Planning upcoming employee communications? See our compilation of March key dates and events that you might find helpful.
Welcome to Spring month, the month when we can officially kiss winter goodbye and embrace a fresh new season. The first day is March 20 regardless of what’s going on in the weather. Here are some other events in March that you may want to observe or highlight in your employee communications.
National Nutrition Month – For more than 50 years, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has dedicated the month of March to spread the word about the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme is “Food Connects Us.” Of the theme, they say that food connects us “… to our cultures, our families and our friends. Sharing a meal is an opportunity to learn about its preparation, who made it and where the ingredients were sourced. Health, memories, traditions, seasons and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors influence the foods we eat, the foods we eat also affect our health.” Each week in the month, they have a special message focus:
- Week 1: Connect with Food
- Week 2: Connect with a Nutrition Expert
- Week 3: Explore the Connection Between Food and Culture
- Week 4: Build the Connection Across All Stages of Life
They offer a variety of resources, including 50 Ideas to Get Involved in National Nutrition Month, a wide variety of healthful recipes, a variety of tip sheets and handouts available for download in several languages, and a 2025 social media toolkit, with graphics in multiple languages.
For employee members of ESI EAP, we offer one-to-one telephonic Wellness Coaching and a wealth of resources available by logging in to the Self-Help Resource Center. See our quick tips: Boost Your Nutrition to Boost Your Health!
National Kidney Month – the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease offers a National Kidney Month toolkit. Find more information at the National Kidney Foundation, which notes that 1 in 3 Americans are at-risk for kidney disease, 37 million have chronic kidney disease, 660.00 live with kidney failure, and 100,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant. They offer a brief online quiz to find out if you are one of the 33% of adults in the U.S. who is at risk for kidney disease. See our prior blog post: Be kind to your kidneys – it’s National Kidney Month!
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week – March 18-24 – The purpose of this dedicated week is to inspire dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. Learn more about National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week and get activity ideas.. You can also take an online addiction test. We also recommend this video from Dr. Mike Evans on Alcohol & Your Health.
National Sleep Awareness Week – March 9-15 – The National Sleep Foundation’s theme for 2024 is “Advancing sleep health for all.” During the week, they share research and poll findings about how people have been sleeping the past year, as well as research-based advice on the benefits of quality sleep and how it affects health and well-being. They regularly post a variety of sleep-related topics and tips. Also, see these related posts from our blog:
- If you’re going to spend 24 years sleeping, make sure you do it right
- Improve your sleep routine to improve your work performance
More Key March Dates and Observances
- Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Women’s History Month
- March 2-8 – National Consumer Protection Week
- March 3 – World Wildlife Day
- March 8 – International Women’s Day
- March 14 – National Pi Day
- March 16-22 – National Poison Prevention Week
- March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day, part of Irish American Heritage Month
- March 20 – First Day of Spring
- March 26 – Purple Day for global epilepsy awareness
- March 26 – American Diabetes Alert Day