As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re reminded that small changes that start at home with the family can bring big success. The Salsa, Sabor y Salud healthy lifestyles program – the first national program of its kind, created by Latinos for Latino families – was developed by National Latino Children’s Institute (NLCI) in partnership with Kraft Foods. Since 2002, more than 32,000 Latinos have participated in the Salsa, Sabor y Salud program.

We’re pleased to announce as part of their commitment to helping families find ways to lead healthy lifestyles, Kraft Foods Foundation is continuing its partnership with NLCI and creating a new collaboration with the YMCA of the USA to expand the Salsa, Sabor y Salud program to new communities across the country. The three-year, $1.5 million partnership with NLCI and the Y begins with 10-city pilot program in Y locations from Massachusetts to California.

What does this mean? Through this expansion, we hope to reach up to 13,000 more individuals in 130 communities across the US during the next three years. The Y is committed to helping more kids reach their potential, help more families and individuals achieve better health outcomes, and encourage everyone to get involved and make their community a better place.

Salsa, Sabor y Salud’s creative, comprehensive and culturally relevant tools are specifically designed to encourage healthy lifestyles among Latino families. It incorporates many aspects of the Latino culture, including music and family gatherings. The eight-week bilingual curriculum has families celebrating traditions, talking about the foods they eat every day, and getting up on their feet moving. It’s based on four key tenets:

• Eat from all food groups every day
• Be sensible about portions
• Be physically active every day
• Take small steps for success

Salsa, Sabor y Salud is just one of the ways Kraft Foods and its Foundation, NLCI and the Y are helping consumers build life-long healthy eating habits and bring daily physical activity into their lives.

Click here to see the press release.