An inspiring tale of one's quest to become healthier

Do you ever read a blog that gives you the extra push you need to make something happen? Most recently, I enjoyed a post from our client, Bob Mook, at the Colorado Health Foundation. His post, "To health and back again," focused on his quest to live a healthier life - for him and his family - and offered some key advice: While health-focused organizations like LiveWell Colorado encourage and promote healthy living, "revolution also begins at home – as in your home."

Just like me, Bob's post, might give you the extra push you need to walk, run or venture to the gym this weekend.



~ Jennifer

Great Story Telling: When it Makes a Difference

We’ve all had good clients and clients that were not quite the right fit. I believe that a good client is made up of not only the chemistry of the teams but also the sense of partnership in the bigger picture. There is nothing better for an agency than having a passion and mission for telling a client’s story. I’ve been working with GroundFloor Media’s (GFM) health care practice for several years and work with many amazing organizations that are fighting the good fight against obesity. It has been and will continue to be a great story to tell because the risks are enormous and consequences deadly. This issue makes pitching traditional and nontraditional media exciting because I truly believe this story needs to be told and because telling it will hopefully make a difference, start a dialogue, educate one more person, or create/support a movement.

And speaking of movements, I can’t believe today is the anniversary of The First Lady’s groundbreaking Let’s Move! Campaign, focused on childhood obesity. We’ve seen the movement impact schools and communities across the nation and give GFM’s health care clients including LiveWell Colorado, the Colorado Health Foundation (TCHF) and The Children’s Hospital support on the local levels. Nationally, we’ve seen celebrity chefs and Walmart get their game on too. Now there is a challenge sweeping the quick service restaurant industry for healthier kids meal options (see resource link and article below) and thankfully our client Qdoba Mexican Grill has always offered healthy options. Every industry should choose to be positive players in fighting this growing epidemic.

On the local front, we need to remember that more than a quarter of Colorado’s children are overweight or obese. I’d like to call out the Colorado organizations that are renewing their own commitment and collaborative efforts to bring healthy eating and active living strategies to children and families across the state. A group of Colorado organizations including LiveWell Colorado and TCHF, Kaiser Permanente and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), are partnering in an effort stop the obesity epidemic in Colorado. These organizations have engaged hundreds of Colorado communities, schools, families and children to make policy, environmental and behavior changes that address obesity. Every time an article, broadcast segment or blog comes out about these programs we have a sense of pride knowing that just possibly the needle is moving.

I’d also like to highlight one of our non-profit clients that often sits behind-the-scenes that is making big differences in our communities through supporting community gardens, agriburbia, food banks and horticulture programs across the state, Colorado Garden Show, Inc. They do this from proceeds generated from the annual Colorado Garden & Home Show (coming up Feb. 12 – 20, 2011) and the Colorado Fall Home Show. For some this may be an unlikely partner in the fight against obesity.

Last week, the organization awarded a $100,000 grant to Westminster High School and a $25,000 grant to Concerts for Kids. The Westminster High School grant specifically supports the construction of a greenhouse for the school’s horticulture program. The Concerts for Kids grant will support two of the organization’s projects – a community garden and greenhouse at the Serenity Learning Center (for children with autism) in Centennial, Colo., and an organic community vegetable garden at one Denver Public Schools elementary school.

Do you have a client that you are passionate about telling their story? What are you most proud of working on this week?


Resource Articles:
• Eatocrazy on CNN “Walmart Joins Michelle Obamas Let’s Move Campaign”
• Kids Health Eating Focus of Let’s Move Campaign in QSR Magazine “Time to Move”
• LiveWell Colorado in the news
• Colorado Garden Show, Inc. “Garden Show grants $100,000 to Westy Horticulture Program”

Healthy Choices In Schools: Let’s Debate!

Last week Congress approved a child nutrition bill that will make a significant investment in the National School Lunch program. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will increase health choices in school cafeterias across the country. This has ignited a discussion across the country and there are few things more entertaining for media than a debate about schools and food. My favorite headline was from the Boston Herald: “Hold the brownies! Bill could limit bake sales.” The lead-in was spectacular: “Don't touch my brownies! A child nutrition bill on its way to President Barack Obama - and championed by the first lady - gives the government power to limit school bake sales and other fundraisers that health advocates say sometimes replace wholesome meals in the lunchroom …” Here’s another quote: "This could be a real train wreck for school districts," Lucy Gettman of the National School Boards Association said Friday, a day after the House cleared the bill. "The federal government should not be in the business of regulating this kind of activity at the local level."

