Tagged: Bike Walk Savannah
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition Hosts April 21 Faith Walk at Lake Mayer
(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition will host a free community event to celebrate health, wellness and springtime fun on Sunday, April 21 at Lake Mayer Community Park. Those planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP at https://www.punchbowl.com/parties/39cba6fa531bc8c713f8
Called “Faith Walk” and co-sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the event will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lake Mayer pavilions, located at 1850 E. Montgomery Cross Rd., The activities will include a variety of healthy resources and giveaways for adults and games for kids such as corn hole, jump ropes and Hula-Hoops.
“We’ll be giving away 100 grocery bags from Forsyth Farmer’s Market, courtesy of Anthem, and CORE will be on hand with free COVID vaccinations for underinsured and uninsured adults,” said Ruby Castro, Nutrition Program manager. “Representatives from GirlTrek, Black Girls Do Bike, and Black Girls Run are also expected to be on hand with exciting information about those programs and to help show off the benefits of walking and bike riding.”
Attendees will also be able to participate in a healthy walk around the Lake Mayer trail which provides a connection point to the Truman Linear Park Trail. Those who wish to receive a free COVID vaccine are encouraged to register in advance at https://curogram.com/registrations/6164217118fe6d009fed44c1
“Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal that inspires us to reconnect with each other,” said Pastor Yolanda Roberson, executive pastor at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship and chair of the Faith and Health Coalition. “It is both refreshing and exciting for the entire community to join with those from our faith-based organizations to enjoy fellowship and healthy activities together.”
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition is a sub-committee of Healthy Savannah, formed in 2014 to support faith-based organizations in implementing policies and programs that promote health. The Coalition strives to help elevate the health and wellness of the community through funding from an initial $3.4 million, five-year CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded in 2018 and a second five-year, $5.1 million REACH grant awarded in 2023, both administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.
“We’ll additionally share the latest news about the scheduled completion of the Truman Linear Park Trail as well as updates on the entire Tide to Town urban trail system project,” said Armand Turner, Healthy Savannah’s deputy director, who also serves as the Friends of Tide to Town board president. “We are making great strides now that the City has brought a project manager on board, and we are also working with City staff on an official agreement between Friends of Tide to Town and the City of Savannah that outlines how the two entities can work together to ensure the trail system is constructed and maintained with equity and health in mind.”
Friends of Tide to Town is a nonprofit organization formed in 2017 to advocate for the development and promotion of Savannah’s Urban Trail System through community engagement activities.
Construction of the final three-mile stretch of the Truman Trail from DeRenne Avenue to 52nd Street is expected to get underway later this year. Once completed, it will fully connect the Lake Mayer Park Trail Loop to the Daffin Park Trail Loop, creating nine miles of continuous off- and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure through the heart of Savannah. The entire Tide to Town project is expected to connect 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe walking and biking infrastructure. It will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
In November, Savannah City Manager Joseph A. Melder appointed Tina Bockhold to take over management of the Tide to Town project, which received an additional $10 million in funding from the City Council last fall due to an increase in the hotel/motel tax and $8 million that was approved in February for construction of Phase IIB of the Truman Linear Park Trail. Bockhold, with 10 years of experience as a traffic engineer for Chatham County and the Georgia Department of Transportation, will manage all phases of the project design and construction.
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map, https://healthysavannah.org/our-programs/physical-activity/healthy-walks-story-map/, shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #activepeoplehealthysavannah, #activepeople and #HealthyWalk.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a second grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) to Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. $5.1 million in funding is being deployed over a five-year period to be utilized in an “upstream” approach to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. The renewed funding enables work to continue which began under the initial, five-year, $3.4 million REACH grant awarded in 2018, and a supplemental grant awarded in 2021 to increase awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 and flu adult immunizations. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the Savannah/Chatham County project team’s specific goals in implementing the new five-year grant include fostering physical activity by creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change; and providing education and awareness regarding adult immunizations, especially as they relate to health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The administrators will also continue to foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them by supporting awareness and use of the HERO Help Me database. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Community Invited to Celebrate Healthy Savannah’s Four Years of Healthy Walks on March 26
Community Invited to Celebrate Healthy Savannah’s Four Years of Healthy Walks on March 26
(SAVANNAH, GA) A grass-roots initiative that started as a pandemic solution for people to escape isolation has become a popular early morning routine for many Savannahians. Every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., Healthy Savannah’s Paula Kreissler and Armand Turner don their walking shoes and lead participants on Healthy Walks around Savannah and Chatham County.
