The W.O.R.D. Inc. Child Care Center on Slade Street is participating in the Massachusetts Children At Play (MCAP) project which combines Head Start's I Am Moving I Am Learning (IMIL) and UNC's Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC). The voluntary project assigns mentors to child care centers to promote healthy eating and active learning in children for a six-month period. Support and workshops promote the center's quality of food and eating practices and as well as incorporating sixty minutes of age-appropriate active movement into each day. W.O.R.D. Inc. is one of five child care centers in Fall River in the first series offered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE). The others include Kids World Learning Center, King Philip Community House, Ninth Street Day Nursery and Rainbow Bears Child Care Center. A second six-month series will be offered starting in April 2011. Click here to see photos of the IMIL program at Head Start, including a video. For more information about the MA Children At Play project, contact Anne Hemmer at 617-624-5451. For more information about W.O.R.D., Inc. contact Executive Director Cory Santos at 508-673-4421.

(Top row, left) W.O.R.D., Inc. Child Development Center staff member Lucy Medeiros prepares a nutritious lunch that meets the NAP SACC criteria for healthy food. (Top row, center and right) Children enter the lunch room and get help with their food from Grandma Rita and Miss Kali. (Middle row, left) Miss Jenn and Miss Kali help the children cut their food and also discuss proper food portions. (Middle row, right) Miss Janine and Miss Amanda assist the older toddlers and talk about healthy food options. (Bottom row) Staff members Miss Liz and Miss Ashley are joined by Executive Director Cory David Santos for a IMIL exercise session.