We promote habits to encourage and sustain active living and healthy eating.
Research proves that where we live can have dramatic impacts on our quality and length of life—that’s why it’s so important to work together to build a community that supports healthy behaviors. In Wilkes, we’ve found that transportation barriers, access to fresh foods, substandard housing, and isolated neighborhoods weigh heavily on people trying to live their best lives.
In 2015, The Duke Endowment invited the Healthy Wilkes Action Team (HWAT) to join its first cohort of Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas to improve healthy eating and active living.
In the years since then, our cross-sector team has identified and implemented a variety of programs to help us on our journey to health. These include programs in schools and pre-schools, churches, workplaces and health care settings so that collectively we can have an impact on rising obesity rates and prevent chronic disease. Complex challenges are only solved by working together!
Many of our signature programs are still going strong, including WorkWell Wilkes, SPARK PE, bike rodeos, and Brenner Fit Academy. Everything we have done to work on obesity prevention, increase active living, and promote healthy eating helps push us to a healthier future for everyone.
We’re excited to announce that we recently completed a grant from the Aetna Foundation, as part of their Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge. We focused on access to healthy foods, consolidating food security initiatives across the county, and continuing to pilot the Wilkes Fresh Mobile Market (follow @WilkesFresh on Facebook for weekly market updates). And after three years of piloting Wilkes Fresh, it has found a permanent home with Wilkes Recovery Revolution!
The Outdoor Economy Workgroup contracted Destination by Design to conduct county-wide asset mapping and create a 15-year roadmap to grow the outdoor economy and encourage active living. The Great State of Wilkes Outdoor Action Plan is being led by the Outdoor Economy Workgroup, which includes representatives from the Health Foundation, Towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro, Wilkes Economic Development Corporation, Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority, Wilkes Health Department, Yadkin River Greenway Council and the County of Wilkes. Learn more here!