Now, after having since offered more than 150 Healthy Walks over the past four years, the organization is celebrating the initiative by encouraging the community to join them at a special anniversary walk.
On Tuesday, March 26, the public is invited to meet up with members of Healthy Savannah, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Friends of Tide to Town to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Healthy Walks. Walkers will gather at 7:30 a.m. in the parking area at Scarborough Sports Complex, Skidaway at Bona Bella Ave. This will be a low-impact two-mile walk along a portion of the Tide To Town Urban Trail system known as the Truman Linear Park Trail, which is level and accessible, with wide, paved walkways and highly visible pedestrian crosswalks. The walk will last about an hour and end back at the starting point.
“At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many people were isolated and homebound, this activity grew from a need for folks to get out and participate in a safe social setting that also encouraged physical fitness,” said Turner, deputy director, Healthy Savannah and board president, Friends of Tide to Town. “It was also a way for people to experience our local trails and parks and see areas of our city and county from a different perspective.”
Founded in 2007 by Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson with the aim of making Savannah a healthier place to live, Healthy Savannah has since grown into a dedicated coalition of over 200 partner organizations with which the organization leads, collaborates and innovates equitable solutions for the sustained health of all Savannahians.
Together with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Healthy Savannah currently administers a five-year $5.1 million Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. A portion of the grant funding supports the development and use of the Tide to Town urban trail system.
The Friends of Tide to Town was founded in 2018 to lead the community-based engagement, implementation and stewardship of Tide to Town, through the lens of health and equity.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates a single session of moderate to vigorous physical activity such as a brisk walk can provide immediate health benefits including improved sleep, less anxiety, and lowered blood pressure. Long-term benefits can include improved heart and brain health, a healthier weight, bone strength and even a lower risk for certain cancers. [https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-adults.html]
But CDC data also indicates only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
“While these walks do encourage physical activity, we also want weekly walkers to have fun while exploring activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations all around our community,” said Kreissler, Healthy Savannah’s executive director. “We might invite someone who knows about the history of the area to walk along and tell the story behind the trail or point out significant landmarks of the area we’re visiting. It gives you an entirely new perspective of places you might have always known but never really knew.”
Kreissler says the March 26 anniversary walk will take walkers along a section of the Truman Trail which has newly planted camellias.
Savannah City Council recently approved an over 8 million dollar contract for the second phase of the Truman Trail construction. The first three miles, completed during the pandemic, run from Lake Mayer to DeRenne Ave. The next segment will run for about three miles picking up at DeRenne Ave. near Jenkins High School to 52nd St. and Bee Rd. Construction is expected to get underway later this year. Once completed, it will fully connect the Lake Mayer Park Trail Loop to the Daffin Park Trail Loop, creating nine miles of continuous off- and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure through the heart of Savannah.
“In our most recent Healthy Savannah survey, which we have conducted each year since 2014, respondents said they would walk or bike to work, school and shopping if there were bike paths and sidewalks,” said Turner. “That’s precisely what we’re striving to accomplish through the Tide to Town urban trail project.”
Almost all (87%) of Healthy Savannah’s 2023 survey respondents said that sidewalks/paths in areas for walking to work, school, and businesses are fairly or extremely important. A majority (70%) further indicated that they use the city and county parks at least once a month or more and (75%) participate in physical activities a few times a month or more.
“Our observational data also shows that Black and white residents use the trail in nearly equal numbers,” said Turner. “The trail system is creating a safe, stress-free place to walk, jog, skate or bicycle for all.”
Turner says the Tide to Town project is also gaining greater momentum now that the City has brought a project manager on board. The group is additionally working with City staff on an official agreement between Friends of Tide to Town and the City of Savannah that outlines how the two entities can work together to ensure the trail system is constructed and maintained with equity and health in mind.
When completed, Tide to Town will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
“We encourage everyone to get out and get healthy, whether you join our Healthy Walks or explore these routes on your own, using the Healthy Walks map,” said Kreissler. “You can also watch live streams and recordings of our walks on Healthy Savannah’s Facebook page.”
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map, https://healthysavannah.org/our-programs/physical-activity/healthy-walks-story-map/, shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #HealthyWalk and #ActivePeople.
