Healthy Communities Initiative Draws About 100 Ideas

The Think-Act-Be Healthy Communities initiative, launched by the Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF) in November, has generated nearly 100 ideas on ways to improve the health of the community.

The deadline for submitting the ideas was midnight, December 14, 2007.

Ideas have come from individuals and groups in all three focus communities—Eatonville, Maitland and Winter Park—and from a wide variety of persons, both those who have long been working to improve the health of our community and newcomers to the cause, according to Lisa Portelli, WPHF Program Director.

Those who submitted ideas that encourage physical activity, promote healthy eating and/or reduce tobacco use may be selected to receive a grant of up to $20,000 for up three years. The WPHF Community Health Policy Work Group and the community volunteers serving on its initiative planning will now review all of the ideas that have been submitted and determine those to be explored further.

The review should be completed by mid-January. Everyone who submitted an idea will hear from the Foundation. Those who submitted the best curve-shifting ideas will be invited to send in a more detailed proposal and budget.

The Winter Park Health Foundation hopes to award its first Think-Act-Be Healthy Communities initiative by the end of the first quarter 2008. For more information about the initiative, click here.