April 16, 2015

 

By STACY A. ANDERSON 

Associated Press 

 

Americans who want to eat right and stay fit like Michelle Obama can now find how and where to get 'moving' in their own neighborhoods.

 

The first lady has launched an interactive online map to encourage people to join their local "Let's Move" programs.

 

Mrs. Obama announced the chart Wednesday as school children joined her in planting spinach, broccoli, lettuce, radish and bok choy in the White House Kitchen Garden.

 

Students who helped the first lady currently participate in local "Let's Move" efforts in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, California, Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina and Mississippi.

 

The interactive map highlights these "sub-initiatives," which were started in collaboration with federal agencies, businesses and nonprofits across the country.

 

The range of local projects that people can join includes child care, reading, museum and garden programs affiliated with "Let's Move."

 

"(It) gives you an opportunity to really see the impact that the Let's Move! initiatives are having," Mrs. Obama said. "I encourage people to go check it out if they want to get involved in Let's Move! and see what's going on in their communities."

 

In celebration of the fifth anniversary of Mrs. Obama's campaign to combat childhood obesity, the first lady also encouraged the students to take the #GimmeFive garden challenge and create a garden in their communities and schools back home with a starter kit of seeds for the five vegetables they helped her plant.

 

The first lady is asking school children across the country to participate in the garden challenge.

Category: Health