Celebrate Child Health Week
The Knox County Health Department (KCHD), TennCare Kids and a host of community partners are planning activities to observe Child Health Week, Oct. 1-7, 2017. In honor of Child Health Day, first proclaimed by President Calvin Coolidge in 1928, the State of Tennessee designates a week in October every year to focus on the health of its children.
“Whether it’s role modeling healthy behaviors for your children or grandchildren, promoting healthy habits, or contributing to the community food drive, we encourage everyone to support the health of our children in any way they can,” said Charlayne Frazier, TennCare Kids community outreach manager at KCHD. “This special week serves as an annual reminder to do what we can to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of our children.”
Child Health Week activities are designed to raise awareness of the many ways the community can help children have healthy, productive futures. Some of the public events include:
In-school Influenza Vaccination Clinics begin – To reduce the burden of influenza in our community, KCHD will once again offer in-school influenza vaccinations at some Knox County public schools, private schools and child care centers beginning Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. More information is available at knoxcounty.org/health/schoolflu.
Healthy Storytime – A fun way to help children learn about healthy habits. The Knox County Public Library will incorporate health-related books into regular storytimes during Child Health Week, one of the library’s initiatives to help children develop literacy skills. For more information contact Erin Nyugen at 865-215-8761 or click on the Kid Zone section of the library’s website: www.knoxlib.org.
Community Food Drive – In Tennessee, 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 4 children are at risk of hunger every day. To help bring awareness to the issue of child hunger, Child Health Week agencies have partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to host a virtual food drive. Donations can be made online at https://virtualfooddrive.secondharvestetn.org/drives/260. For every dollar donated, Second Harvest will provide three meals to hungry children. When you purchase food for the food drive, the goods will be distributed through the Food for Kids backpack program.
More child health tips for parents and communities can be found at knoxcounty.org/health. Child Health Week in Knox County is made possible by partnerships with TennCare Kids, Knox County Schools, KCHD, AmeriGroup, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Tennessee Valley, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Helen Ross McNabb Children and Youth Services, Knox County Public Library, Second Harvest East Tennessee and the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
