Skip to main content
blue banner with gradients

On March 21st, the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative’s (COI) Leadership Council, Community Council, and key partners came together for a strategic planning session aimed at shaping the initiative's focus for the next five years. The primary goal was to gather input from our partners on overarching priorities and policies that the COI should champion. This effort began a month earlier with the COI Community Council’s strategic planning session, where members identified three core areas of focus for the future.

Our COI Community Council had previously identified Neighborhood Justice and Food Justice as areas they wanted to focus on. These efforts aimed to enhance community environments by promoting safer, cleaner, and more active living spaces. Additionally, the Community Council prioritized collaborations with schools, afterschool programs, and food banks to expand access to nutritious food. Key initiatives included supporting community gardens and food rescue programs to ensure healthier food options reached those in need.

In February 2025, the Community Council identified a third priority area: Health Justice. This new initiative focuses on improving messaging around available health resources, ensuring that information is culturally appropriate, accessible, and easy to understand. This aligns seamlessly with our goals of increasing access to healthy foods, expanding opportunities for safe physical activity, and fostering environments that support overall well-being.

With the groundwork laid by the Community Council in February, our Leadership Council and key partners engaged in an in-depth discussion in March. By the end of the session, two key priority areas and four strategies emerged to guide our efforts over the next five years:

Priorities

  • Advance improvements in community infrastructure such as streets, parks, schools, and shared spaces. 

  • Increase access to nutritious, local food and beverages, including human milk.

Strategies

  • Ensure inclusion and access

  • Support community-driven leadership in design and delivery

  • Advance a holistic approach

  • Strengthen multi-sector partnerships for coordinated action

 

The strategic planning retreat was widely regarded as a success. One attendee, Catherine Paredes, Director of Grants and Special Projects at Borrego Springs Unified School District, shared her experience:

“Thank you for including me in the COI Planning Summit on Friday - such a great experience...Great Conversations; Great Organization; Great Event!!!”

Looking ahead, the next step is to translate these priorities into action. Our Domain workgroups will utilize insights from the retreat to develop detailed workplans that align with the priorities and strategies identified above. Additionally, we will refine and finalize its policy priorities, ensuring lasting impact on community health and well-being.

Want to get involved with the Community Council?
Reach out to sd-coi@ucsd.edu

2025 COI Strategic Planning Group Photo