UC CalFresh Continues to CATCH® on to the Physical Activity Integration Movement

September 3, 2016  | By CATCH Global Foundation

UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program participated in their second CATCH PE Training Academy August 23-25, 2016, lead by CATCH Program Director, Peter Cribb. A total of 41 participants attended the first day introductory training and 26 of those participants completed the 3-day training academy certifying them as CATCH PE Trainers.

One attendee, Don O’Connell, PE Specialist at Oakland Unified School District, said “Thanks for including me in the CATCH Three Day Training Academy. I really enjoyed and benefitted from it and was impressed by the professionalism of your team of health and fitness ambassadors. I also enjoyed learning from the Aussie. And best of all, I want to get CATCH into as many of our Elementary Schools as soon possible.” 

Over the last few years the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) has recognized the importance of integrating and promoting physical activity as an integral part of the program in the USDA SNAP-Ed Guidance. In 2015, as a SNAP-Ed funded program, UC CalFresh began to focus on the integration of physical activity into their nutrition education program. With CATCH already being an approved SNAP-Ed evidence-based curriculum, UC CalFresh partnered with CATCH and the CATCH Global Foundation to provide the first physical activity skills based training to UC community educators working with youth and their families across 31 of California’s 58 counties.

“I am thrilled to see how much momentum the CATCH Program has gained at our school-based sites as our trained UC CalFresh staff continue to promote physical activity as an integral part of our nutrition education and obesity prevention efforts.”

– Michele Byrnes, UC CalFresh State Office Physical Activity Manager

In just one year, over 100 UC CalFresh staff have been trained in CATCH, with a total of 40 certified CATCH PE Trainers who will continue to train UC CalFresh staff, teachers and youth in their communities in order to build capacity and sustain the movement of increasing opportunities for physical activity throughout California.