Let’s Go! uses evidence-based strategies to promote policies and environmental changes that make it easier for people to live healthy, active lives. We track strategy implementation through annual surveys with our enrolled sites, and monitor obesity rates and behavior data through the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, a state survey given to school children every other year. In addition, we monitor awareness and knowledge of the program through an annual family member survey.
Let’s Go! partnered with 1,630 sites reaching over 235,000 children and 180,000 adults in 2020-2021.
2020-2021 Site Impact Survey
Overall, 72% of enrolled sites responded to the survey in 2021. Let’s Go! partner sites create healthy environments for children and youth by implementing our strategies which are evidence-based and align with national recommendations to increase healthy eating and active living.
Percentage of community sites implementing each strategy:
ECE = Early Care and Education
Percentage of health care sites implementing each strategy:
Implementing 5-2-1-0 in a Pandemic
Implementation in 2021 looked different with new restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some sites had to shift their focus or find new, innovative ways to continue to support the 5-2-1-0 messages and Let’s Go! strategies. Changing how sites implemented strategies was a challenge, but they rose to the occasion. Due to the pandemic, our surveys included additional questions about how sites continued to integrate 5-2-1-0 and Let’s Go! strategies in their school or program.
Survey Question: Please share examples of strategies staff at your program are using to encourage daily physical activity.
Top three physical activities mentioned by early care and education programs were:
"Children have learned to be healthier and how to keep friends healthy by following 5210 principles. This has been a helpful tool to have during the pandemic, as it’s relatable to young children.”
- Early Care and Education Program Director, Let’s Go! York (Saco)
"We get outside every day, rarely does the weather keep us in. We also incorporate plenty of gross motor activities inside whether through games, exercises, yoga, etc. or with mini trampolines, balls that you sit on and can bounce around on, tunnels, boats, etc. Gross motor activities happen multiple times a day in many different ways.”
- Early Care and Education Program Director, Let’s Go! Cumberland (Scarborough)
Survey Question: Please share examples of alternatives to screen time that staff have supported during at-home schooling or homework time.
Top three alternatives to screen time mentioned by schools were:
“Let's Go program gave me something to lean on and gather support from in order to have 'healthy' conversations with students and staff.”
- School Nurse, Let's Go! Southern Kennebec (Gardiner)
“Hands on experiments, using paperback books rather than online reading, writing on paper rather than Chromebooks, walking, playing outside, playing in the snow, board games, card games.”
- School Classroom Teacher, Let’s Go! Oxford (Oxford)
Survey Question: What silver linings have you observed with any Let's Go! related work?
Top silver linings mentioned by out-of-school programs were:
“Our parents were interested in learning more about nutrition and home activities for students, so having the resources provided by Let's Go! to send home was a huge asset! The partnership has also increased our staff awareness and incorporation of healthy nutrition and activities that they could incorporate in their own lives. The partnership also influenced our decision to change our weekly afternoon activity rotation to ensure health and wellness lessons were taught weekly, as well as encouraging all of our brain breaks to incorporate exercise.”
- Out-of-School Program Director, Let’s Go! Cumberland (South Portland)
The way that students received school meals during the 2020-2021 school year was different due to the pandemic. As a result, school nutrition was most challenged by additional workload, limited variety and capacity limits.
“Having all meals free for all children has increased our participation. We feel we are now reaching students that were not taking advantage of school lunch.”
- School Kitchen Manager, Let’s Go! Aroostook (Easton)
Thanks to Our 2021 Funders
We are appreciative of those who provide partnership and support to Let’s Go! This support enables us to continue our focus on community engagement to support environmental and policy change efforts facilitating healthy eating and active living throughout Maine and Carroll County, New Hampshire. Be sure to check out our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan.