The next healthy walk is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on April 2 at Whitemarsh Preserve, 68 Johnny Mercer Blvd, Savannah, GA 31410. To learn about upcoming Healthy Walks, click on Healthy Savananh’s Healthy Activities calendar, https://healthysavannah.org/healthy-activities/, and to watch live streams of their walks every Tuesday morning, visit Healthy Savannah’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/healthysav and Healthy Savannah’s Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/officialhltysav/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a second grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) to Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. $5.1 million in funding is being deployed over a five-year period to be utilized in an “upstream” approach to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. The renewed funding enables work to continue which began under the initial, five-year, $3.4 million REACH grant awarded in 2018, and a supplemental grant awarded in 2021 to increase awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 and flu adult immunizations. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the Savannah/Chatham County project team’s specific goals in implementing the new five-year grant include fostering physical activity by creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change; and providing education and awareness regarding adult immunizations, especially as they relate to health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The administrators will also continue to foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them by supporting awareness and use of the HERO Help Me database. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Tide to Town Trail System Gets $10 Million from City of Savannah
(SAVANNAH, GA) The City of Savannah has awarded $10 million to the Tide to Town urban trail network, drawing on the anticipated income generated by the increase in Savannah’s hotel/motel taxes. The ambitious trail project – which upon completion will link 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe walking and biking infrastructure – also will benefit from the $37 million allocated to restore the Historic Waterworks Building in west Savannah, since that project includes trails and sidewalks for the westside neighborhoods and links them into Tide to Town.
According to Armand Turner, Healthy Savannah’s physical activity program manager and Tide to Town board president, the $10 million represents the largest commitment to non-motorized mobility in the city’s history. The funds will finance the planning and engineering of upcoming segments of the Truman Linear Park Trail and the Middleground Road corridor located on Savannah’s south side.
Parts of the Tide to Town trail network are already completed and in use. The Truman Linear Park Trail is a major segment of the larger trail network supported by a network of local partners that include the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah as administrators of the Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. REACH Grant staff have conducted community outreach across various neighborhoods in Savannah, gathering feedback on the current need for increased pedestrian safety.
“We are delighted in this latest advance in the landmark Tide to Town trail project,” said Turner. “The trail will make safe, healthy and stress-free pedestrian and bicycle access a real transportation option for most of Savannah’s neighborhoods. The trail will serve not only minority and underserved communities, but the community at large as well.”
The trail also has long-term socio-economic development implications, Turner pointed out. The trail will provide priority access for low-income and minority neighborhoods, connecting homes to schools, employment centers, and services, and also providing walking, jogging, skating and biking infrastructure.
The first phase of Tide to Town, the Truman Linear Park Trail, is complete. It links Lake Mayer Park to East DeRenne Avenue. The next phase will connect from DeRenne Avenue up to the Police Memorial Park Trail and Daffin Park. Once all phases are completed, the Truman Trail will connect over 800 acres of park and recreation space, 18 neighborhoods, and two major economic centers, providing needed connectivity for area residents and eco-tourism options for visitors.
The local delegation to the General Assembly gave Savannah the authority to raise its local hotel/motel tax rate from its current 6% to 8%, effective in September. The additional monies are allocated in a formula that includes public development of tourism infrastructure, which makes the trail eligible for the funding. The Savannah City Council in May approved the awarding of the funds to the trail.
For more details please visit the official website of Tide To Town https://tidetotown.org/.
More information is also available at https://www.savannahga.gov/2952/Tide-to-Town .
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition Hosts Faith Walk at Lake Mayer July 16
(SAVANNAH, GA) The Healthy Savannah Faith and Health Coalition will host a free community event to celebrate health, wellness and summer fun on Sunday, July 16 at Lake Mayer Community Park.
Called “Faith Walk” and co-sponsored by Forsyth Farmers’ Market’s Farm Truck 912, the event will be held from 5:30 until 8:00 p.m. at the Lake Mayer pavilions, located at 1850 E. Montgomery Cross Rd., and will include a variety of healthy activities.
“As a faith leader, I think it is refreshing and exciting to have the entire community join us for this walk for faith-based organizations and their congregations where we get to enjoy healthy food and fun,” said Pastor Yolanda Roberson, executive pastor at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship and Faith and Health Coalition co-chair.
Farm Truck 912 is scheduled to be there, hosting a healthy cooking demonstration featuring fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables right off the truck. Plus, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Georgia will sponsor 100 fresh produce bags to be provided to families that attend the event.
