[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.8em” link_font=”|600|||on||||” link_text_color=”#094361″ ul_line_height=”1.8em” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_letter_spacing=”1px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.8em” header_4_font=”|600|||||||” header_4_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”90%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ border_color_left=”#156489″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
As parents worked to eliminate punitive school discipline practices in Chicago public elementary students through the Elementary Justice<\/em><\/a> Campaign<\/em>, they began to see that children denied recess or other breaks for physical activity during the day were more likely to act out in class, detracting from their learning. Upon more research, they discovered that, in 2005, 82% of Chicago elementary schools didn\u2019t have recess at all. Furthermore, the schools without recess were primarily located in challenged communities where mostly families of color lived and where childhood obesity was also an issue.<\/p>\n Parents prioritized bringing recess to elementary schools and launched their campaign as Recess for All! <\/em>After years of organizing and advocacy, they won the return of recess for all 266,000 Chicago public elementary students in 2012! Later, parents expanded the victory to the whole state of Illinois in 2021!<\/p>\n Parent leaders have gone on to work on a range of other health-related concerns, including food quality issues in schools, and food insecurity, environmental issues in the schools and the effects of trauma on children and families\u2019 mental health. Recess for All!<\/em> evolved into the Health, Food and Recess Campaign<\/em>, and most recently changed to the Mental Health Justice and Equity Campaign<\/em> to reflect parents growing interest in changing and improving the mental health system. (See Stepping Out of Poverty<\/em><\/a> Campaign<\/em> for our work around addressing food insecurity and food deserts.)<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(2,2,2,0.5) 0%|rgba(2,2,2,0.5) 100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/cofionline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/IMG-2828-scaled.jpg” min_height=”400px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|300|||||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”44px” custom_padding=”140px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.8em” link_font=”|600|||on||||” link_text_color=”#094361″ ul_line_height=”1.8em” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_letter_spacing=”1px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.8em” header_4_font=”|600|||||||” header_4_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”90%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” border_color_left=”#156489″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n 2024:<\/strong> POWER-PAC IL leaders release \u201cShining a Light: How Parent-Led Solutions Can Heal Our Communities and Address Trauma<\/a>,\u201d a report and parent-led campaign to change and improve the mental health system. Parents launch \u201cCommunity Healer\u201d demonstrations in Chicago and Aurora\/Kane County to show policymakers that free, peer-based, parent-to-parent mental health programming and similar programs can support parent and family well-being.<\/p>\n 2023:<\/strong> Senate Bill 646 is signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker, establishing the Healing Centered Task Force to be led by Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. Lt. Governor Stratton later appointed POWER-PAC IL Leaders Mamie Cosey from East St. Louis and Rosalia Salgado from Chicago to the task force. 2022: <\/strong>Parents engage in participatory research on maternal and children\u2019s mental health and trauma, holding over 1,000 conversations with families about their mental health challenges, how they are dealing with them, and what changes they recommend.<\/p>\n 2021: <\/strong>Parents celebrate the signing of legislation that mandates 30 minutes of recess for all<\/em> Illinois elementary school children and prohibits withholding of recess as punishment.<\/p>\n 2015:<\/strong> Thanks to parents\u2019 advocacy, legislation is signed that expands SNAP benefits (food stamps) to 40,000 Illinois families.<\/p>\n 2013:<\/strong> Parents combine forces with Greater Chicago Food Depository and Illinois No Kid Hungry Campaign to end food insecurity for low-income families, going door-to-door to inform communities of free summer meal sites.<\/p>\n 2012:<\/strong> Chicago Public Schools reinstates recess for all 266,000+ elementary school students!<\/p>\n 2011: <\/strong>A POWER-PAC parent is appointed by the governor to the newly created Statewide Recess Task Force, which recommends reinstating recess throughout Illinois.<\/p>\n 2005-2007:<\/strong> POWER-PAC kick off the Recess for All!<\/em> campaign with a street theater press conference in 2005. By 2007, parents identify legislative allies and introduce a bill to mandate recess statewide. POWER-PAC bring 100 parents and children to Springfield to lobby their legislators and testify in legislative hearings.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#e7f8fe” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”6px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/cofionline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1205-web-version.jpg” alt=”A Latina woman holds a sign that reads Healthcare for all” title_text=”IMG_1205—web-version” align=”right” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”88.1%” custom_padding=”|94px||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.8em” link_font=”|600|||on||||” link_text_color=”#094361″ ul_line_height=”1.8em” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”28px” header_2_letter_spacing=”1px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.8em” header_4_font=”|600|||||||” header_4_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”93.7%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” border_color_left=”#156489″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px|||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||4px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.8em” link_font=”|600|||on||||” link_text_color=”#094361″ ul_line_height=”2.4em” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”28px” header_2_letter_spacing=”1px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.8em” header_4_font=”|600|||||||” header_4_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”90%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” border_color_left=”#156489″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_icon font_icon=”||fa||900″ icon_color=”#F18A02″ icon_width=”32px” align=”left” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_icon][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font=”|600|||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.5em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,3_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”15px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||0px|false|false” custom_css_main_element=”width:10% !