Hello!
Welcome to the new members of Live Well Allegheny!
The campaign to make Allegheny County the healthiest county in the nation continues to grow! On August 20th, the Woodland Hills School District along with the Boroughs of East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, North Braddock, Rankin, and Swissvale were designated as part of the Live Well Allegheny campaign at the school district’s Back to School Day. We celebrated Carnegie Borough as the newest Live Well Allegheny Community at the borough’s Open Streets event on September 24th. This brings our total to 32 communities and seven school districts.
We would also like to recognize the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh for its designation as a Live Well Workplace. Lastly, we are thrilled that the Roasted Barrelhouse and Eatery has become a Live Well Restaurant.
As the weather begins to cool down, I encourage you to get outside and enjoy the changing colors of the leaves. We have beautiful parks and trails in our community, available for a hike with family members or a walk with the dog. Everyone can be striving for 10,000 steps a day!
Do you have an event coming up? Please let us know so we can add it to the Live Well Allegheny event calendar. Contact Marie Fontelo (Marie.Fontelo@AlleghenyCounty.us) with details.
Karen Hacker, MD, MPH
Director, Allegheny County Health Department
Campaign Corner
Tobacco Free Allegheny (TFA) and the Allegheny County Health Department have joined forces again to make 2016 the year that Allegheny Quits for Life. Currently, 23% of adult Allegheny County residents smoke, compared to 18.4% of Pennsylvania residents and 17.8% of adult Americans. This isn’t a category we want to be leading in.
Please join us during the smoking cessation awareness week to share your story or participate in events, including the Great American SmokeOut on November 17th. The day encourages everyone to quit, even just for one day. More information about how to quit or the event itself can be found on TFA’s website.
Partner Information
The October 6th 2016 Creating Healthy Communities conference is a one-day summit addressing how the environment impacts public health. Local experts will highlight multiple health topics as they relate to our homes, schools, and communities. Learn more about how we can use community-based approaches to create healthier communities.
The Allegheny County Parks Foundation (ACPF) developed the Allegheny 9 Race Series to shine a spotlight on our nine county parks and to raise funds to support improvement projects. All participants will receive a t-shirt and medal for each race; individuals who participate in all nine will be eligible for prizes provided by Pro Bike and Run.
The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council will connect eating with civic engagement during this year’s Pittsburgh Food Day on Sunday, October 16th. Food Day is a day of action against hunger and a movement towards healthier, affordable, and sustainable food. Sunday Supper will celebrate our region’s work towards a more just and sustainable food system.
What’s Happening in Public Health
The Allegheny County Health Department led a comprehensive community health planning effort to improve the health of all county residents. Following the completion of a community health assessment, the Plan for a Healthier Allegheny (PHA) was developed through the guidance of an Advisory Coalition.
Community leaders are working to address the health priorities through five working groups. Please review the PHA and the 2016 Annual Report.
Last year, Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order establishing the Governor’s Food Security Partnership to alleviate hunger in our state. Since then, the Partnership has developed a blueprint to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to food– Setting the Table: A Blueprint for a Hunger-Free PA. The comprehensive plan acknowledges that it will take a commitment from private, public, and nonprofit sectors to implement effective interventions and support low-income families.
This is the latest Live Well Allegheny e-update. Please find a variety of information that will be helpful to you in your efforts, and can also be shared within your own networks. As always, you can find a great deal of information on our website at www.livewellallegheny.com, including partner resources which are available here: http://www.livewellallegheny.com/about-us/live-well-allegheny-participants/partner-materials/.
We now have 32 communities, 7 school districts, 136 community partners, 27 restaurants, and 4 workplaces united in our efforts!