Attendees will also be able to participate in fun activities such as a healthy walk around the beautiful Lake Mayer trail which provides a connection point to the Truman Linear Park Trail. There will be games for kids, such as corn hole, jump ropes and Hula-Hoops. Participants will have the chance to win three $50 gift card vouchers for the Forsyth Farmers’ Market.
Representatives from GirlTrek and Black Girls Do Bike will also be on hand with exciting information about those programs and event organizers will provide an update on the Tide to Town Urban Trail system.
“We’ve worked hard to make this event positive and fun for the whole community,” said Rhonda Barlow, Faith and Health co-chair and School Nutrition coordinator for Savannah Public Schools. “We want everyone who can, to come eat good food and walk with us.”
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition is a sub-committee of Healthy Savannah and was formed in 2014 to support faith-based organizations to implement policies and programs that promote health. The Coalition strives to help elevate the health and wellness of the community through funding from the five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah’s Armand Turner Elected as Friends of Tide to Town Board President
(SAVANNAH, GA) Friends of Tide To Town, Inc. (TTT) has announced the election of its 2023 board of directors. Chairman Armand Turner will be joined on the executive board by Paula Kreissler, vice chair; Marsha Buford, treasurer; and Kirra Fields, secretary. Board members include Laura Ballock, John Bennett, Caila Brown, Brent Buice, Terry Enoch, John Giordano, Denise Grabowski, Mike Maynor, Jeanine Backman Roach and George Seaborough.
The Friends of Tide to Town was founded in 2018 to lead the community-based engagement, implementation and stewardship of Savannah’s Urban Trail System, through the lens of health and equity.
When completed, the project will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
At the heart of the system is the Truman Linear Park Trail, connecting Lake Mayer to Daffin Park. A three-mile portion has been open since 2020, with the remainder of construction expected to get underway by this summer. The entire project is about six miles long and will link 827 acres of existing parkland in Savannah and Chatham County. Including the Daffin Park trail loop and the Lake Mayer trail loop, the total connected pathway will be approximately 9 miles.
A native of Gary, Ind., Turner is the Physical Activity Program manager for Healthy Savannah and its Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health grant program, co-administered with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. He is a graduate of Indiana University with a BS in recreation and has served on the Friends of TTT board since 2019.
“I am excited to continue to build and foster activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations that are easily accessible to all people in Savannah and Chatham County,” said Turner. “We are focused on serving Savannah neighborhoods most in need of safety improvements and connecting homes to schools, employment centers, and services.”
In 2018, a portion of the $3.4 million awarded to Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal GA through the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant was dedicated to the Friends of Tide to Town’s efforts to increase activity friendly routes to everyday destinations, specifically for low wealth African Americans.
As a member of Tide To Town’s REACH Team, Turner, along with fellow board members Denise Grabowski and Laura Ballock, has helped identify and prioritize 10 neighborhoods within the City of Savannah in which efforts to improve connectivity could be concentrated.
ABOUT FRIENDS OF TIDE TO TOWN
Tide To Town, Savannah’s Urban Trail System, will be a protected network of walking and bicycling trails connecting all of Savannah’s neighborhoods, from the heart of the city to its marshes and waterways and serving every aldermanic district. The system has the potential to expand to unincorporated Chatham County, Tybee Island, Garden City, Thunderbolt, Bloomingdale, and Port Wentworth, integrating with long distance walking and bicycling trails. The Tide To Town vision is directly aligned with the City of Savannah’s Strategic Plan, which states that “By 2023… 75 percent of neighborhoods [will be] connected to walking and biking infrastructure (i.e.: trails).” https://tidetotown.org/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Paula Kreissler to speak at Monthly Lowcountry Down Syndrome Meeting March 16
(SAVANNAH, GA) Paula Kreissler, executive director of Healthy Savannah and the program manager for the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; will speak at the monthly meeting of the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) on ways to get out, get active and get healthy.
LDSS’ Family Support meeting will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 in the banquet room at Joe Marchese Construction located at 1525 Dean Forest Rd., Savannah, GA 31408. Please enter through the side entrance labeled “100A”.
Kreissler volunteered with Healthy Savannah from its launch in 2007, before accepting her current position. She graduated from Concordia University, is a licensed CPA, earned an MBA in Sustainable Business from Marylhurst University in 2012 and is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Southeast Georgia. The first 25 years of her career were spent primarily in Operations Management at FedEx.
