Policy Library

In Contra Costa County, over 80 government agencies, clinics, schools, and nonprofits serving young children have passed healthy policies. Check out the policies below, and then create your own!

These policies belong to our mini-grant recipients and Contra Costa partners. We are very proud of their work!

Healthy Food and Beverage

• Healthy & Active Before 5 models healthy practices by having our own Healthy Food & Beverage Policy.  We serve a variety of whole grains and fresh produce at meetings and events where food is offered to attendees. We minimize sugars and fats, and we never serve sugar-sweetened beverages! Our policy is presented to caterers and we ask them to follow the MyPlate recommended standards.

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• All Nations Church of God in Christ Healthy Beverage Policy will strive to reduce consumption of coffee and tea with no sweeteners.
• Baypoint First 5 Center Nutrition Policy Instead of serving fruit juice, Baypoint will have whole fruit slices and fresh water available.
• Building Blocks for Kids Collaborative Nutrition Policy BBK will no longer serve fruit juice in their Preschool Enrichment Program, and instead will have fruit slices and fresh water only.
• Cambridge Child Care Development Healthy Food & Beverage Policy reduces obesity in their childcare program and teaches healthy eating habits.
• Cambridge Walking Club Healthy Beverage Policy will only be drinking water during their daily exercises.
• Cambridge Child Care Development Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will help to introduce young children to gardening! They will put their grant towards their Edible Garden Program, which teaches kids about nutrition, health, and nature.
• Center for Human Development Healthy Food & Beverage Policy promotes age-appropriate serving sizes. The costs of soda and sugar-sweetened beverages are no longer reimbursable expenses.
• CocoKids Healthy Food & Beverage Policy  makes sure no sugar sweetened beverages will be served to children in their care, and to encourage healthy eating.
• Concord Jr. Giants League Healthy Beverage Policy will not serve sugar sweetened beverages or 100% juice at their games, practices or meetings/events.
• Contra Costa County Community Services Bureau’s Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will no longer serve sugary sweetened beverages and instead will provide whole grain alternatives to families at all events and celebrations.
• Contra Costa Health Plan Healthy Food & Beverage Policy The Health Plan adopted this policy to provide healthy foods and beverage options at meetings, events and celebrations. They even included menu suggestions for healthy choices.
• Contra Costa Health Services Healthy Food & Beverage Policy establishes guidelines that require all on-site vending machines to be 100% healthy. Snack and beverage machines will contain only low calorie and low sugar sweetened choices! Read more
• Contra Costa Youth Soccer League Healthy Beverage Policy will not serve sugar sweetened beverages or 100% juice to children at any games, practices or events.
• Central County Regional Group Healthy Food & Beverage Policy promotes fruits, vegetables, low-fat/low-sugar dairy products and whole grains.
• COPE Family Support Center Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will help increase the range of healthy food options offered at their parenting programs; their Healthy Beverage Policy will ensure that only healthy options are provided for beverage vouchers, rewards, prizes, and giveaways.
• CubScout #184 Healthy Food & Beverage Policy promotes the health and wellness of young scout children ages 5 to 10 and their families by ensuring that only healthy food and drinks are provided at all Pack events.  It also ensures that water is available at all Pack events with meals.
• Delta First 5 Center Nutrition Policy has committed to serving healthier foods to their children. However, in the event that a sweet will be served, a healthy alternative will be provided and parents will be notified of the sugar content.