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”width:100% !important” custom_css_main_element_phone=”width:100% !important”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/cofionline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Katrina-Falkner.jpg” alt=”Photo of Katrina Falkner” title_text=”Katrina-Falkner” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” max_width=”109px” border_radii=”on|100px|100px|100px|100px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”width:90% !important” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_main_element__hover_enabled=”off|hover” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”width:100% !important” custom_css_main_element_phone=”width:100% !important”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”20px|||8px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Katrina Falkner [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mental Health Justice and Equity Campaign Ensuring children and families of color have good mental, physical, and social supportsThe goal of the Mental Health Justice and Equity Campaign is to eliminate health disparities for children and families of color in Illinois.As parents worked to eliminate punitive school discipline practices in Chicago public elementary students through […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":308,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n As parents worked to eliminate punitive school discipline practices in Chicago public elementary students, they began to see that children denied recess or other breaks for physical activity during the day were more likely to act out in class, detracting from their learning. Upon more research, they discovered that, in 2005, 82% of Chicago elementary schools didn\u2019t have recess at all. Furthermore, the schools without recess were primarily located in low-income communities of color, where childhood obesity was also an issue.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Parents prioritized bringing recess to elementary schools. After years of organizing and advocacy with the Recess for All! campaign, they won the return of recess for all 266,000 Chicago public elementary students in 2012! Later, parents expanded the victory to the whole state of Illinois in 2021!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The goal of the Health, Food, and Recess Campaign<\/em> is to eliminate health disparities for children and families of color in Illinois.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Parent leaders have gone on to work on a range of other health-related concerns, including the effects of trauma on children and families\u2019 mental health, environmental and food quality issues in schools, and food insecurity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Major highlights and victories<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2022: <\/strong>Parents engage in participatory research on maternal and children\u2019s mental health and trauma, holding over 1,000 conversations with families about their mental health challenges, how they are dealing with them, and what changes they recommend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2021: <\/strong>Parents celebrate the signing of legislation that mandates 30 minutes of recess for all<\/em> Illinois elementary school children and prohibits withholding of recess as punishment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2015:<\/strong> Thanks to parents\u2019 advocacy, legislation is signed that expands SNAP benefits (food stamps) to 40,000 Illinois families.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2013:<\/strong> Parents combine forces with Greater Chicago Food Depository and Illinois No Kid Hungry Campaign to end food insecurity for low-income families, going door-to-door to inform communities of free summer meal sites.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2012:<\/strong> Chicago Public Schools reinstates recess for all 266,000+ elementary school students!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2011: <\/strong>A POWER-PAC parent is appointed by the governor to the newly created Statewide Recess Task Force, which recommends reinstating recess throughout Illinois.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2005-2007:<\/strong> POWER-PAC kick off the Recess for All!<\/em> campaign with a street theater press conference in 2005. By 2007, parents identify legislative allies and introduce a bill to mandate recess statewide. POWER-PAC bring 100 parents and children to Springfield to lobby their legislators and testify in legislative hearings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It\u2019s so important that children have recess during the day to take a mental break and return refreshed and refocused to their classes. We have heard stories from parents across the state that recess has been taken away as a punishment for entire classes of children for minor things. We are very excited that we won change on this after working on it for many years.<\/p><\/div>POWER-PAC IL is The COFI Way in action.<\/h2>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nRecommendations<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
Publications and recent news<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/ul>\n
Our communities need services and resources, but most of all, we need policymakers to develop a healing-centered approach, listen to our stories, and team up with parents to implement these [Shining a Light] recommendations.\u201d<\/h3>\n
<\/strong>
POWER-PAC IL Mental Health Justice and Equity<\/em> Co-Chair<\/p>\n\r\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/cofionline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/IMG-2828-scaled.jpg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/cofionline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/IMG_0557-scaled-e1668978101186-1200x1187.jpg\")
<\/figure>Recommendations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
Publications and recent news<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
![](\"https:\/\/cofionline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/esmeralda-cropped.jpg\"\/)
<\/div><\/div>Esmeralda Martinez<\/h2>POWER-PAC IL Health, Food, and Recess Campaign Co-Chair<\/small><\/div><\/div>\r\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2137","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n