In 2008, Kreissler received the Top Ten Working Women’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award from A Working Women In Need (AWWIN). The business she founded in 2005, Wound Care Clinic -ESU, won the 2008 Small Business of the Year Award from the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, Kreissler was recognized by the United Way Women’s Legacy Council with a “Women Who Rule” award.
Accompanying Kreissler at the meeting will be Armand Turner, Physical Activity Program Manager with the (REACH) grant. Turner is a Gary, Indiana, native and a graduate of Indiana University with a BS in Recreation. Turner interned at the Denver Parks and Recreation Department in 2014. A year later he worked at Texas Parks Recreation Department in Southlake and Grapevine, Texas. Most recently, Turner was the Recreation Coordinator at Albany State University in 2016.“Healthy Savannah and its 200+ public and private partners are making an impact by collaborating around policy, systems, and environmental change through the lens of health equity,” said Kreissler. “The organization has collectively been at the table to educate policy influencers and policymakers on how they can help make the healthy choice the easy choice.”
Since the creation of Healthy Savannah in 2007, numerous studies have shown a positive upturn in health outcomes and healthy lifestyles as a result of new policies being implemented like Smoke-Free Air, School Wellness Policy, School Design Guidelines, Complete Streets Ordinance, Community Garden Policy and the Farm Truck Ordinance.
In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the organizational REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity [https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/state-local-programs/reach/reach-lark-award/index.html]. The award recognizes the organization’s efforts to reduce health disparities among African American and Hispanic/Latino American residents with low incomes in Chatham County. Those initiatives include Active People, Healthy Savannah; Farm Truck 912; Healthy Checkout Initiative and #HEALTHY WALKS.
LDSS will be partnering with Healthy Savannah on Tuesday, March 21 to celebrate the three-year anniversary of #HEALTHY WALKS and to commemorate World Down Syndrome Day with a 2-mile walk on the Truman Linear Trail. Participants will meet up at 7:30 a.m. in the parking area at Scarborough Sports Complex, Skidaway at Bona Bella Ave.
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a support group to benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families through local leadership in support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact with one another. LDSS encourages people to bring their children. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah AND YMCA Celebrate Three Years of Healthy Walks on March 21
The public is invited to walk in commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day.
(SAVANNAH, GA) For the past three years, Healthy Savannah’s Paula Kreissler and Armand Turner have donned their walking shoes every Tuesday morning and led participants on Healthy Walks around Savannah and Chatham County. Now, the duo is preparing to celebrate the three-year anniversary of the grass-roots initiative that started out as a pandemic solution for people to get out and explore Savannah area trails and walkways.
On Tuesday, March 21, the public is invited to meet up with members of Healthy Savannah, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) at 7:30 a.m. in the parking area at Scarborough Sports Complex, Skidaway at Bona Bella Ave. for a two-mile trek of the Truman Linear Park Trail. The trail is level and accessible, with wide, paved walkways and highly visible pedestrian crosswalks. The walk will last about an hour and end back at the starting point.
“This started as a simple way for folks to get out of the house at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Turner, Physical Activity Program manager. “We thought it would be a good way for people to escape isolation and experience local trails with new friends. Since those early days, we have discovered the many benefits of taking these walks.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
CDC data also suggests a single bout of moderate to vigorous physical activity such as a brisk walk can provide immediate health benefits including improved sleep, less anxiety, and lowered blood pressure. Long-term benefits can include improved heart and brain health, a healthier weight, bone strength and even a lower risk for certain cancers. [https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-adults.html]
“Throughout the pandemic, these weekly hikes have allowed us to explore activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations all around our community,” said Kreissler, executive director. “We’ll often also take a moment to talk about the story behind the trail or the significance of the area we’re visiting.”
Those planning to join the Healthy Walk on March 21 are also invited to wear two different, colorful socks to commemorate World Down Syndrome Day and raise awareness for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome.
“You can’t love what you don’t know,” said Joe Marchese, president, LDSS. “Once you get to know someone with Down syndrome, you realize that we’re more alike than we are different. And it’s the differences that make us all the same. Wearing the two different socks reminds me to pray for the people that I love with Down syndrome and to celebrate those differences every day.”
There are already a number of options for ADA-accessible trails throughout Savannah and Chatham County, including the Truman Linear Park Trail, of which about three miles is completed from DeRenne Avenue to Lake Mayer Community Park.
