Five Additional Communities Earn Live Well Allegheny Designation

March 21, 2018

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) announced that another five communities – the boroughs of Millvale, Crafton, Emsworth, Leetsdale, and Castle Shannon – have joined the Live Well Allegheny campaign. That brings the totals to 55 communities, 42 restaurants, 14 workplaces and 14 school districts that are making health a priority in Allegheny County.

“Increases in physical activity and improvements in eating habits are just a few of the many opportunities that our five newest Live Well Allegheny communities will be providing for their residents,” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Health Department Director. “We are very pleased that 55 communities in our county are taking the steps to improve the health and well-being of their residents, and we encourage all communities to join Live Well Allegheny, if they have not already done so.”

Live Well Millvale
The Borough of Millvale will promote participation in a voluntary wellness campaign for the community’s employees, provide healthy foods as alternatives to vending machines through the wellness program, and encourage involvement with community volunteer activities.

Live Well Crafton
The Borough of Crafton will encourage participation in physical activity, share information on recreation and learning events, develop and maintain outdoor wellness trails accessible to residents of all abilities, and develop and display detailed walking maps. The borough will offer healthy foods in borough-operated concession areas and promote and support community gardens. The borough has also taken steps to encourage involvement with community volunteer activities, promote smoke-free buildings and perimeters, and provide health information through a variety of platforms.

Live Well Emsworth
The Borough of Emsworth has resolutions to rehabilitate the walking trails at Marmo Community Park, will promote and support farmers markets, and encourage involvement with community volunteer activities. The borough will also share information on their senior wellness campaign, and will plan, promote and implement a Live Well Allegheny event, and will promote smoke-free buildings and perimeters.

Live Well Leetsdale
Leetsdale Borough has pledged to further improve residents’ health and well-being by sharing information on wellness campaign events and seasonal events, encouraging community involvement with volunteer activities, and planning, promoting and implementing a Live Well Allegheny event in cooperation with the yearly Leetsdale Snowflake 5k Run/Walk. The borough is also supporting smoking cessation by promoting smoke-free buildings and perimeters.

Live Well Castle Shannon
Castle Shannon Borough promises to develop indoor and outdoor wellness trails accessible to residents of all abilities, will encourage multi-modal transportation of residents by providing facilities or policies that encourage walking and bike riding, and will encourage involvement with community volunteer activities. Furthermore, the borough will promote smoke-free buildings and perimeters, and encourage participation in a voluntary wellness campaign for the community’s employees.

Live Well Allegheny was launched in January 2014 by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald as a comprehensive and innovative strategy on wellness that embraces a broad concept of living well to include physical health, mental wellness, personal and community safety, prevention and preparedness, and much more. The effort is being led by the Allegheny County Board of Health and Dr. Hacker.

Participants in the Live Well Allegheny campaign work with the Health Department’s staff. While monetary resources are not part of the initiative, participating workplaces can receive materials, information and collateral items to promote the campaign and their individual efforts to live well. For more information on the campaign, including details on how you can become a participant, visit our Live Well Communities page.

About ACHD

Created in 1957, the Allegheny County Health Department is charged with protecting the environmental and public health of 1.2 million County residents through Pennsylvania Act 315 , the Local Health Administration Law.