NOT YOUR USUAL THRIFT STORE

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization which educates principals, parents, and pupils that we all play a role in providing healthy choices of food and fitness for America�s children.  Our mission is to halt, reverse, and prevent obesity-related diseases in children. 

To support our core educational programs (see www.growinghealthykids.me for descriptions), we rented a room at Born Again Consignments two years ago.  Then, two months later, in December 2010, the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store was born when we took the leap of faith and moved into our own space at 3300 43^rd Avenue in Vero Beach, Florida.  The store is run by several volunteers dedicated to the mission and vision of Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.  Our mailing address is: 3300 43rd Avenue, #4, Vero Beach, FL 32960.  

Nancy Heinrich at the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store.

We depend on you to get the word out about our work.  We are not like other nonprofit organizations top heavy in salaries for executive directors, fancy buildings, and plush furnishings.  Some of the larger thrift stores in this area send many of the donations to their organization outside of the country.  That does not happen when you donate to Growing Healthy Kids.    

Now we need your help.  We depend on you for quality donations of art, furniture, garden tools, and household items which we can feature in our Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store.  We are creating sustainable education programs that are not dependent on grants.  We depend on you to shop at our �secret gem of a store�.  Many people who come into the store say, �This shop should be over on the beach.�  We don�t want to be a beach shop.  If we were, we�d miss the chance to reach the children who come to the store with their parents or grandparents.  Our educational displays throughout the store teach the kids and more importantly, their parents. 

Sea turtles LOVE our store - "Not Your Usual Thrift Store"

Share this with someone who is downsizing their home or clearing out a room because they are redecorating.  Tell them about our work.  Tell them about our thrift store.  We can pick up furniture (call 561-379-7886 to schedule a pickup).  You receive a tax-deductible donation receipt.  Your donations benefit our educational programs in Indian River County.  

We are working to reverse childhood obesity � BECAUSE FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.  

Thank you,

Nancy L. Heinrich, M.P.H.

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

Improving the health - and lives - of America's children, one child and one garden at a time

EDUCATIONAL EXTRAVAGANZA: AS YOU GIVE, YOU RECEIVE

Saying "thank you" does not cover how grateful I am for the support  you gave to Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. at last Thursday's (September 13, 2012) Educational Extravaganza at Jetson Vero Beach.  Our event goal of raising awareness about childhood obesity and preventing obesity-related diseases in children has been met and exceeded --- BECAUSE OF YOU.  

When we collaborate with others to achieve a common goal, we can achieve great things.  When we collaborate to improve the health - and lives - of America's children, we will achieve great things.  Thank you to each and every one of you!

Anthony Villafane, participant at the Growing Healthy Kids Educational Extravaganza, learning about aromatherapy

A special thanks...

To Susan Harris, thank you for inviting Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. to partner with Jetson.  Susan, you are absolutely amazing.  Thank you for the invitation to use your company's Vero Beach store to connect with the community.  

To Barbara Petrillo, thank you for the many hours you invested in a 2-1/2 hour event on behalf of Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. and our work to prevent, halt, and reverse childhood obesity in Indian River County and beyond.  From the outside, this kind of event looks so simple.  On the inside, there are hours and hours of work, writing, phone calls, and meetings that go on behind the scenes.  Thank you for the beautiful Growing Healthy Kids limited edition Petrillo Collection jewelry you created using the colors of the rainbow which also represent the chakra.  Thank you for the work to create the educational scavenger hunt for the alll the children enjoyed!  You see the vision of our work.  Thank you for taking care of the details before, during, and after our Educational Extravaganza.  

To those who helped Barb and Susan plan this event, please accept my sincere thanks for the time and work you invested in this event.  Your investment in the health of our children will pay dividends. 

To everyone who was part of our Growing Healthy Kids Educational Extravaganza, you have my respect.  I am honored to know that, with your help, we are working together to improve the health - and lives - of America's children.  

Terrence Lee, Jr, was absolutely enthralled with the Pampered Chef  device that peels, cores, and twirls an apple.  Tara Mc|Farlane with Pampered Chef was happy to teach him how much fun it is to eat fruit!

Now for the update.  The day after the Educational Extravaganza, I met with the principal of the brand new GREEN Vero Beach Elementary School, Mrs. Bonnie Swanson, about our new Growing Healthy Kids project to create a school-wide Wellness Champion project. The project will launch on Thursday, November 1.  

