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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition announces 5210 community and school mini-grant awardees

 Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC), a program of the University of New England's College of Osteopathic Medicine, announces the awardees of its 2008-2009 5210 Community and School Mini-Grants. The organizations receiving $750 awards are:
 
· Buxton Elementary Schools
· University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
· Fairfield Elementary School, Saco
· Girl Scouts of America/Joyful Harvest, Biddeford
· Hollis Elementary School
· Kennebunk Elementary School
· Loranger Middle School, Old Orchard Beach
· ML Day School, Arundel
· Saco Middle School
· Thornton Academy Middle School, Saco
· Young Elementary School, Saco

The 5210 Community and School Mini-Grants awardees are conducting initiatives and policy changes that promote and encourage healthy lifestyles through increased physical activity or nutrition by utilizing the 5-2-1-0 theme. The 5-2-1-0 theme is part of the 5210 Goes to School program, a program of the Kids CO-OP of the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center. The program endorses the 5-2-1-0 theme, which emphasizes the importance of:
 
5- Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day
2- Limiting TV and computer use (not related to school) to two hours or less a day
1- Getting one hour or more of physical activity every day
0- Drinking water or low fat milk instead of soda and drinks with lots of sugar.
 
Projects will be funded from January 2009 through May 2009.
 
‚ÄúWe are very excited about projects that support and promote physical activity and healthy eating within our schools and communities,‚Äù stated CHCC Director Megan Rochelo.  ‚ÄúThe 5-2-1-0 Community and School Mini-Grant program enables us in a unique way to provide schools and community organizations additional funds to complement and enhance the great work already being done to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles among the people living, working and playing within our service area.‚Äù
 
Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition is a community-based health promotion coalition working to promote tobacco prevention/cessation, substance abuse prevention, physical activity and nutrition in both the community and schools.    For more information on the 5-2-1-0 Goes to School program, visit www.5210goestoschool.org.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.