• East Bay Center for Performing Arts Healthy Beverage Policy will no longer serve sugary sweetened beverages to children during classes, workshops, rehearsals, performances or recitals hosted by the center.
• El Cerrito Library (Contra Costa Library) Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will not serve sugar sweetened beverages or 100% fruit juice at any youth event.
• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will no longer provide sugary, sweetened beverages to children during classes, workshops, rehearsals, performances, or recitals hosted by the center.
• Friends of San Pablo Library Healthy Food & Beverage Policy ensures food and beverages provided at youth programs is well balanced and healthy by offering alternatives such as fruit and vegetables.
• John Muir – Women’s Health Center Healthy Food & Beverage Policy The Women’s Health Center no longer have sugary sweetened beverages and will provide healthy foods at their snack cart!
• Martinez Adult Education Healthy Beverage Policy they will no longer be serving 100% juice to children in their care.
• Martinez Early Childhood Center Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will encourage children, teachers, and faculty to equate birthday celebrations with movement and activity rather than sugary snack food. On their birthdays, children will make their own birthday crown and lead a birthday parade around the school, complete with musical instruments!
• Martinez Unified School District Healthy Beverage Policy The school district will no longer be serving sugar sweetened beverages to children or adults at meetings, events, or celebrations.
• Monument Impact Healthy Food Policy In addition to adopting a healthy food policy, Monument Impact will be providing healthy eating training to clients and their families.
• Monument Crisis Center adopts all three healthy policies! Their food and beverage policies apply to staff, volunteers and clients. No Soda, No Juice Policy and Healthy Food Policy.
• Mt. Diablo C.A.R.E.S Afterschool Program Healthy Food & Beverage Policy does not serve sugar sweetened beverages or 100% juice to children at any agency events. They will also ask collaborators, contractors, or grantees to follow their policy.
• Mt. Cana Missionary Baptist Church’s Healthy Beverage Policy will provide nearby coolers or pitchers of tap water along with reusable cups at meetings.
• Office of Board of Supervisor John Gioia Healthy Food & Beverage Policy will make sure healthy foods are available at sponsored events (public funds are not used). They will also discourage sugary sweetened beverages and provide water free of charge!
• Office of Board of Supervisor Karen Mitchoff Healthy Food & Beverage Policy Food provided by Supervisor Mitchoff’s office will include fruits, veggies, and whole grains. The office will not serve sugary sweetened beverages or juice to children at their events.
• Pogo Park Healthy Food & Beverage Policy ensures the organization will provide healthy foods like whole grains, lean proteins, and sugar-free beverages at all community events. Their policy goes further and states that they will share information about the benefits of choosing healthy foods and beverages.
• Weigh of Life Healthy Food & Beverage Policy (2) Whenever possible, only serve water out of pitchers. While making healthy foods available, they pledge to only support fundraising events that adhere to their healthy food policy.
• West Contra Costa Family Justice Center Healthy Beverage Policy and Tap Water Promotion Policy does not serve sugar sweetened beverages or 100% fruit juice to children at any of our agency’s events, activities, or celebrations.
• West County Regional Group Healthy Food & Beverage Policy does not serve sugar sweetened beverages at their parent meeting. Food will include fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, low fats, and reasonable portion sizes.
• YES – Nature to Neighborhoods Healthy Beverage Policy does not serve sugary sweetened beverages to children or adults at meetings, events, or celebrations (2012). YES deepened their Healthy Food & Beverage Policy by providing fresh produce and purchasing reusable water bottles for the Youth Leadership Pathway participants to encourage water consumption (2019).

