RI Healthy Schools Coalition (RIHSC) was initially formed over twenty years ago as an advocacy group committed to stemming the alarming growth of childhood obesity by addressing the school environment.  Through a loosely organized membership of community partners, the Coalition brought awareness to the critical role of the school setting to influence improved child health and learning outcomes.  With the Coalition’s efforts, regulations governing school district wellness committees and stronger state nutrition standards for school meals and competitive foods/beverages were promulgated.

Over time, with the addition of two staff members and a broader mission to support comprehensive school wellness, the Coalition grew beyond anti-obesity advocacy into a direct-service model providing no-fee guidance and program support directly to school communities for overall school wellness enhancements.  Today, RIHSC is the only statewide organization working at the intersection of health and education and our technical assistance for policy and practices, resources and tools, programs, and network access are indispensable to school districts and community wellness advocates.

The relationships we’ve built with educators, national and community partners and state and federal agencies ensures a collaborative approach to prioritizing a “healthy whole child” vision within all schools.