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We Can!, Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition Ways to Enhance
Children's Activity
& Nutrition

Sample Invitation Letter to Partners

Four girls jumping rope

[MONTH] [DATE], [YEAR]

[HONORIFIC TITLE] [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME]
[TITLE]
[ORGANIZATION]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Dear [HONORIFIC TITLE] [LAST NAME]:

The [YOUR ORGANIZATION NAME] is poised to initiate a new and excited program developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) that can help youth and families maintain a healthy weight. We Can!® (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition) draws on the research and community studies that NIH has conducted for several years.

We Can! will provide activities and programs that encourage improved nutritional choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time in youth ages 8-13. The initiative is unique among existing youth obesity-prevention efforts in its focus on programs and activities for parents and families as a primary group for influencing youth audiences.

[COMMUNITY SITE NAME] has joined a network of other community-based organizations around the country that are helping to create a healthier hometown environment by conducting We Can! programs in [CITY NAME] and would like to speak to you about a possible collaboration with this new national initiative.

Through We Can! we will be delivering programs, hosting community events, and promoting media messages that encourage youth to

  • Choose a sufficient amount of a variety of fruits and vegetables per day.
  • Decrease consumption of high-fat foods and energy-dense foods with low nutrient value.
  • Enjoy small portions at home and at restaurants.
  • Substitute water, fat-free milk, or low-fat milk for sweetened beverages.
  • Engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most-preferably all-days of the week.
  • Reduce sedentary activity by limiting screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.

We also will be encouraging parents and primary caregivers to

  • Increase the availability and accessibility of healthy foods in the home.
  • Limit the availability and accessibility in the home of sweetened beverages, high-fat foods, and energy-dense foods with low nutrient value.
  • Enjoy small portions at home and at restaurants.
  • Support and enable family physical activity.
  • Support and enable reduced screen time.

We believe that our organizations can work together in a number of ways to directly address the critical problem of youth overweight and obesity in [CITY NAME] through We Can! and welcome the opportunity to discuss this possibility further. I will follow this letter with a phone call to discuss the possibility of collaboration. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any questions. We look forward to the chance to work with you on this exciting new opportunity for [CITY NAME].

Sincerely,



[NAME]
[TITLE]
[ORGANIZATION]
[TELEPHONE]
[EMAIL]

Last Updated: February 13, 2013