Breast Feeding Support

• Building Blocks for Kids Richmond Collaborative Breastfeeding Policy intends to purchase a comfortable, stationary chair to accommodate breastfeeding on site, along with amenities to make the space more inviting and comfortable.
• Community Violence Solutions Breastfeeding Policy supports and enables employees and clients to breastfeed during work hours in compliance with California Law (Labor Code 1030-1033).
• Contra Costa Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Breastfeeding Policy their breastfeeding policy is countywide and they have lactation spaces at their Richmond, Concord and Pittsburg Health Center sites.
• Contra Costa Family Justice Center Breastfeeding Policy establishes guidelines that promote a supportive environment to enable breastfeeding employees to express their milk during work hours.
• Contra Costa Regional Medical Center‘s Breastfeeding Accommodation Policy will help to provide an area to accommodate staff and clients to breastfeed their babies. They will purchase a comfortable chair, storage containers, a freezer, and educational materials on hand-expression of breast milk.
• First 5 Contra Costa Breastfeeding Policy will expand break-time for both morning and afternoon for employees to nurse an infant or express breast milk.
• First Baptist Church Breastfeeding Policy creates an environment supportive of breastfeeding by providing privacy screens, a manual breast pump, and a small refrigerator to store breast milk for its employees.
• Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano Breastfeeding Policy provides a supportive environment to enable breastfeeding employees to express their milk during work hours by providing a paid break to nurse or express milk, a private clean space close to the employees work area for milk expression, and educating supervisors on informing breastfeeding employees about the company’s work site lactation support policy.
• Grace Bible Fellowship Breastfeeding Policy mini-grant funds will be used to purchase 3 panel folding privacy screens and a small refrigerator.
• Monument Crisis Center Breastfeeding Policy is committed to having a supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers. (pdf – 356 kb)
• New Destiny Church – Pittsburg Location Breastfeeding Policy assists in creating a calm and supportive environment for breastfeeding staff and families attending services, activities, and events.
• Office of County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff Breastfeeding Policy provides a private room for employees to breastfeed or  express milk.
• Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association Breastfeeding Policy used some of their mini-grant funds to purchase equipment to have a lactation tent at some local farmers markets.
• Planned Parenthood Hilltop Mall‘s Breastfeeding Accommodation Policy will establish a positive, accepting atmosphere for breastfeeding mothers by providing time to feed during work hours, and a clean and pleasant room to express milk.
• Pittsburg Health Center Breastfeeding Policy provides an exclusive lactation room designed for comfort for breastfeeding mothers.
• Solomon Temple Baptist Church Breastfeeding Policy with their mini-grant funds they bought a small refrigerator, cabinet, breastfeeding resource materials and church fans that indicate they are a breastfeeding friendly church!
• St. Anthony Catholic Church of Oakley Breastfeeding Policy ensures displayed signage, informational handouts, and communicated lactation and breastfeeding policy that communicated to all participants within the church community.
• Stewart Memorial Christian Methodist Church Breastfeeding Policy will use their mini-grant funds to purchase baby wipes, nursing covers, nursing pads, and diapers.
• Sutter Delta Medical Center Breastfeeding Policy will provide employees with a reasonable amount of break time and a private room for employees to nurse or express breast milk.

Movement and Play

• Pogo Park Movement & Play Policy encourages young children to move by increasing access to a safe place to play in parks throughout the city of Richmond – revised Nov. 2013.
• ASPIRANET Monument First 5 Center Movement & Play Policy is committed to providing 20 minutes of active play for each child per one hour of childcare, as well as offering a movement class once a week for various age groups so all children have the opportunity to participate.
• Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Movement & Play Policy will provide prayer walks, stretch breaks, recreational exercise classes, and free play for young children.
• Building Blocks for Kids Richmond Collaborative Movement & Play Policy increases opportunities for children and families to participate in no-cost physical activities at their local parks.
• Brighter Beginnings Movement & Play Policy provides a play area with equipment for young children at their facilities and for staff to have a physical activity break at meetings lasting 90 minutes or longer.
• Cub Scout Pack #184 Movement and Play Policy will incorporate movement and play into all Pack meetings, events, and outings to promote physical activity among Pack members ages 5 to 10 along with their family members.  A gross motor movement game along with opportunities for hikes and other outdoor activities will be offered regularly throughout the year.
• Family Justice Center Movement & Play Policy will provide a children’s area for movement and play, encourage cycling by providing bike racks at the Center, provide opportunities to engage in fun physical activities, and encourage five minutes of stretching among the staff and partners at the Center.
• First Generation Farmers Movement & Play Policy educates the community and their Youth Education Program participants about the benefits of active play. It incorporates meditation and yoga to increase movement, balance, coordination, and reaction time; promotes maintaining good health; and refines fundamental motor skills.
• Fresh Approach (PCFMA) Movement & Play Policy encourages young children to move by increasing access to a safe place to play at Elm Playlot.
• Holistic Outreach Program & Education Resources Movement & Play Policy incorporates music, creative movement, games, and stories with more traditional yoga postures to strengthen, stretch, and relax the body for 2.5 to 5 year olds.
• Martinez Cooperative Preschool PTA’s Movement & Play Policy provides outdoor obstacle courses and yoga with children weekly to emphasis on gross motor skills.
• Monument Impact Movement & Play Policy encourages parents to bring their children to their Family Zumba classes.
• Mt. Diablo C.A.R.E.S After School Program Movement & Play Policy commits to provide a minimum of 30 minutes a day and up to 60 minutes per day of structured physical activity using pre-approved CATCH & SPARKS physical education curriculum.
• West County First 5 Center commits to creating a natural play environment and implementing activities that support families with young children to be active in outdoor nature spaces at the Center.
• Ygnacio Valley Elementary Movement & Play Policy provides a sound system to do “Zumba for Kids,” a PA program that will encourage kindergarten children to do well in school and to be rewarded for their hard work with fun Zumba activities.
• YMCA of the East Bay Movement & Play Policy delivers unique, yet socially distant, play methods to help maintain adequate levels of physical activity for children in their programs.