“Savannahians are telling us that access to sidewalks, bike lanes and other recreation facilities is important to them,” said Turner, referencing the 2022 results from a Healthy Savannah survey. “Nearly half of the respondents said they would walk or bike to work, school or shopping if there were safe paths or sidewalks.”
When fully constructed, the Truman Trail will be approximately 6 miles long and will link 827 acres of existing parkland in Chatham County by connecting Lake Mayer to the 77-acre Daffin Park. Including the Daffin Park trail loop and the Lake Mayer trail loop, the total connected pathway will be approximately 9 miles.
As administrators of the five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia are committed to fostering sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. They do this by working to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promoting physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; encouraging stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them; and developing opportunities for greater awareness and acceptance of COVID and flu vaccines. Healthy Savannah and the “Y” are also participating in the national initiative, Active People, Healthy Nation, to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.
“We encourage you to get out and get healthy, whether you join our Healthy Walks or explore these routes on your own, using the Healthy Walks map,” said Turner. “You can also watch live streams and recordings of our walks on Healthy Savannah’s Facebook page.”
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map (https://healthysavannah.org/healthy-walks-2021/) shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #HealthyWalk and #ActivePeople.
For more information on upcoming Healthy Walks, and to watch live streams of their walks every Tuesday morning, visit the Healthy Savannah Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/healthysav and Healthy Savannah’s Instagram page at officialhltysav.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah Survey Results Show Increased Use of Community-Based Solutions
(SAVANNAH, GA) Savannahians are becoming more aware of and utilizing community-based solutions that promote healthy food and physical activity where they live, work and play. The findings of a 2022 survey conducted by Healthy Savannah were revealed at its CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Stakeholders’ Meeting on January 25, 2023.
About 35 participants were in attendance, representing Savannah and Chatham County organizations committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community. The event was held at the Vaden Automotive corporate office building at 12020 Abercorn in Savannah.
“I think it’s so important that we all come together around a common cause, the work that we do,” said Lillian Grant-Baptiste, chair of Healthy Savannah. “It’s important that we hear from one another so that we have a greater understanding of everything that we’re doing individually; it makes possible all that we do collectively.”
The 2022 survey measured the impact of ongoing efforts funded by the REACH grant in areas of nutrition, physical activity and community/clinical linkages as experienced by Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. Feedback was collected from 642 respondents across the county but concentrated in target census tracts.
The 2022 survey results indicated:
• Physical Activity – More people are aware of the Tide to Town trail system and Active People Healthy Savannah initiative. Access to sidewalks, bike lanes and other recreation facilities has become more important. Nearly half of the respondents would walk or bike to work, school or shopping if there were safe paths or sidewalks.
• NUTRITION AND HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS: Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) continues to be a leading resource in Savannah /Chatham County. A majority of respondents (66%) had heard about or used the market and (53%) currently purchase healthy foods at FFM, up 20% from 2019. A quarter (26%) had purchased food from FFM’s Farm Truck 912 and three quarters (75%) desired to do so. Generally, there was an increase in healthy food purchases and the use of SNAP benefits.
• RESOURCE DIRECTORIES AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES: Resource directories are beginning to see an increase in utilization. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of respondents had used the 211 resource line in 2022, up from 32% in 2021. Herohelpme.com, an online directory of community health resources, with 57% of respondents reporting its use. This was an increase in use, up from 20% of respondents in 2021.
“We still have some work to do to help people connect with life-changing resources,” said Armand Turner, physical activity program manager. “More than 85 percent of respondents said they are unfamiliar with our Tuesday healthy walks, the walking school bus initiative, the convenience store fresh food initiative or breastfeeding advocacy. We have ongoing efforts in all of these areas through REACH grant funding.”
Turner says it was concerns related to reduced physical activity at the start of the COVID pandemic that led him, along with Healthy Savannah Executive Director Paula Kreissler, to engage the organization’s social media followers to join them for weekly healthy walks on trails throughout Savannah and Chatham County. The two have continued to lead the Tuesday walks each week, often sharing the backstories of historic trails and showcasing updates on the Tide to Town protected network of walking and bicycling trails. Once completed, Tide to Town will connect 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe, affordable and cost-effective walking and biking infrastructure.
Kreissler challenged participants to use the survey results and resources such as the REACH-funded Community Health Advocate program to develop specific actions for their agencies. The stakeholders unanimously agreed that they would lend their support through promotion and participation to help increase the REACH grant-funded Community Health Advocate network across the county.