If you are 18 or older, we are in need of adults age 18 and older to help at the Saturday morning Growing Healthy Kids with Youth Guidance educational programs planned for the 2012-2013 school year. If you belong to a service organization or church that will partner with us at these events for the "unmatched" kids enrolled in Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program, please contact Barb Petrillo (772-205-7133) or me.  At these events, we teach kids about healthy foods and physical fun AND introduce prospective mentors to the great kids in our community who can benefit from having a mentor in their lives.   It is always a memorable morning with friends, fun, fitness, and food.  

If you know someone who believes in the power of collaboration and can help us take the Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. organization to the next level, please contact me via email at growinghealthykidsnow@gmail.com.

In gratitude, 

Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH

EXCERPT FROM EMAIL BY BARB PETRILLO, EVENT CHAIR, TO EVENT PARTICIPANTS: 

---

Hi Everyone,

I'll start by thanking Susan Harris for the opportunity to use the Jetson Vero Beach location for the Educational Extravaganza.  Susan looks out for everyone, wants us all to succeed and is great with connecting people with one another and good things happen.  Thank you Susan for the door prize for the drawing.

Cori McWillams and her mom enjoyed their first HERO POPS outside the Jetson Vero Beach store in downtown Vero Beach and got to meet  the Chief Pop Creator, Michael Haggerty, at the Growing Healthy Kids Educational Extravaganza in downtown Vero Beach.  

To the committee who planned this event, it could not happen without you.  As you know, every event takes a lot of effort and with all of you on board it went very smoothly. 

To the vendors who participated, we thank you very much for being a part of this event and hope your evening was a success and thank you for your door prizes for the drawings.

Thank you to TD Bank for furnishing the great bags and pencils. 

Thank you to Nancy Villafane & Anthony, Diane Dzadony and Cindy Hejlik for your help in directing the attendees to the vendors and helping to keep everything flowing.

Door prize winners:  Electrolux Hand Held Vacuum-Lisa Lopez; Overnight Stay at VB Resort-Lori Bender; Lunch for 2 @ Costa d'Este: Karen Kozdren; Tupperware storage containers & GHK Apron-Diane Dzadony; Wood carved Manta Ray from Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store, Gift Certificate to TriVita and Gift Certificate to Vittorio's Pizza-Anthony Villafane.

It was my privilege to work with you on this event.  I am sure great things will come to each of you.  As you give, you receive.

NOTE FROM NANCY:  THANK EVERYONE TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN AND ATTENDED THE GROWING HEALTHY KIDS EDUCATIONAL EXTRAVAGANZA FOR HELPING US RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY.  You're the best!!

Sincerely,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder

www.growinghealthykids.blogspot.com

www.growinghealthykids.me

LEARN TIPS FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS AT THURSDAY'S FREE EVENT

Free Educational Extravaganza for Parents and Kids

This Thursday, September 13, you are invited to join us for an Educational Extravaganza when Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. partners with Jetson TV and Appliance Center to highlight great food, nutrition, and physical fitness at home, school, work and play.   

If you want new ideas for delicious, easy, healthy lunch boxes and tips for cutting back on sweets, sodas, and calories, then bring the kids to this event or come alone.  

Here's a sample of Thursday's menu:

• Meet Michael Haggerty, founder of Hero Pops, and learn about his healthy frozen delights made from locally grown fruits. 
• Kids will learn to read food labels from The Nutrition Detectives.   
• The new limited edition Growing Healthy Kids jewelry line, created by The Petrillo Collection, will be shown for the first time.  A portion of sales will be donated to Growing Healthy Kids. 
• Pick up your autographed copy of Nourish and Flourish, the just-released book for parents from Growing Healthy Kids project founder, Nancy Heinrich.  

The Educational Extravaganza takes place at the Jetson Vero Beach location at 1231 20^th Street (corner of 12^th Avenue and SR 60, across from the main post office in downtown Vero) from 4:00 to 6:30 PM this Thursday, September 13.   Admission is free.  A donation of a gently used household item for the Growing Healthy Kids Thrift Store is appreciated.  

Adults will be entered in a chance to win door prizes donated by companies including Vero Beach Hotel and Spa, Coste d�Este, Vittorio�s Pizza, and Electrolux.  Event parking is plentiful.

