Pioneering Healthier Communities

Barbara Moore (right), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant Initiative Project Manager for the Connecticut YMCA Alliance, this evening briefed the Alliance’s Public Policy Committee on this exciting new initiative, which applies the “facilitated community leadership model” – proven effective in the Pioneering Healthier Communities program – to form coalitions, collaborations and partnerships with the objective of creating state-level policy change, with a focus on physical activity and healthy eating to address childhood obesity in Connecticut. The Connecticut YMCA Alliance is one of three YMCA State Alliances selected from among twenty eligible state alliances to apply for this grant.

The Public Policy Committee of the Connecticut YMCA Alliance is overseeing this grant initiative, as a significant public policy initiative of the Alliance. The Public Policy Committee is chaired by Morag Vance (left). Central Connecticut Coast YMCA President Phil Dwyer (center) serves as Committee Vice Chair.

Barbara reports that preliminary indications are that ten Activate America ® Capacity-Building YMCAs intend to apply for the RWJF grant, the deadline for which is May 22nd. This week the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA was designated by the YMCA of the USA as a Pioneering Healthier Communities Mentoring YMCA. For more information on this initiative, contact Barbara Moore at bmoore@cccymca.org