“I think especially in the work that we do it is very imperative that we collaborate,” said Dr. Deidre Grim, PhD, MPA, MPP, MUR.
Grim is the executive director of Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) and Farm Truck 912, its mobile farmers’ market that brings local seasonal fruits and vegetables to Savannah’s low-wealth neighborhoods. Farm Truck 912 is also supported by REACH grant funds.
“Providing resources that address nutrition insecurity, lack of access to healthy options and lack of access to transportation takes a joint effort. We must make sure we are very intertwined with each other’s work because we’re able to then convey that to the community. The community looks at all of us for resources.”
Healthy Savannah has been engaged in collecting community feedback on healthy food and active living knowledge and behaviors since 2014. The work is funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Racial and Ethnical Approach to Community Health (REACH) grant, administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. The survey focuses on general knowledge of Healthy Savannah activities, community knowledge and behaviors related to healthy food and active living. The majority of respondents in the 2022 survey were Black/African American (66%). Most were 30-59 years old (74%) and had lived in Chatham County for more than 10 years (67%). For more information about the 2022 survey results, contact Paula Kreissler at paula@healthysavannah.org.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Savannahians to Vote on TSPLOST Funding for Tide to Town Urban Trail
Healthy Savannah encourages opportunities for physical activity through trail use as the construction of Truman Linear Park Trail’s final stretch is set to begin.
(SAVANNAH, GA) When Savannahians go to the polls on November 8, one of the issues they’ll be considering is whether to vote in favor of a proposed Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST). If passed, the measure would include $10 million for pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity improvements, including funding for the continuing construction of Tide to Town, Savannah’s urban trail system.
Funding for Tide to Town would be primarily dedicated to the Middleground Road section of the trail, with the remainder for bike lane improvements on Habersham St. and general improvements citywide to crosswalks and bike paths.
“The proposed TSPLOST funds could go towards any phase of the Middleground Road section of the trail from design to right-of-way acquisition to construction,” said Caila Brown, chair of Friends of Tide to Town and executive director of Bike Walk Savannah. “The City has applied for various grant funds that would be supplemented by TSPLOST.”
The Middleground Road phase of Tide to Town is approximately a three-mile section of trail with the northern terminus at Abercorn and Montgomery Crossroads and the southern terminus at Abercorn/204 Extension and Science Drive at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus.
The Tide to Town trail network is also supported by a network of local partners that include the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah as administrators of the Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“The continued expansion of the Tide To Town trail, and biking and walking infrastructure in general, supports the goals of Active People, Healthy Nation,” said Armand Turner, Healthy Savannah’s physical activity program manager and Tide to Town board member. “This national program led by CDC to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027 is at the heart of the physical activity objectives Healthy Savannah and the “Y” champion through the REACH grant initiative.”
Active People, Healthy Nation seeks to move approximately:
*15 million adults from inactive (no aerobic activity) to some moderate-intensity activity every day, like brisk walking.
*10 million adults from some physical activity to meeting the minimum aerobic physical activity guideline.
*2 million young people from some physical activity to meeting the minimum aerobic physical activity guideline.
To reach this goal, communities including Savannah are utilizing REACH grant funding to help implement evidence-based strategies to increase physical activity across sectors and settings. Providing equitable and inclusive access to safe places for physical activity is foundational to each strategy. The CDC is further monitoring physical activity levels through the National Health Interview Survey and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Statistics released recently by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) in the 19th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report, found that four in ten American adults have obesity, and obesity rates continue to climb nationwide and within population groups. Nineteen states had adult obesity rates over 35 percent, up from 16 states last year. A decade ago, no state had an adult obesity rate at or above 35 percent.
Georgia’s obesity rate in 2021 decreased slightly to 33.9 from 34.3 in 2021, yet remains concerning.
“I’m excited to see that Georgia is one of nine states where the obesity rate dropped year over year,” said Paula Kreissler, Healthy Savannah’s executive director. “But, the percentage of Georgia adults with obesity is still higher than the U.S. average and rates of related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension continue to rank high. We know these persistent increases underscore that obesity is caused by a combination of factors including societal, biological, genetic, and environmental, which are beyond personal choice. This disparity is magnified in Black and Brown communities where food insecurity may be prevalent.”
The CDC estimates obesity is expected to increase U.S. healthcare spending by $170 billion annually, including billions by Medicare and Medicaid.
