most successful cities, the failure to distribute the economic opportunities and benefits more evenly across under-served communities has resulted in stark racial and economic disparities. Across the United States, courageous leaders at the local level are responding with creativity and resolve to promote more inclusive growth, but they face a challenging combination of disruptive forces (Poethig et al. 2018). Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: Brookings
Spring Email Wellness Challenge April 6 – May 18, 2020 Sign up for the Ohio State University Extension, Live Healthy Live Well 6-week Email Wellness Challenge. Two weekly e-mails will be sent directly to you from an OSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Professional. During this six-week challenge you will consider ways that “time” affects your life. You will be encouraged to fill your plate ½ full of vegetables & fruits for two meals each day. For activity, you will aim for 30 minutes of movement at least five times a week. You will focus on strategies to improve sleep. You will also explore ways to enhance your work/life balance and enjoy more “me” time. You will learn tips and strategies to help you utilize time management tips to reduce stress in your life. By practicing wellness habits over the 6-week challenge, you will begin strengthening positive lifestyle behaviors. During this challenge, you will gain ideas to help you:
  1. Manage Time Constraints
  2. Enjoy Mealtime with Family
  3. Enhance Sleep
  4. Find Time and New Ways to Connect with Family and/or Friends
  5. Fit Creative Time into your Life
  6. Reduce Screen Time
  7. Focus on Work/Life Balance
  8. Eat more Vegetables and Fruits
  9. Add more Movement your Day
What does it cost? Nothing – it is free! Who can participate? Any adult with an email account. How do I sign up? Look at this chart and find your county. Go to the link listed beside your county and register. Allen                  go.osu.edu/aphsp20 Belmont             go.osu.edu/belmontsp20 Butler                 go.osu.edu/butlersp20 Carroll                go.osu.edu/carrollsp20 Champaign         go.osu.edu/champsp20 Clark                  go.osu.edu/clarksp20 Clermont            go.osu.edu/clerhamsp20 Cuyahoga           go.osu.edu/cuyahogasp20 Darke                 go.osu.edu/darkesp20 Fairfield             go.osu.edu/fairfieldsp20 Fayette               go.osu.edu/fayettesp20 Franklin              go.osu.edu/franklinsp20 Fulton                 go.osu.edu/nwosp20 Hamilton            go.osu.edu/clerhamsp20 Hancock             go.osu.edu/aphsp20 Hardin                go.osu.edu/hardinsp20 Hocking             go.osu.edu/hockingsp20 Holmes               go.osu.edu/holmessp20 Licking               go.osu.edu/lickingsp20 Lucas                  go.osu.edu/lucassp20 Mahoning           go.osu.edu/mahoningsp20 Miami                 go.osu.edu/miamisp20 Montgomery      go.osu.edu/montgomerysp20 Morrow              go.osu.edu/morrowsp20 Ottawa               go.osu.edu/ottsandsp20 Perry                   go.osu.edu/perrysp20 Pickaway            go.osu.edu/pickawaysp20 Pike                    go.osu.edu/pikesp20 Putnam               go.osu.edu/aphsp20 Ross                   go.osu.edu/rossspring2020 Sandusky           go.osu.edu/ottsandsp20 Trumbull             go.osu.edu/trumbullsp20 Tuscarawas         go.osu.edu/tuscsp20 Vinton                go.osu.edu/vintonsp20 Warren               go.osu.edu/warrensp20 Washington        go.osu.edu/washingtonsp20 Wayne                go.osu.edu/waynesp20 Wood                 go.osu.edu/woodsp20 If your county isn’t listed, you may register with this link: go.osu.edu/yp4hspring20 Sourced from: Family and Consumer Sciences OSU Extension Pickaway County Ohio State University Extension
While a lower percentage of rural residents have acquired COVID-19, the disease is spreading in rural America at about the same rate as urban counties. The most recent data from USAFacts.org shows the number of coronavirus cases in rural (or nonmetropolitan) counties increased by 16% in the last 24-hour period, from March 30 to 31. The nationwide rate of increase was 15% during the same period. Deaths in rural America grew by 40% (from 95 to 133) from March 30 to 31. While the rate of increase was sharp, those deaths still account for only a fraction of the national death toll of 3,506 as of March 31. Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: The Daily Yonder
Marion County Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences received a 2020 Community Engagement Program Award from the Office of Outreach and Engagement. “Heal, Repair, Restore” is a case study and story of land reuse and community empowerment. Here is an excerpt: "Some of our most cherished sustainable farming practices have roots in African wisdom. Yet, discrimination against African-American farmers has led to their decline from 14 percent of all growers in 1920 to less than two percent today, with a corresponding loss of over 14 million acres of land. Further, black communities suffer disproportionately from illnesses related to lack of access to healthy food. Marion County possesses no special immunity in this regard." Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: The Ohio State University