Additional companies participating in the Growing Healthy Kids Education Extravaganza include:

• �         Florida Outdoor Center (meet Kristin and Mike Beck and learn about kayaking and paddle boarding for kids and families)
• �         Quality Health Care (meet Diane Kingsley-Weir from the office of Dr. Deepti Sadhwani)
• �         Natalie�s Orchid Island Juice Company
• �         Pampered Chef (demos for making healthy snack for kids)
• �         Organo Gold (organic beverages)
• �         24/7 Fitness (with information about their new free fitness programs for kids)
• �         Tupperware (storage ideas)
• �         Lisa Tylutke (clinical aromatherapist)
• �         Juice Plus (get all your fruits & veggies)
• �         Tri Vita Works (products to help with inflammation)
• �         Chair Massages by Sean Holland
• �         Local author Lynn E. Mueller, with her first children�s book, Herbert the Hedgehog

For more information, contact Barbara Petrillo at 772-205-7133 or email her at barb@thepetrillocollection.com.

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., is a nonprofit organization based in Vero Beach creating solutions to improve the health and lives of kids through collaborations with organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County, Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program, The Willow School, and Vero Beach Elementary School. 

SAVE THE DATE!

Thank you for helping us GROW HEALTHY KIDS!  

See you this Thursday!

Nancy Heinrich

3 BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS

Big day today.  It's the first day of school for kids in Indian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, and Palm Beach Counties.   

Here are three tips you can use to get and keep your kids (and you) on track for great health and a healthy weight this school year. 

1. Eat breakfast every morning.  The importance of having breakfast every day cannot be understated.  It really is our most important meal of the day.  The problem is many adults still have not learned this lesson.  I�ll give you an example.  Last week, I was given the opportunity to speak with the cafeteria managers of a local school district.  I asked a lot of assessment questions and one of them was, �Did you have breakfast today?�  The surprising answer was that less than half of them said yes.  Breakfast is when we get our mental and physical fuel for the day.  Give your kids their fuel.  Be a good role model and give yourself the fuel you need for the day.  
2. Get enough sleep every night.  Did you know that being sleep deprived is a great way to gain weight?  Ask your child�s pediatrician how much sleep your kids should be getting, then get your family started on some good �sleep hygiene� habits.  These include things like having a regular bedtime (even on the weekends), shutting off the TV and videos an hour before bedtime, and not eating a large meal right before bed. 
3. Plan family dinners a couple of nights every week.  We all have busy lives.  Some of the high school students I�ve worked with in some of Growing Healthy Kids� education projects have calendars that look like the Metro subway schedule in Washington, D.C. There is a great value to having time together to talk about the day over a meal your kids helped you shop for and prepare.  Eating dinner together is one of the habits proven to contribute to kids being at healthier weights.  Make it one of your family's winning habits!

 I hope you AND your kids have a great school year! 

From one parent to another, I salute you.

Sincerely,

Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

One of our Growing Healthy Kids learns how easy it is to make healthy pizzas using whole grain  English muffins.

HOW TO GET YOUR KIDS TO EAT BETTER

You have been asking us how we get kids to eat more vegetables and for the recipes your kids learn to make when they attend a program.   

Here is one of the recipes that we teach kids to make.  It is delicious and easy to make!  Best of all, it is a meatless recipe.  It is just one of the recipes featured in the first book from the Growing Healthy Kids project (NOURISH AND FLOURISH: Kid-Tested and Approved Tips and Recipes to Prevent Diabetes) which will be released next week.  Happy eating!

Veggie Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• � cup onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• � cup chopped green pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 package Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles
• � teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can (8 oz) no-salt added tomato sauce
• 1 cup ketchup (without high fructose corn syrup)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 8 whole grain hamburger buns

Directions:

SAUTE onions, garlic, and green pepper in oil in a 2 quart saucepan.

STIR in remaining ingredients (except the buns).

COOK over medium heat, until mixture starts to simmer, stirring occasionally.

REDUCE heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

SERVE hot on hamburger buns.  Serves 8.  

Participant in a Growing Healthy Kids program  at Boys & Girls Club.

Two girls learning how to create a delicious new recipe.

IN GOOD HEALTH,

Nancy Heinrich

For more recipes and tips, go to www.growinghealthykids.me.  

