More than $28,000 worth of grants have been awarded by the Pioneering Healthier Communities Committee to local organizations to improve the health of our community.

Pioneering Healthier Communities, a project organized by the Grants Pass Family YMCA and funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is working on ways to promote healthy lifestyles. Specifically, the project aims to increase the opportunities for physical activity and improve the eating habits of local residents.

In the past few months, Pioneering Healthier Communities (PHC) has awarded the following grants:
• $10,000 to Josephine County Food Bank for a community garden expansion.
• $10,000 to the Grants Pass Bikeways Committee to expand bike trails.
• $5,000 to the Grower’s Market to purchase an Oregon Trail Food Stamp/Debit/Credit Card Machine to allow low-income residents to make purchases at the Grower’s Market.
• $2,500 to the Gospel Rescue Mission to create a garden that will serve mission residents.
• $365 to Highland School to help create a school garden.
• $275 to Southern Oregon Adolescent Study and Treatment Center to purchase food models for educational purposes.
• $275 to the Grants Pass Family YMCA to purchase food models for educational purposes.

In addition, PHC will be using funds to bring national health expert Mark Fenton into Grants Pass. Fenton will meet with school administrators, City of Grants Pass staff, and local policy makers to help community leaders plan for more exercise opportunities and improved nutritional standards. Fenton will also hold a Healthy Community Summit at the Taprock Event Center on Thursday, June 2nd at 9am that is free to the public.

For more information on the grants awarded or the Mark Fenton Healthy Community Summit, contact the Grants Pass Family YMCA at 474-0001.