Virginia Affiliate—AAFCS Public Affairs
Virginia Affiliate —AAFCS Public Policy Program of Work
Family and Consumer Sciences Day at the Capitol
Taking it to the Streets, a Call to Action for all AAFCS members
Taking it to the Streets Event at the State Fair of Virginia
Public Policy Mission
The Virginia Affiliate of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, (AAFCS) Public Affairs—Public Policy Mission is to increase awareness of family and consumer sciences through educational events targeted to “Decision Makers” in the home, in communities and at state and national levels. The Virginia Affiliate—AAFCS supports legislative and policy efforts to improve the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities in Virginia. In addition, the Virginia Affiliate actively seeks opportunities to educate the general public on potential family health and welfare hazards, based on scientific research in the areas of family and consumer sciences.
The Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia Affiliate—AAFCS monitors pending legislation at the state level by researching through electronic services, such as, the “Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System” Website found here. This site gives citizens the ability to follow each proposed bill as it makes its way through the maze of the legislative process. This site also provides links to Bills and Resolutions, General Assembly members, Standing Committees, the State Budget, Daily Floor Calendars, Communications, Minutes for the House and Senate, Scheduled Meetings, Statistics, the “Lobbyist in a Box” which is a subscription based bill tracking service and a Cumulative Index, which is a subject index of bills and resolutions.
Virginia Regulations
For individuals who would also like to track regulatory actions, Virginia has established a web site, "Virginia Regulatory Town Hall", that allows you to track the progress of state regulatory changes from their inception through their enactment as law. This site will also allow you to sign up for a free notification service that will automatically send the user an email notice when an agency plans to promulgate or change a regulation, or when a public meeting is scheduled to address regulatory policy.
Virginia Affiliate – AAFCS Public Policy Program of Work
The Virginia Affiliate-AAFCS 2011-12 Public Affairs – Public Policy Program of Work will include a Family and Consumer Sciences Day at the Capitol, on February 15, 2012. The day will begin with a brief update of current pending legislation on a variety of topics. Selected speakers will help us delve deeper into specific legislation which will affect individuals, families and communities in Virginia. And we hope to end our day, “taking it to the streets” of the Capitol, by visiting each legislator’s office with educational materials showing the adverse effects of obesity on Virginia’s families and communities.
“Taking it to the Streets”, a Call to Action for all AAFCS members
This year the Virginia Affiliate will focus on obesity and its effects on the individual, the family and the community. By focusing our collective efforts on one issue, family and consumer sciences professionals seek to use our expertise in its many areas to educate the public and lawmakers alike to the causes, effects and strategies that can turn the tide on the American aversion to exercise and addiction to overeating. Refer to www.aafcs.org Advocacy section, “Taking it to the Streets” selection and “Obesity Initiative”.
Health and nutrition have always been a priority for family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals. In 2009, President Obama recognized AAFCS founder Ellen Swallow Richards during Women’s History Month for her environmental efforts. One of her many other distinctions was the establishment of the first school lunch program through the New England Kitchen in 1894 in Boston to help ensure that children received nutritious lunches.
In recent years, AAFCS has gathered professionals at a national conference to work on solutions to the obesity epidemic and created a public policy deliberation guide on obesity for citizens to use in forums across the country (located here).
With the obesity crisis in the U.S. and the new anti-obesity initiative launched in February 2010 by First Lady Michelle Obama, it is time for FCS professionals to increase our efforts and awareness of the research, resources, and programs FCS professionals provide to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. The First Lady will encourage involvement by from every sector: community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms, and dads in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. We can and must be involved and take this to the streets, too!
“Taking it to the Streets” at the State Fair of Virginia
What better place to introduce the “Taking it to the Streets” campaign to promote increased exercise and better nutrition for all Virginians than the State Fair of Virginia! For two glorious weeks each fall, citizens from across the Commonwealth gather to compete for the best tasting cake, best looking calf, and enjoy the midway of rides and games. Unfortunately, the State Fair also means all forms of fried food, cotton candy and the only nutritious food might be the apple inside the shiny, red cinnamon candied apple!
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But this year, on Sunday, October 2, 2011, the Virginia Affiliate - AAFCS was “Taking it to the Streets” of the Virginia State Fair, by offering Body Mass index calculations, Group Fitness Demonstrations, games to test nutrition knowledge and educational resources to live a more active and healthy lifestyle. The Virginia Affiliate-AAFCS was graciously sponsored by the Virginia Egg Council, which assisted in obtaining the exhibitor space.
Continuing to spread the word about Human Exposure to BPA
During the 2011 Virginia General Assembly Session, the Virginia Affiliate sought to promote legislation to eliminate human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA). This restriction is directed at plastic bottles, cups and items used for infants, children and pregnant women. Our efforts included a special “Day at the Capitol” which included an opportunity to attend the daily General Session in both the House of Delegates and the Senate, and visit each lawmaker’s office, leaving behind promotional and educational materials about Avoidance of Human Exposure to BPA and informative literature about Family and Consumer Sciences and the Virginia Affiliate. More information on BPA and documented research sources can be found at the AAFCS website, by clicking here. Follow the information on “2010 Human Exposure to Bisphenol A" and the associated “Action Package” of information, the Fact Sheet, Powerpoint Slides and Consumer Resources.
H1N1 Awareness
During the winter flu season of 2010, a major pandemic of H1N1 virus was predicted, creating an opportunity for all family and consumer science professionals to educate the public in all the various practice settings we reach in order to avoid the spread of this virus and its complications. which in large part it was. AAFCS members helped by disseminating safe hygiene protocals which helped stem the tide and avoid a pandemic.