SOLUTIONS TO THE NATION'S LIFESTYLE health crisis require commitment and resources from every sector of society and all stakeholders in our communities: government, schools, hospitals, developers, businesses, child care facilities and community organizations. The YMCA is proud to be part of that work through our Healthier Communities Initiatives - Pioneering Healthier Communities and ACHIEVE. So far, 91 communities have implemented policy changes, created programs and advocated for policies that remove barriers and expand opportunities for healthier living in their areas. These include: reinstating physical education in schools, changing school vending and snack policies, improving city-wide trail systems and bike paths, creating local walking clubs, planting community gardens, starting or enhancing farmers' markets and working with mobile food pantries.

As Carol Hibbs, Executive Director of the Marshalltown, Iowa Community YMCA, recently said in testimony before a Congressional committee on Prevention and Public Health, Pioneering Healthier Communities is "a movement toward the social and cultural change we need to make the healthy choice the easy choice in our communities."

• Developing a community walking guide distributed
  through numerous community sites and events.
• Developing wellness policies in two local schools
  that focused on incorporating physical activity
  throughout the school day, revising the PE
  curriculum, establishing nutritional guidelines
  around school lunches and providing healthier
  options in vending machines.
• Implementing Fit Kids, an afterschool
  program targeting low-income children
  to incorporate healthy activity and
  snacks into their lives along with the
  President’s Council physical fitness
  test every 12 weeks.
• Introducing Healthy University for 17-78 year olds, allowing hundreds of individuals to receive assistance with comprehensive behavior change strategies to reduce obesity—including the necessary environmental and emotional support to help individuals be successful.
• Conducting a walkability assessment to achieve the goal of Marshalltown becoming a pedestrian/bike friendly community. Marshalltown now has the city government, community walking and biking advocates, Iowa Department of Transportation officials and the local planning commission working together toward common goals, including:
  • implementing a sidewalk plan for the city with the highest priority being areas around schools.
  • creating a Safe Routes to Schools program for the entire community.
  • developing a pedestrian river walk.