New Year, New Campaign Name Coming in 2025!

Caption: Parent Leaders from Aurora and East St. Louis attend the launch of POWER-PAC IL’s parent-led publication, “Shining A Light: How Parent-Led Solutions Can Heal Our Communities and Address Trauma.“

POWER-PAC IL Parents in the Health, Food, and Recess Campaign voted to revamp its focus and change its name to the Mental Health Justice and Equity Campaign. This change reflects parents’ interest and growing focus on mental health policies.

But don’t worry – POWER-PAC IL will always focus on improving all health systems and policies that impact children and families. We remain steadfast and focused on eliminating health disparities for children and families of color in Illinois.

That means:

• We’ll continue fighting for healthcare access, including Medicaid for all – regardless of immigration status. When people don’t have access to healthcare, they delay or don’t have access to routine visits that can help identify lifesaving care. That stress and delay in care harm families and communities. We support the idea that health is a fundamental right and need. Ensuring people have access to healthcare will make everyone in the community stronger and healthier and contribute to a thriving and prosperous community.
• We’ll continue fighting for recess, physical education, and school breaks. Some may remember that the Health, Food, and Recess Campaign was originally the Recess for All! Campaign. What we’ve learned in our nearly 20 years of organizing is that denying recess and breaks is not only harmful to their physical health but also negatively impacts a child’s mental health. Kids are more likely to act out in class, detracting from their learning.
• We’ll continue to fight for food security and healthy meal options. We’ll continue to fight for food security and healthy meal options. This aspect of our work is shifting to the Stepping Out of Poverty Campaign. Oftentimes, food insecurity and the lack of grocery stores with healthy food are based on a family’s income and disproportionately impact economically challenged communities. That’s why Chicago parents are exploring ways for the City to address food deserts. East St. Louis parents are exploring how other communities have created food co-ops.

We’ve got a big year ahead, but we can create more equitable and healthy communities through parent power and organizing!