When the 2020 census results are released next year, they will show that America’s population is more racially diverse than ever before, with four out of every 10 residents projected to identify as a non-white racial group. Yet, in the average neighborhood where white residents live, racial diversity will be far less common. Moreover, most black and Latino or Hispanic residents will continue to live in neighborhoods where whites represent a much more modest presence than in their larger community. These likely outcomes of the national headcount are based on an analysis of the 2014 to 2018 American Community Survey (ACS) data released at the end of last year. They show continued broad variation in black and Latino or Hispanic segregation across the country. Yet even in the most racially diverse metropolitan areas, white, black, and Latino or Hispanic residents still live in areas that are not reflective of their entire region’s racial and ethnic diversity. Follow this link to read more. Sourced from: Brookings
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer a new opportunity to those interested in growing urban and rural produce in the Greater Cincinnati area to apply for financial and technical assistance for high tunnel systems, commonly referred to as hoop houses. Imagine the delicious taste of baby spinach freshly harvested from your own garden, in Cincinnati, all winter long. Impossible, right? Not anymore. High tunnels make growing vegetables possible long after the first frost. A high tunnel sits over top of the garden. Arch shaped aluminum poles support removable heavy plastic sheets that trap heat from the sun, warming the air. Most have a peak height that allows an adult to stand easily with room to spare. They look similar to greenhouses except plants grow in the ground instead of in pots. Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: Morning Ag Clips
Anchor institutions are entities that are important, long-term fixtures in a community and take some responsibility for that community's successful development. They are usually non-profit organizations - such as universities, hospitals, and school systems - but may consist of large corporations, government centers, military bases, or sports teams. We should care about anchor institutions and their role in health because of the power and responsibility they carry. Anchors control large amounts of community capital and can influence the kind of employment options available, the quality of foods that are offered to students and employees, what medical care benefits are provided, or the reach of public transportation. Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: Community Commons
The Subcommittee on Agriculture – Committee on Appropriations is circulating a letter to food and agriculture organizations to thank them for their work to support a vibrant and sustainable food and farm system and to request sign-on signatures. The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 authorized the creation of an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (Sec. 12302) and an urban agriculture data collection initiative (Sec. 7212(b)); a critical first step in serving this growing sector of the U.S. agricultural economy. For Fiscal Year 2020 the Office was funded at $5 million. For the Fiscal Year 2021 agriculture appropriations bill, it is recommended to include $25 million to continue the work of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and related activities and $10 million for the urban agriculture data collection initiative. Follow this link for more information on the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. Sourced from: USDA
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is hosting its 9th Sustainable Urban Landscapes Symposium as part of its Excellence in Horticulture Series of Symposiums. Speakers will tackle various talks under the loose headline of “Success Stories in Sustainable Horticulture.” The lineup this year includes: Peter MacDonagh, an internationally renowned expert in green infrastructure; Dr. Jamie Strange, Entomologist at Ohio State University and an expert on bumblebees; Joe Boggs, Hamilton County OSU Extension; and from the CZBG, Mark Fisher, Steve Foltz, and Scott Beuerlein. The event will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2020 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Registration closes March 6, 2020.  Follow this link to learn more. Follow this link to learn more about the presenters. Follow this link to join the Facebook event. Sourced from: The Cincinnati Zoo
In the Ohio Sea Grant education program office in 1986 (Ohio’s Year of the Lake) they were two graduate students who acted to make a difference. Students Claudia Melear and Marjorie Pless saw that children reading Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax were encountering a view that no longer fit the better environment. These students wrote and asked if Dr. Seuss would consider changing the line “...in search of some water that isn’t so smeary. I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie.” since it was not accurate. To everyone’s delight he answered and agreed to remove the line in future editions of The Lorax. He also thanked the writers “for the great Loraxian work you have been doing.” Follow this link to learn more. Follow this link to learn about the Lorax Project. Sourced from: Ohio Sea Grant; Sandusky Register; and Seuss, and Random House. The Lorax, 1971

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