According to Active People, Healthy Nation; increased physical activity can improve health, and quality of life while reducing health care costs. The program promotes regular physical activity to help reduce the risk of at least 20 chronic diseases and conditions and provide effective treatment for many of these conditions. Other potential benefits include better school performance and improved military readiness.
“Building active and walkable communities has shown to produce benefits beyond physical health,” said Turner. “They can help support our local economy, result in less air pollution, and create a more cohesive community.”
Construction for another critical link in Tide to Town, Savannah’s urban trail system, is scheduled to begin in early 2023. The final three-mile stretch of the Truman Linear Park Trail from DeRenne Avenue to 52nd Street will fully connect the Lake Mayer Park Trail Loop to the Daffin Park Trail Loop, creating nine miles of continuous off- and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure through the heart of Savannah. The trail construction was fully funded earlier in the year thanks to a $3 million appropriation announced by U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
“Those funds earmarked for the Truman Linear Park Trail will flow from the federal Department of Transportation to Georgia’s DOT and then to the City of Savannah,” said Savannah City Manager Jay Melder. “The measure was passed as part of a federal omnibus spending bill, which is a combination of several appropriation bills that fund the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year.”
When the Truman Linear Park Trail is completed, it will connect Lake Mayer Park to Daffin Park and will include connections to six neighborhoods, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Guy Minick Youth Complex, Jenkins High School, Bacon Park Tennis Courts, Scarborough Sports Complex, Bacon Park Golf Course, Jennifer Ross Soccer Complex, Chatham County Aquatic Center, the Savanah Botanical Gardens and other public amenities. The multi-use route will provide an ADA-accessible, off-road path for recreational and transportation use by residents and visitors and will feature lighting for nighttime use, security cameras, and emergency call boxes.
“The City of Savannah previously had funds in place for trail design, which has now been completed,” said Nick Deffley, director of Sustainability. “We expect construction to get underway in the beginning of 2023.”
The core route of the overall Tide to Town urban trail system is expected to consist of nearly 30 miles of protected walking and bicycling trails throughout Savannah from downtown to marshes and waterways. For more details visit https://tidetotown.org/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah Explores Equitable Changes at Six Neighborhood Parks
(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah is working with Charles T. Brown’s Equitable Cities to take a closer look at how parks in several of Savannah’s priority neighborhoods can better serve the surrounding community.
“We selected six parks across Savannah that include Blackshear Park, W.W. Law Park, Feiler Park, Bowles C. Ford Park, Cann Park and Kennedy Park at Carver Heights,” said Armand Turner, Physical Activity Program manager for Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, administrators of a $3.4 million Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant. “Our goal is to see what equitable changes can be made in order for them to better serve their communities and Savannah as a whole.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded the REACH grant funding in 2018 to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The funds are being deployed over a five-year period in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team in concert with more than 200 community partners and organizations all committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change.
Members of Equitable Cities visited Savannah in September to begin this analysis on the first three of the six parks. Another group will return in October to audit the remaining three.
“Equitable Cities is committed to bringing community narratives, visions, and values into our research, planning, and policy recommendations through the local knowledge of the communities we work in,” said Charles T. Brown, founder and CEO. “Our goal is to reconnect communities suffering from disinvestment through transportation planning and research that focuses on the way each community experiences its parks and streets.”
Turner says the analysis will include a Complete Streets review at each park to measure the ease of mobility to and within it. Additionally, a multi-disciplinary approach of crime prevention that uses urban and architectural design and the management of built and natural environments known as CEPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) will be conducted to assess the environment at each park in determining how built and natural structures might deter crime and promote park use by the community.
“Equitable Cities has over 15 years of experience leading or collaborating on projects that focus on equity and environmental justice, public outreach and engagement and bicycle and pedestrian master planning,” said Paula Kreissler, Healthy Savannah’s executive director. “They work directly with governments and nonprofit organizations such as ours throughout North America.”
Equitable Cities and Healthy Savannah are also making plans to conduct community engagement and focus group opportunities in the neighborhoods surrounding the parks.
“The end goal of this process is for Equitable Cities to make recommendations and an action plan for Healthy Savannah to present to City officials and advocate for equitable changes within the identified parks,” said Turner. “Our collective goal is to reconnect communities suffering from disinvestment by improving the environments and infrastructure within those public spaces.”
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
MY SAVANNAH™ 