Healthy for Life Grant Brings Community Together

The University of Tennessee Extension recently received a second round of grant funds from the American Heart Association and Aramark. The mission for the Healthy for Life grant is to strengthen and empower healthy communities with systematic change. The goals of this project are to improve nutrition education to community members by building food literacy, connecting food choices with daily goals, and increasing consumption of healthier foods. Objectives are met with interactive food demonstrations, engaging self-reliant food activities, and healthy taste tests.

Each week this Summer, the UT Extension office has prepared healthy afternoon snacks and meals for Hope Hohenwald during class. Children have learned how to plan and prepare inexpensive meals, avoid unhealthy supermarket decoys, make healthier substitutions, and practice better food shopping tactics. In an effort to combat obesity and chronic illnesses in Lewis County, the UT Extension office collaborated with Hope Hohenwald to implement this program.

Additional funding allowed UT Extension to provide additional fitness supplies in hopes of securing sustainability for Hope staff, children, and families. All staff, children, and families will have the opportunity of improving their health with gym equipment made available on site @ Hope Hohenwald. We are so excited to have made this possible for Hope Hohenwald, stated Shelly Ray, FCS/4-H Extension Agent II-County Director. For more information on nutritional or fitness program, feel free to contact the UT Extension office @ 931-796-3091 or by email @ [email protected].

The University of Tennessee Extension is proud to implement the Healthy for Life community nutrition program, a joint initiative of Aramark and the American Heart Association. Healthy for Life is a registered trademark of Aramark.

The University of Tennessee offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion or veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. UT extension offers equal opportunities in programs and employment.