"Creating a Culture of Healthy Lifestyles 2015"

On November 19, 2014, the Capital Area Health Alliance held its annual Community Leaders Breakfast - "Creating a Culture of Healthy Lifestyles 2015". About 70 attendees were welcomed to the event by Margie Clark, MSN, RN, GNP, Chairperson of the Board of the Capital Area Health Alliance and Dean of Health and Human Services at Lansing Community College.

Since the first convening of community leaders to discuss how Creating a Culture of Healthy Lifestyles can become the norm for the Capital Area 5 years ago, the process has grown to include:

• over 100 community organizations,
• a new trademarked brand “Choosing Health!®” that is being adopted throughout the region,
• over $500,000 in grants and in-kind contributions,
• numerous events to inform the community about available healthy living resources, and
• outreach via print, broadcast and social media that has reached hundreds of thousands of area residents promoting physical activity, good nutrition and the State of Michigan’s 4 x 4 plan.

All of this is possible because CAHA is an alliance of partners who are the collaborators making this movement successful. The Alliance then updated attendees on the accomplishments of the Choosing Health!® movement over the past year, including:

• partnerships with restaurants and groceries to promote healthy eating,
• the Let's Walk initiative,
• Choosing Health!® rallies, and
• connecting community resources with the database of partners on the CAHA website.

(Download the slideshow presentation HERE.) Next, representatives of eleven area organizations were given the opportunity to present briefly on their organization’s healthy lifestyle programs. Finally, Mary Anne Ford, of Mary Anne Ford Consulting, led a discussion focusing on opportunities for advancing the Choosing Health!® movement.

For more information on the Choosing Health!® movement, please visit the Choosing Health!® tab.

 

Learn About Past Leadership Events:

• 2013 Community Leaders Breakfast