AOAÌåÓýƽ̨

BELFAST, January 15, 2020 � Let’s Go! has honored 13 schools, 16 school cafeterias, 5 out-of-school programs, 16 child care programs, and 13 health care practices in Waldo County for making a positive impact on children’s health. A total of 50 sites are implementing the program’s five evidence-based strategies to increase healthy eating and active living.

Let’s Go! sites in Waldo County are committed to making it easier for children to eat well and be active. 100% limit or eliminate sugary drinks and promote water as the drink of choice, 95% prohibit the use of food as a reward, and 90% limit unhealthy choices during snacks and celebrations, focusing on alternatives. Additionally, 100% of evaluated sites provide opportunities for physical activity outside of recess on a daily basis.

“Let’s Go! is proud to partner with over 1,500 sites to promote healthy changes in the places where children and families live, learn, work, and play,� said Tory Rogers, M.D., senior director of Let’s Go!. “Our partners play a crucial role in the success of this program and they work hard every day to encourage healthier choices throughout our communities.�

Introduced in 2012, the Let’s Go! recognition program identifies and celebrates schools, out-of-school programs, and child care programs for their role in improving the health of all children. The program focuses on sustainable change. A Bronze award reflects a site implementing the program’s five evidence-based priority strategies. Silver acknowledges a site for implementing the five strategies and communicating Let’s Go! messages to parents and family members. Gold, the highest level of recognition, is reserved for sites that have implemented the strategies, communicated messages, and written all five strategies into policy.

Let’s Go! also recognizes school cafeterias and health care practices for the role they play in helping kids make healthy choices.

Let’s Go! partners with 1,587 sites across 292 towns. 1,041 Let’s Go! sites met the criteria for recognition this year � a 13 percent increase from 2018. A listing of all recognized sites can be found at


About Let’s Go!
Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program that reaches children and families where they live, learn, work and play. Let’s Go! is committed to promoting policy and environmental changes at child care programs, schools, out-of-school programs, health care practices, and workplaces. The program’s multi-setting approach, daily 5-2-1-0 message (five or more fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of screen time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sugary drinks) and 10 evidence-based strategies are used to effect change across the state of Maine. Strong leadership from The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center and collaboration across health systems and community health coalitions contribute to the program’s success.

Waldo County General Hospital
Waldo County General Hospital is part of AOAÌåÓýƽ̨, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, AOAÌåÓýƽ̨ is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit wcgh.org.

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