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For Providers: ABC Grow Healthy Program

Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity Standards in SC ABC Child Care Centers

See photos from the recent press conference.

What is ABC Grow Healthy?

The ABC Center Standards at all levels now include new nutrition and physical activities standards. ABC Child Care has partnered with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) for several years to develop these standards as ABC’s response to the growing state and national concern about childhood obesity.

Our initiative, ABC Grow Healthy, is defined by policies and activities that promote children’s health and well-being through healthy foods served and assuring that children are physically active.

Where can I find more information on the updated standards?
We have information specific to Level B and Level C.
Are there articles or other reading materials to help me?
The articles Outdoor Play: Extending The Child's Play and How do we get the children to eat this? posted here on our site should be helpful.
Who is involved in ABC Grow Healthy?
ABC Grow Healthy is truly a team effort. Staff members from many agencies and offices have been working together to get the word out about ABC Grow Healthy and the technical assistance that is available to ABC providers. Photos below are from a recent collaborative meeting.

Child Care Licensing

Child Care Licensing staff

Left to right: Bob Howard, Program Manager; Leigh Bolick, Director, Child Care Services; April McDaniel, Regional Supervisor, Region II; Peggy Wilson, Regional Supervisor, Region IV;Frankie Peterson, Training Coordinator; Gary Rice, Program Manager; Cynthia Lara, Director; Linda Allen, Regional Supervisor, Region I.


Child Care Center for Career Development (CCCCD)

Child Care Center for Career Development (CCCCD) Staff

Left to right: Suzanne McGougan, Credential and Technical Assistance Coordinator; Becky Dixon, Training Coordinator; Mickie Jennings, Training Coordinator.


Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Staff

Left to right: Alisa Pickett, Program Coordinator; Debora Marion, Program Coordinator; Donna Davis, Program Supervisor; Greta Avery, Program Supervisor.


SC Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R)

SC Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Staff

Back row, left to right: Beatrice Geiger, CCR&R Manager, Midlands CCR&R; Herman Knopf, PhD, Executive Director, SC CCR&R Network, USC Associate Professor; Hall West, CCR&R Specialist, Trident CCR&R; Bonnye Hughes, CCR&R Specialist, Midlands CCR&R; Deanna Woodberry, CCR&R Specialist, Sumter CCR&R; Alleen Porter, CCR&R Specialist, Trident CCR&R; Anastasia Spann, CCR&R Specialist, Sumter CCR&R; Angie Gleaton, CCR&R Manager, Sumter CCR&R; Helen Barnes, CCR&R Specialist, Midlands CCR&R; Jennifer Williams, CCR&R Specialist, Midlands CCR&R.
Front row, left to right: Sherrie Dueno, CCR&R Manager, Greenville CCR&R; Linda Daughtry, CCR&R Specialist, Greenville CCR&R; Kathie Boling, Director, SC CCR&R Network; Teresa Phillips, CCR&R Specialist, Greenville CCR&R; Cathleen Cullen, CCR&R Specialist, Trident CCR&R.


SC Program for Infant and Toddler Care (SCPITC)

SC Program for Infant and Toddler Care (SCPITC) Staff

Left to right: Kerrie Schnake, Director; Michele Martin, Infant-Toddler Specialist (ITS); Patricia Voelker, ITS; Heather Reyes, ITS; Cynthia Davis, ITS; Carol Perkins, ITS; Chrissy Gregg, Project Assistant; Janelle Beamer, Director, Public Information and Events; Nicole Shea, ITS; Jenn Stevens, ITS; Tomeiko Wright, ITS; and Cindy Esposito, ITS. Not pictured is Bessie Sanders-Gordon, ITS.


SC Child Care Inclusion Collaborative

SC Child Care Inclusion Collaborative Staff

Left to right: Heather Googe, PhD, Program Director, SC Inclusion Collaborative; Leigh Bolick, Director, SC Child Care Services (DSS); Karen Johnson, TA Specialist, SC Inclusion Collaborative; Herman Knopf, PhD, Executive Director, SC Inclusion Collaborative; Carrie Trivedi, TA Specialist, SC Inclusion Collaborative.


ABC Grow Healthy

ABC Grow Healthy Staff

Left to right: Beverly Hunter, Program Manager, ABC Child Care; Misty Pearson, Early Childhood Coordinator, DHEC; Leigh Bolick, Director, SC Child Care Services; Greta Avery, Program Supervisor, CACFP.


ABC Child Care Program

ABC Child Care Program Staff

Back row left to right: Melissa Heston, Program Coordinator II; Bridget Hinson, Program Coordinator II; Ginger Miller, Program Coordinator II; Beverly Hunter, Program Manager; Toy Pilot, Program Coordinator II; Myrna Turner, Program Coordinator II; Alyson Wissinger, Program Coordinator II; Sherry Smith, Program Coordinator II; Leigh Bolick, Director; Front row left to right: Debbie Acos, Program Coordinator II; Noelle McInerney, Program Manager; Lori Gardner, Program Coordinator II; Elaine Justice-Boyd, Program Coordinator II; Sharon Johnson, Program Coordinator II; Ronda Steward, Program Coordinator II; Shelah Peoples, Program Coordinator II; Cyndi Moyd, Program Coordinator II.


USC

USC Staff

Left to right: Angela Baum, PhD, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education; Nancy Freeman, PhD, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education.


All Partners

ABC Grow Healthy Partners

Left to right, top to bottom: SC Child Care Services; South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC); Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP); South Carolina Child Care Association; South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (SCAEYC); South Carolina Early Childhood Association (SCECA); Eat Smart, Move More South Carolina; United Way; South Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral Network (CCR&R); SC Program for Infant and Toddler Care (SCPITC); South Carolina Head Start; South Carolina Center for Child Care Career Development (CCCCD); Study of Health and Activity in Preschool Environments (SHAPES); Children's Trust of South Carolina.