Tap Water Promotion

• Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Healthy Beverage and Water Policy provides water and healthy beverage options at times where refreshments are being served at their church.
• Bike Concord Tap Water Promotion Policy ensures that at all Bike Concord events, participants will be encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles to be filled at a water filling station.
• Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau Tap Water Promotion Policy provides water stations with reusable pitchers and cups for use by children and staff.
• Monument First 5 Center Tap Water Promotion Policy provides small pitchers for classes so children can serve themselves water and practice self-help skills. They will also purchase faucet-mounted and pitcher filters to make tap water more appealing.
• Monument Impact Meadow Homes Exercise Group Tap Water Promotion Policy provides free and appealing tap water to participants, models frequent drinking of tap water, and advocates for consistent water quality that meets state and federal standards for all areas of the county.
• Pogo Park Tap Water Policy provides and advocates for a standard of clean, safe, appealing, free, and easily accessible drinking water for families with young children in Richmond.
• Richmond Main Street Tap Water Promotion Policy provides convenient and appealing source of water, both indoors and outdoors, free of charge.

Reducing Marketing of Unhealthy Foods & Beverages to Children Policy

• Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau Reduced Marketing of Unhealthy Food & Beverages Policy restricts advertising of unhealthy food or beverage items at Community Services Bureau.
• First Generation Farmers Reduced Marketing of Unhealthy Food & Beverages Policy limits or prohibits screen time in their outdoor classroom and on field trips, shows students how farming is important to consumers, teaches children about farmers’ markets and stands, and markets healthy food and beverages to children through mock farmers’ markets, fruit and vegetable taste testing, and other games related to healthy eating.

Healthy Living

• 18 Reasons Healthy Living Policy 18 Reasons (formerly Three Squares) has adopted a healthy food, beverage and physical activity policy for staff and clients. No sugary sweetened beverages consumed during classes, healthy lunches served during office hours and physical activity breaks are encouraged.
• Contra Costa WIC Program Healthy Food, Beverage and Physical Activity Policy WIC has adopted a healthy food, beverage and physical activity policy for staff and clients. Recreational eating is discouraged and potlucks will follow the My Plate guidelines. Also physical activity breaks will occur during meetings lasting longer than two hours.
• West County First 5 Center Healthy Nutrition and Lifestyle Policy offers a variety of movement classes and activities, including prenatal yoga, yoga for preschool aged children, music and movement.
• La Clínica de La Raza’s Nutrition and Play Policy incorporates both healthy snacks and beverages along with safe, active play. They will use their grant to purchase play equipment appropriate for toddler’s safe play.

Healthy and Active’s Before 5’s Sample Policies

1. Healthy Beverage Policy: No sugar sweetened beverages or 100% fruit juice served to children at your agency’s events, activities, celebrations. (pdf) (doc)
2. Healthy Food and Beverage Policy: Healthy foods and beverages would be served at all organization’s meetings, events and fundraisers. This means serving fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains to clients (both children & adults) and to your staff. Collaborators, contractors and grantees would also be encouraged or required to follow your new Healthy Food and Beverage Policy. (pdf)(doc)
3. Breastfeeding Accommodation Policy: Our California law insists that breastfeeding mothers who return to work are provided with break time and a clean private space to breastfeed or pump milk. We want agencies to expand upon this in ways that create a supportive environment for breastfeeding women in their workplace. Starting with information and outreach to employees before they start their maternity leave. (pdf)(doc)
4. Movement and Play Policy: Promote an organizational environment that supports movement and active play. Adopt policies that support families and clients with children to be active at your agency and support employees who want to be more physically active. (pdf)(doc)
5. Tap Water Promotion Policy: Providing tap water to young children can promote health and help prevent early childhood obesity.  Go a step further than providing healthy beverages, by having a policy that supports serving tap water only. (doc) (pdf)
6. Reducing Marketing of Unhealthy Foods & Beverages to Children Policy: Children are influenced by food marketing that makes unhealthy food popular. You can reduce consumption of unhealthy food by adopting organizational practices that reduces marketing to children at your agency. (doc) (pdf)