Now I like my brownies and the occasional bake sale. However, I keep hearing John Stossel, former ABC News anchor and current Fox Business host, ranting, “Give me a break!” over and over in my head. This is a groundbreaking piece of bipartisan legislation that will significantly improve the quality of meals that children receive at school and will play an integral role in our efforts to combat childhood obesity. I give the First Lady and the Let’s Move! initiative three cheers. As a parent, how could I stand by and not support a program that provides children across the country access to nutritious food to learn and grow to fulfill their potential?

Want to know the real train wreck? Obesity rates, especially among children and adolescents, have steadily climbed since the early 1990s. Today, many children eat two of three meals at school. School districts are experiencing dwindling resources and are often challenged to feed a large student population with little funding, yet they are tasked with serving food that is affordable, nutritious and appealing to students. Have you been to a school cafeteria lately? Care to name what is actually on the lunch tray?

Here’s something the media can sink its teeth into: The Hunger-Free Kids Act will help support local programs similar to the EatWell@School cooking competition hosted by LiveWell Colorado. This nine-week healthy cooking competition for Denver Public Schools high schools has challenged students to take on creating healthy school meals, as well as providing cooking and nutrition skills that will last a lifetime. The EatWell@School Cooking Competition with Denver Public Schools high school students seeks to raise awareness of the importance of healthy eating at school. The competition will culminate today with a fundraising luncheon, to honor the student competitors and raise funds for LiveWell Colorado’s ongoing mission of promoting healthy eating and active living. I can’t wait to enjoy Martin Luther King Jr. Early College’s winning meal of parmesan and herb crusted chicken with creamy pesto spaghetti and stuffed tomato. YUM!

Will the Hunger-Free Kids Act make a difference? You betcha’!

~ Amy

Don't overlook this viable media tactic: Bylined/op-ed article

In June, I wrote about the importance of developing a communications plan and including key tactics in it for both traditional and non-traditional media. While there are numerous PR vehicles that organizations can implement as part of their strategy, it’s worth remembering a tried and true PR tactic that often gets overlooked – the bylined/op-ed article.

I would agree that sending out press releases and pitching targeted story ideas to the media (particularly as an exclusive) are powerful media tactics – especially when your strategy is on target. Yet with these tactics, you are banking on the editor/reporter to “bite” and write about it within the timeframe your client expects. However, in the instance of a bylined/op-ed piece, you are submitting a finished article to the media that is authored by a key spokesperson in your company and that hopefully has a longer shelf life.

Developing a bylined/op-ed article requires a sound strategy, and there are numerous benefits. Bylines and op-ed pieces allow you to position your company as an industry thought leader, differentiate your company from competitors, take a stance on issues important to your company and its mission, and communicate and control the message you want to deliver.

Many media outlets – including local community papers – accept and publish bylined/op-ed articles as a way to add perspective to their publications. Submitting one is rather easy: most newspapers have a general editorial e-mail address. The address is typically listed in the editorial section of the newspaper or online under the “contact us” section. If you can’t find an e-mail address, give the newspaper a call and ask there preferred method for receiving an op-ed.

Recently, we have found that even if the print addition is too “full” to accept an op-ed piece, the publication will often publish it online. There is still a benefit to this as you can re-purpose it across your social media networks and share with your company’s key constituencies, business partners, etc.

In the spirit of sharing, I wanted to provide a few examples of bylined/op-ed articles that GroundFloor Media has secured for its clients. Two of these were developed in direct response to published news (child poverty rates and an obesity survey) and one was part of a larger media strategy to support a client’s annual event.

Tennyson Center for Children: The Denver Post

LiveWell Colorado: The Denver Post

The Colorado Health Foundation*: The Gazette

*Additionally, The Denver Post, Summit Daily News and Fountain Valley News ran the piece.

~ Jen Wills