Contest Winners: THE ART OF HEALTHY EATING FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS

THANK YOU to Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County!  A special thank you to the clubs� art directors for playing with us and helping us teach kids who can now teach others.  Our poster contest has been a blast to do together!  Our collaborationis unleashing the youth voice to improve the health � and lives - of America�s children. 

THE WINNERS of �The Art of Healthy Eating for Growing Healthy Kids� Poster Contest are:

Indian River County, Florida winners:

• Giselle Zamarripa, age 8, Fellsmere
• Lizbeth Jimenez, age 8, Fellsmere
• Amy Kenney, age 8, Vero Beach
• Rian Butler, age 9, Sebastian
• Esmeralda Rosales, age 9, Fellsmere
• Clara Grace Martin, age 9, Vero Beach
• Tamia Bermudez, age 10, Vero Beach
• Alexis Ann Taylor, age 11, Vero Beach
• Hannah Truex, age 14, Sebastian

U.S. winner: 

• Pramuditha Sithumini Madigapola, age 7, Northridge, California

THESE KIDS created designs which contest judges Christine Thomas and Judy Nash (both artists and educators) deemed creative, fun, and inspirational with serious messages for adults.  The power of youth and their voices to teach adults that kids want, need, and crave access to healthy foods is the message these kids are teaching.  

NOW it is up to us to listen.

Artist Lizbeth Jimenez from Fellsmere Boys and Girls Club
shows her design.

Nancy Heinrich teaches a lesson about healthy foods at the
Fellsmere Boys and Girls Club.

Look at the response to Nancy's question about favorite vegetables
at the Vero Beach Boys and Girls Club

Winner Rian Butler at the Sebastian Boys and Girls Club

SINCE HAVING FUN WITH A PURPOSE is key to our success, I want to tell you how much fun it has been to play with Boys and Girls Clubs members and staff on �The Art of Healthy Eating for Growing Healthy Kids� poster contest.  

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to Publix  (www.publix.com), The Fresh Market (www.TheFreshMarket.com), and Growing Healthy Kids for the prizes received by these inspiring kids.  

To your great health, 

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids - improving the health - and lives - of America's children, one child and one garden at a time.  To learn more about our education programs, go to www.growinghealthykids.me.

BONNIE PFIESTER FIGHTS OBESITY

Kudos to Bonnie Pfiester.  Her comments in her column in today�s Vero Beach Press Journal mirror what I talk about everyday with parents, business leaders, and children throughout the United States and beyond.  Fighting obesity must happen on all fronts.  We cannot afford to be complacent in this fight.  

As a reader of this blog you know that my focus is childhood obesity- stopping it, reversing it, and preventing it. One in three kids in America is overweight or obese.  Two in three adults are overweight or obese.  If America�s children are going to have any kind of chance to get to a healthy weight as kids and avoid the early onset of obesity-related diseases seen primarily in older adults (like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint disease), then America�s adults had better start confronting their own daily excuses as to why they don�t exercise and why they are still making lousy food choices.  

From a kid�s perspective, it�s a case of �monkey see, monkey do�.  I see it every day.  Kids are simply modelling the behavior they see in their parents, their teachers, their friends� parents, etc. 

I  agree 150% with what Bonnie said in today�s article about the five ways people can fight the obesity epidemic.  This is what you can do:

• Fight obesity in your home.
• Fight obesity in your workplace.
• Fight obesity in your child�s school.
• Fight obesity in your church and local organizations.
• Fight obesity in your close circles.

The really great thing is that Bonnie is doing more than just talking about fighting obesity.  She has drawn a line in the sand with an offer today that shows she is serious about fighting obesity.  She said that anyone who brings a copy of today�s Vero Beach Press Journal article into her Max Fitness Club (which she owns with husband, Steve) by August 1 will receive a free 30-day club membership.  

Bonnie, you are a wonderful role model for improving the health of America � and America�s children.   Thank you!!

Kids at a recent Growing Healthy Kids in the Kitchen event in Vero Beach.

Kids on the fitness trail at a recent Growing Healthy Kids event held in collaboration with Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program.

Thank you,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

• Growing Healthy Kids is a movement to improve the health � and lives � of America�s children by designing and delivering solutions to halt, reverse, and prevent childhood obesity.  For more information, go to www.growinghealthykids.meand www.growinghealthykids.blogspot.com.