August 12, 2008

Name
Organization
Address
City, State Zip

Dear [Insert name],

We are very excited to tell you about a new Food and Fitness Initiative that the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation has launched in nine regions of the United States (www.wkkf.org/faf). Seattle and King
County is one of the regions awarded $500,000 to participate in the initial two-year Planning Phase of
the 10 year Food and Fitness Initiative.

The Food and Fitness Initiative is a social and cultural change strategy designed to create community
environments that support healthy children, youth, and families by making available and promoting the
procurement and consumption increasing access to and consumption of local, healthy food and the
creation ofcreating safe space and structures that foster physical activity and play. This goal reflects the
Kellogg Foundation’s commitment to build on individual, family, and community assets to create safer
and healthier communities. The Initiative emphasizes identifying policies and community practices that
will improve the food and fitness environment for all residents in the region. Although some funding
will be focused toward programs, the greater emphasis will be on planning that leads to changing the
built environment, improving the regional food system to increase access to locally grown healthy foods,
and other community wide activities that make it easier to “make the healthy choice the easy choice in
King County.”

At this time, we are eager to broaden the base of Collaborative Partners in the King County Food and
Fitness Initiative (KCFFI – see: www.king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/KCFFI.html). Eight potential focus
communities within King County are being considered to focus as the focus of the initial planning
efforts that lead to the next five-year phase of implementation:. The eight potential communities include
Federal Way, Kent, Seatac, Tukwila, White Center, Beacon Hill/South Seattle, West Seattle/Delridge,
and Downtown/Central Seattle. The original proposal submitted to the Kellogg Foundation identified
these eight communities based on demographic data and health outcomes. Two of these communities
will be selected as the focus of the planning and implementation phases of the Initiative, with the likely
outcome of one in Seattle and one in South King County. The selection will occur through a request for
application process that is supported by technical assistance from the Co-conveners and the
Collaborative Partners currently participating in the Initiative.
Outcomes of the Planning Phase of the KCFFI are to: 1) develop a community collaborative that
includes a broad spectrum of organizations and individuals reflecting racial, ethnic, and economic
diversity of the community including adult and youth leadership; and 2) develop a comprehensive
community action plan for system change to ensure access to fresh, local, healthy food, and safe places
for play and physical activity.

Public Health - Seattle & King County and Washington State University King County Extension were
selected by a group of over 40 initial Collaborative Partners to co-convene the KCFFI. As the staff
coordinating and facilitating the work of the planning phase, we hope to engage your city’s interest and
participation in the Initiative to the extent that existing resources allow.

We would like to meet with leaders within your community and local government to share the vision and
plans to date of the KCFFI and invite you to organize others in your community to attend such a
meeting. We hope you will consider becoming a Collaborative Partner by submitting a letter of
commitment to the King County Food and Fitness Initiative.

We look forward to working collaboratively with you in this important Initiative for improving the
health of King County residents. Please contact Erin MacDougall or Sylvia Kantor regarding your
interest in participating in the Initiative.

On behalf of the co-conveners for the King County Food and Fitness Initiative,

Erin MacDougall Sylvia Kantor

Program Manager Extension Educator
Public Health – Seattle and King County Washington State University King County Extension
206.263.8804 206.205.3131
erin.macdougall@kingcounty.gov sylvia.kantor@kingcounty.gov