Where we started
In 2006, Let’s Go! started in response to rising obesity rates among children. By connecting with families where they live, learn, work and play, we aimed to reinforce the importance of healthy eating and physical activity by creating environments which made the healthy choice the easy choice. Let’s Go! became a resource for helping families talk about healthy habits and weight-related issues. Our evidence-based message, 5-2-1-0, focused on healthy behaviors shown to have the greatest impact on obesity rates.
In 2006, Let’s Go! partnered with:
Building on the success of the 5-2-1-0 healthy habits message, the program expanded, working across communities in multiple settings (school, out-of-school, early care and education, health care and workplace). Let’s Go! continues to use this multi-setting model today.
Where are we now?
Over the last 20 years, Let’s Go! has worked with thousands of programs through its network of Implementation Partners across all of Maine’s 16 counties and Carroll County, New Hampshire. Fueled by the energy and commitment of champions in each site we serve, Let’s Go! has become a movement - fostering positive changes, one healthy choice at a time.
Riding the momentum of the success of 5-2-1-0 for children, we have further expanded our reach with healthy habits messaging and resources for babies 0-2 and adults (Small Steps). This expansion involved partnering with health care practices specializing in adult care and prenatal services.
In 2025, Let’s Go!'s reach spans:
Testimonials
Governor John Fairfield School
Saco, Maine
We are a K-2 school community that has been a proud Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 partner since its inception 20 years ago. It has been truly inspiring to watch this initiative blossom from a handful of participating schools to a statewide movement that has gained national attention.
Our school has wholeheartedly embraced the Let's Go! mission throughout these two decades, making sustainable healthy changes through small, intentional steps. Over time, our staff, students, and families have collectively shifted toward healthy choices that positively impact our entire community.
Today, the Let's Go! principles are woven throughout our daily routines and school culture:
- Staff incorporate movement breaks into classroom instruction, and students enjoy daily recess.
- Our celebrations feature healthy food and beverage choices.
- Students are encouraged to drink water throughout the day and have water bottles at their seats.
- We actively discuss limiting recreational screen time.
- Our cafeteria operates as a Let's Go! Smarter Lunchroom.
We also engage our families regularly by sending home information about Let's Go! healthy living strategies, extending the impact beyond our school walls.
Being part of this journey for 20 years has been incredibly rewarding. We are proud to be a Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 partner and look forward to continuing this important work for years to come.
A personal memory from Karen McKenzie, second grade teacher:
I remember back in the very beginning, we had a soda machine in the staff room, and students regularly brought sodas and sugary drinks in their lunchboxes. The shift to "zero or close to zero sweetened beverages" was by far the hardest change for our staff, students, and parents-we faced huge pushback!
It took almost two years for staff to finally let go of the soda machine. Gradually, students started drinking milk or water as sweetened beverages slowly disappeared from lunchboxes. Classroom parties shifted to serving water andremoving most sugary items, with fruit and veggie platters, cheese, and crackers taking their place.
What surprised even the most reluctant teachers-especially those who resisted removing cupcakes and cookies from school parties-was that the children actually preferred the healthy celebration options! Many of our K-2 students had
never seen fruit platters or fruit kabobs or had the opportunity to try different raw vegetables. It was truly transformational. When we saw our young students embrace the 5-2-1-0 message so enthusiastically, we were hooked.
Then, as the Let's Go! message spread beyond our school to daycares, doctors' offices, and throughout the community, it became simply a part of our culture. What once seemed impossible had become our new normal - and our teachers, staff, and students led the way.
"I still remember stepping into my first public health role in Aroostook County back in 2010. I was young, eager, and hopeful, but I had no idea how quickly I’d find something that would shape the rest of my career. Not long into the job, I was introduced to the Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 program. A simple message. A clear framework. And, as I soon learned, a powerful spark. When I brought it into the schools and community of Fort Kent, something shifted. I watched classrooms come alive with movement breaks. I saw birthday celebrations transform into opportunities for healthier choices—not just for kids, but for staff too. Teachers began sharing how supported they felt, how the strategies gave them real tools they could use every day. The message wasn’t just being taught—it was being lived. Before long, I was coordinating the program across the entire county. Its reputation grew so quickly and strongly that we created an event around its beloved mascot: Redy’s Triathlon. More than 70 kids showed up—tiny swimmers, bikers and runners ready to try something new and cheer each other on. It was joy in motion. And that’s what has stayed with me more than anything: watching children absorb the 5-2-1-0 message not because they had to, but because it was simple, fun and woven into the world around them. Seeing them move their bodies, play outside and discover what healthy living could feel like remains one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire public health career. Nothing beats watching kids thrive." - Reegan Hebert, Former Let's Go! Coordinator
"Our K-2 school community has been a proud Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 partner since its inception 20 years ago. It has been truly inspiring to watch this initiative blossom from a handful of participating schools to a statewide movement that has gained national attention."- Governor John Fairfield School
"As both a pediatrician and a parent, I see the impact of the Let’s Go! 5 2 1 0 message everywhere—from our clinics to our classrooms, to my own home. When my children come home from school with the same guidance that I share in the office, it reassures me that we’re all working together to support healthy habits. That kind of familiar, consistent messaging truly helps parents navigate a world full of unhealthy distractions. Let’s Go! is a trusted resource with practical, doable tips that help families and physicians work together to build a healthy balance that fits real life." - Charlotte Helvie, MD Associate Medical Director, MaineHealth Primary Care North Conway
“Hard to believe Let’s Go is now 20 years old! I remember the early days of the program, and so much appreciated the simple yet effective message with '5210' that resonated with me as a practicing pediatrician. Having the opportunity to talk with kids and families in the office, and knowing that schools and daycares were sharing the same message felt like so many of us that care for children in different settings were aligned in our guidance for healthy living. Since then, seeing the growth of resources, guidelines, and let’s not forget that the National American Academy of Pediatrics picked up and marketed the materials created right here in Maine really demonstrated the value of the Let’s Go team.
I am so proud that a generation of kids in Maine have grown up with Let’s Go as the backbone of education for a healthy lifestyle in so many of our communities. On a personal note, about 15 years ago, my own children had the honor of starring in a PSA spot with Tory Rogers where they joined her in making a healthy yogurt smoothie and a beautiful chicken and vegetable stir-fry! They remember the experience to this day. Thank you Let’s Go for all you’ve done for Maine’s children, and will continue to do for future generations of Maine families!” - Brian Youth, MD, Senior Medical Director, MaineHealth Primary Care Westbrook
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